How Wireless Works

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Learn how Aristotle uses Fixed Wireless to bring high speed internet to rural and hard-to-reach areas!

What Is Fixed Wireless Internet?

Unlike wired networks, Aristotle Fixed Wireless uses radio waves to deliver internet service. A radio receiver is installed, typically on the roof, to receive the signal from our nearby antenna.

Once your Wi-Fi router is wired to the receiver, your computer can connect using Wi-Fi (or Ethernet ports)—just like a traditional wired network!

You’ll be able to use your wireless devices anywhere within your Wi-Fi zone. With our powerful Calix Wi-Fi routers, you’ll get great coverage throughout your home or business!

DID YOU KNOW? The name "Fixed Wireless" comes from the “fixed" (stationary) location of the radio receiver.

How Does Fixed Wireless Internet Work?

Aristotle uses a series of towers to reach unserved and underserved rural communities.

A nearby tower brings Aristotle Broadband to your community using radio waves.

A receiver at your location communicates with the nearby tower to deliver your internet.

In some cases, obstructions like tall trees and buildings can block the signal from reaching your location.

Set up smart wi-fi, content controls, guest network and more with our mobile app!

Enjoy affordable internet, video streaming, gaming and more—with Aristotle Fixed Wireless!

How Does Fixed Wireless Compare?

Aristotle Fixed Wireless Internet is more reliable and faster than satellite internet. Unlike HughesNet and Viasat, our base station antenna is just down the road, not hundreds—or sometimes thousands—of miles away in space!

Fixed Wireless Broadband

Aristotle's wireless towers are right down the street—usually 10 miles away or less—delivering a strong, reliable signal.

Satellite Broadband

Satellite internet can come from as far as 20,000 miles away in space and can be impacted by weather and electromagnetic interference.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is fixed wireless difficult to get?

Before installation we check your location to ensure a line-of-sight connection to the base station. This process isn’t any more difficult than checking for available ADSL ports or to see if fiber cable has been laid near your street.

My neighbor can get service—does that mean I can too?

Often, but not always… Trees and other obstructions can sometimes prevent Aristotle’s signal from reaching your house or office, even if we serve your area.

But, you can count on our installers to troubleshoot and look for a solution to bring Aristotle Internet to your home or office—if at all possible!

Is fixed wireless expensive?

Because Aristotle has to install an antenna, there is a nominal set-up fee for fixed wireless. Other services can require fiber cable to be laid, and those costs can be even more expensive. Compared with other services, fixed wireless is usually far superior and worth the fee.

An Aristotle antenna is up in my neighborhood, so why can’t I subscribe yet?

We work hand-in-hand with city government for the final steps of connecting your hometown. Often, that means working with utilities, railroad and even state parks to obtain necessary permits. This can can sometimes slow our deployment.

Does weather affect my signal?

In the past, rain and inclement weather could interfere with fixed wireless Internet, but new technology has mostly resolved these issues. Of course, extreme weather can still have an impact on service, but modern antennas can ensure a reliable connection for most weather conditions.

What obstructions can cause interference?

Fixed wireless Internet access requires a “line-of-sight” or “near-line-of-sight” path from your house or office building to one of Aristotle’s distribution towers. Large trees, buildings, or other solid obstructions may degrade the service levels to a point of being unacceptable. The installer will locate a quality signal, or the equipment will not go up.

What causes outages?

Outages occur when our network is damaged or loses power. The Aristotle team deploys quickly to restore service—but in some cases repairs rely on other organizations (like the power company) to respond.

Find out what can cause an outage and how Aristotle’s field team of experts deploys to make repairs and reconnect our customers.

Need additional Wi-Fi coverage?

Need more coverage for a large home or business? Extend your Wi-Fi zone by adding one or more GigaSpire Mesh BLAST U4m extenders. Expand your coverage to a second story, den, or basement to make sure all your family is connected—wherever they feel at home.

See the full line of GigaSpire BLAST products!

Am I getting the speeds I am paying for?

Aristotle strives to provide the subscriber's selected speed. Peak times start at 5:00 pm and last through 12:00 am each evening.

Another issue is the type of activities happening at once. Streaming content will consume bandwidth and cause other activities to experience some slowness.

Run a speed test on your smart phone using the ArisControl App to see the actual speeds you are receiving.