Frequently Asked Questions

What is Road Runner?

What distinguishes Road Runner from other online services?

How does Road Runner work?

Is Road Runner like DSL?

Does Road Runner require a phone line?

Does Road Runner connect to the television?

Can users watch television while using Road Runner?

Just how fast is Road Runner?

How will multiple users impact the speed of Road Runner?

I'm concerned about security. What measures has Road Runner taken to protect me?

What kind of training and manuals are being provided?

How does Road Runner connect to a computer?

What web browser is used with Road Runner? Can I use my own browser?

What are the requirements for my computer?

Can I assign my own email address? Can I email someone locally? Nationally? How many Email accounts can I have?

How do I create or maintain my home page? How much space am I allowed for my personal home page? Can I host my own hompage?

What is Road Runner?

Road Runner is a high-speed online service delivered to the computer over the cable television infrastructure. By utilizing the latest advances in web technology and leveraging the blazing speed made possible by cable's hybrid fiber-coaxial network, Road Runner integrates compelling multimedia programming with the latest communication tools and personalized services such as mail, faxing, chat listings and personal home pages…all within a broadband environment. Developed to appeal to a broad audience, it combines simple navigation features, top-of-brand programming and easy to use Help and Member Services. The flexible design enables the seamless integration of a wide breadth of national and local programming, news and entertainment. Road Runner offers customers a unique online experience that enables them to enjoy the full potential of the broadband environment.

What distinguishes Road Runner from other online services?

The Road Runner service uses advanced, cutting-edge cable modem technology as its platform, enabling it to deliver its multimedia and interactive applications at incredible speeds. In addition, it has cohesively packaged content from best-in-class programmers; practical and relevant local content, original programming designed to capitalize on the broadband environment, a user-friendly interface and a persistent navigation system. To support the service Road Runner provides proprietary online self-help resources and world-class customer care. Road Runner's infrastructure is among the nation's largest and most sophisticated, consisting of comprehensive regional networks connected through a national backbone.

Road Runner is distributed by local cable systems and national content is seamlessly integrated with community product. Although each community will have distinctive sites that reflect its own profile, common elements include continuously updated local weather reports and local news, access to the school system, the local library, local government and local civic groups.

How does Road Runner work?

Instead of a computer modem hooked up to a local phone line, Road Runner customers will be provided with a high-speed cable modem that links their computer to the cable fiber-optic/coaxial network and Regional Data Center. Users can access local news, entertainment information and other local content from various computer servers throughout their local area. These servers also provide a gateway for Road Runner customers to connect to the Internet, at very high speeds.

Is Road Runner like DSL?

Road Runner and DSL are both broadband technologies. There are many differences between them, however. DSL is a telephone modem technology that runs through traditional copper wiring. Figuring out if DSL is available to you can be complex because even if an area is DSL-ready, your house or phone line may not be. Road Runner utilizes cable modem technology and is available to you if your home is passed by cable and your cable provider has launched it in your area. Road Runner provides all the high-speed technology that delivers our comprehensive programming as well as a direct connection to the Internet. Since DSL only provides your connection, to get to the Internet you also have to find, and pay for, an ISP. Road Runner provides a 30 day money back guarantee if you are not happy with the service. There can be some risk with DSL - to get the lowest price for the service you must agree to lock yourself into a long-term contract even before you have seen how the service will perform.

Does Road Runner require a phone line?

No. Road Runner is delivered over the cable television network. The computer connects to this network using a high-speed cable modem. Phone lines are not used at all. So your phone is free to use while you are on the Internet.

Does Road Runner connect to the television?

No. Road Runner provides a high-speed data connection to the computer, all through the cable lines that already run into the home.

Can users watch television while using Road Runner?

Absolutely. Road Runner sends data to and receives data from your computer using a group of cable frequencies that aren't used for television signals. As well, multiple TV's and computers can be served off of the same cable line.

Just how fast is Road Runner?

Road Runner offers speeds up to 50 times faster than traditional dial-up connections over its high-speed network. The infrastructure and technology are designed to bring content as close to the consumer as possible, through sophisticated caching servers located at the Regional Data Center or cable headend. This technology provides access to a wide variety of multimedia content without the need to go into the heavily trafficked Internet space.

Many factors can influence the delivery of data, however, particularly once you are out on the Internet. These factors can include how busy the Internet is at the time, and how many hits the site you are visiting is getting.

Another factor can be the kind of computer equipment you are using … while Road Runner will work as long your set-up meets the minimum requirements, the device with the slowest throughput along the path determines the effective speed. Generally speaking, users meeting the recommended requirements rather than the minimum requirements tend to experience faster speeds.

As well as speed, Road Runner offers three great advantages over dial-up services: the connection is available immediately-in contrast to traditional telco connectivity that requires lengthy initiation routines; it stays live indefinitely -- as long as the customers likes -- with no hourly usage fees added to the base cost, and it does not tie up a phone line.

How will multiple users impact the speed of Road Runner?

Data bandwidth is shared from the neighborhood node to users in individual homes, so it is possible for performance to vary depending on how many customers are actively using the system at any given time. The system has been designed to offer access to all the high speed services mentioned above, even assuming continuous, maximal usage by every Road Runner user in a neighborhood simultaneously. Additionally, Road Runner constantly monitors network performance and can easily scale the architecture to accommodate more users.

I'm concerned about security. What measures has Road Runner taken to protect me?

With all Internet services (dial-up, ISDN, wireless, satellite, DSL or cable modems), your computer can send data to any other computer on the Internet and vice versa. That's the nature of the Web, email and other Internet applications. To protect our users, Road Runner's cable modems are designed to deliver data packets only to the address that has been assigned to your computer. This prevents the interception of data packets that any user sends or receives. In addition, the modems we are deploying support the encryption of data sent to and from the computer. For this reason, Road Runner installation software will secure file and print sharing.

Many computers and operating systems include features that allow you to share files or printers with other computers on a home network. These features are designed to allow you to decide what to, and what not to, share with other users. If these features are improperly configured, however, they can present a security risk when you connect to the Internet via dial-up, DSL or cable modem. For this reason, Road Runner specialists will secure file and print-sharing on your computer when installing our service. We may also recommend that you safeguard your computer with a password.

What kind of training and manuals are being provided?

The technicians who install the Road Runner software in your system will provide customers with a Road Runner Kit, chock full of tips on using your Road Runner services. This includes the Road Runner Guide to CyberSpace, the Road Runner User Guide, and Road Runner software. Covered topics include connecting and navigating the Internet, changing your password, email usage, and exploring the features of the Road Runner local community.

Every Road Runner customer will also receive The Road Runner Guide To Cyberspace and The Road Runner Quick Start Guide. The former is a complete user's guide covering a broad range of issues including a quick tour of the Internet; help with Internet etiquette and Cyberspace security issues; how to use the software applications that enable you to explore Cyberspace on your own; a tour guide of valuable Web sites, useful Internet and computer glossaries, and even basic computer lessons.

How does Road Runner connect to a computer?

The internet signal, carried over the cable line coming into the home, is routed through a cable modem, then to the computer via a cable modem and a 10BaseT Ethernet connection. Road Runner uses your USB (Universal Serial Bus) port to connect to a cable modem. If you don't have a USB port, Road Runner can arrange to have a PC vendor install a 10BaseT Ethernet card for a fee.

Can I assign my own email address? Can I email someone locally? Nationally? How many email accounts can I have?

With Road Runner you can receive and send email to anyone, anywhere. The cable system may set your initial email address (domain and user name). You can configure up to 4 (four) additional email accounts in addition to your initial email account (visit the Account Management System to do so).

How do I create or maintain my home page? How much space am I allowed for my personal home page? Can I host my own hompage?

Road Runner affiliates will host personal home pages for their users. Experienced users can update their home page directly using FTP. Detailed online instructions for creating and publishing web pages are available for novice users. The amount of space allotted for personal home pages is 5 megabytes.

What web browser is used with Road Runner? Can I use my own browser?

Road Runner provides a customized version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser and we recommend using this browser to navigate the service. You are also free to use any other browser of your own choice. However, limited technical support will be available if problems arise. In addition, not all third-party plug-ins will be supported by the Road Runner Help Desk.