Frequently Asked Questions
General Services
What is "onShore hotWire"?
onShore hotWire is a term we've coined to describe our unique offering of a shared connection for residential and commercial use Internet.
How much does the service cost?
The costs might vary slightly from building to building but the base price is $39.99/month. Installation fees vary by building. For pricing per building, visit our web sign up.
Is onShore hotWire an "always on" type of connection?
Yes. You do not need to dial up or log on to connect to the Internet with our service.
Do I need a landline to use hotWire?
No. Our connection runs independently from the phone. For more information, visit our technology page.
What types of computers are compatible with hotWire and what special equipment will I need to connect?
onShore supports all types of computers, including laptop and desktop PCs, Macs and Linux systems. You only need an Ethernet network card to connect. Most modern computers already have a network card installed. If you are not sure whether you have this hardware, our tech support team would be glad to help you check.
- If you are a resident of The Buckingham or Park Evanston, a DSL modem will be provided to you by onShore.
- If you are a resident of Gold Coast Galleria or the Transportation Building, a cable modem will be provided to you by onShore.
How much bandwidth is provided with onShore hotWire service?
onShore customers experience maximum speeds of between 3 and 10Mbps, depending on the amount of bandwidth available in your building.
Can I connect more than one computer at a time to hotWire? Is it possible to use onShore wirelessly?
Due to wiring limitations, onShore is only to provide one live wall connection per building unit. However, customers may get multiple computers online by setting up a home wireless network. For more information, visit our wireless networking page.
Support
How do I reach technical support?
Call 312.850.5490 x2 for technical support or email us at support@onshore.com.
Does onShore make house calls for tech support?
When an issue with our connectivity cannot be resolved over the phone, onShore will dispatch a technician for a house call. For technical issues unrelated to onShore connectivity, technicians are available for hire at our base price of $100/hr.
How many email accounts do I get?
Basic service includes 2 email accounts with 50MB of mail/server space per account. Additional email accounts can be purchased for $9.99/month.
How do I access my email remotely?
Our email accounts can be accessed from anywhere with an Internet connection. To access your mail on the web, visit:
Newsgroups
Do onShore customers get access to newsgroups?
Yes. Our access to usenet is provided by Newshosting. For newsgroup system alerts go to http://www.newshosting.com
How do I access newsgroups?
While connected to onShore's network, simply point your newsreader to: news.onshore.com. No log in is required.
File/Web Server Space Storage
My service comes with 50MB of file/web storage, how do I access it?
You can access your personal storage space using an ftp client. You will need to configure your client with your user name and password and our mail server mail.onshore.net. If you transfer html files, they will be visible at: http://mail.onshore.net/~myusername
Security
Does onShore protect my computer from viruses and hackers?
onShore maintains a security team that tracks and addresses global security concerns on our networks. However, it is up to each individual user to supply anti-virus and firewall software. For more information, visit our Protect Your PC page.
Does onShore block specific ports?
Due to an upsurge in virus activity on the Internet, onShore has decided to block ports 445, 135, 137, 139, 5000, 1434, and 1435. These ports are commonly exploited by viruses and have little to no legitimate use on the Internet. In order to protect our customers from unwanted port scans and resultant infections, traffic that sources from or is destined for these ports is blocked on our residential networks.