Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Fire Island Wireless better than DSL?

We provide higher bandwidth, both down and up. Up to 3 Megabits each way. If you have to send large files from your computer, this is a big advantage especially for people that work in the marketing or graphics industry. 

Why do I need an antenna on my house?

The small antenna on your system's Wi-Fi card may not be powerful enough to send back signals to our base stations, even though it can hear the signals coming from the stations.  In this case, you will need a high power outdoor wifi radio (CPE) that we install on your building pointing towards our base station. The size of the unit is less than 12" X 12" and we would need to run a cable from the unit on the roof to a indoor device located in your building.

Where are the hot zones?

Cherry Grove- near the Belvedere, Ocean Beach - Near Albatross, Kismet - Near the market ,Ocean Bay Park Near Flynn's, Atlantique - The Concession and some parts of the marina, and Fair Harbor -Near the intersection of Central Walk and Beach Walk.  Around these spots (an approximate 100-foot radius) you should be able to use the network without the need of a booster or roof mounted CPE. Turn on your wifi device and look for the networks FIWISPSALT, FIWISPFH, FIWISPOB, FIWISPOBP, FIWISPCG, or Fire Island Wireless.