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FAQs - Technical

  • Technical FAQs

    Internet

    Can I check my email when I'm away from home?

    Yes. The Grande web portal provides an alternative way to check email from any browser on any internet connected machine when you are away from home. You will use your standard Grande Username and Password to log into the Grande Web Portal. You will find that WebMail has all of the basic functionality of a standard email program. For your convenience, all email viewed in WebMail will remain on our email servers until you physically delete it. You can delete email from within WebMail, or simply retrieve it with your regular email program when you get back home. To connect to WebMail:

    Click on your start menu, then click the Internet Explorer icon.

    Type http://mygrande.net in the toolbar Address line and press Enter.

    To log into the Grande Web Portal you click on the Log-in link and enter your Grande username and password.

    Once you have logged into the Grande Web Portal you will be able to check your Grande email using the MyGrande Email link on the right side of the page.

    Can I get rid of my dial-up modem if I have a Grande cable modem?

    It depends. Cable modems cannot be used to dial in to networks or dial fax machines. You may find that you need to keep your regular dial-up modem to perform certain functions, such as remote access, sending and receiving faxes, voice mail and electronic bulletin boards.

    Do I need a surge protector?

    We recommend that you have a surge protector.

    What is a Dynamic IP address?

    Just like giving someone directions to your home by using your home address, a Dynamic IP address tells other computers on the Internet how to find your computer. Grande will assign a Dynamic IP address that will change at regular intervals to maintain network security and optimize available IP space. In other words, you will have a Dynamic IP address but it will vary on a regular basis.

    Will I have my own Dynamic IP address with Grande high-speed Internet?

    You will be assigned a Dynamic IP address.

    Will I be protected from viruses with Grande high-speed Internet?

    Computers catch viruses in many ways, primarily by execution of a program containing a virus. Caution must be exercised on any online service and virus protection is always the responsibility of the computer owner.

    Does Grande provide any filtering software?

    Yes, Grande offers filtered content services that allow you to block unwanted Internet sites. Filtered Services are available for a small monthly fee.

    Who do I call if I have questions or problems?

    Grande provides technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions online or over the telephone. Please contact your local Grande Customer Care Center with any questions or problems.

    http://mygrande.com/san-marcos/contactus

    What about security on the system? How do I know that my credit card information cannot be stolen?

    Security is a concern for many users on the Internet. At websites where you see the yellow lock symbol at the bottom right side of your browser--if the yellow lock is in the locked position, this indicates an encrypted session (at the installed strength of the browser on your computer). This makes any transaction conducted over the Grande network equally secure to those done over any ISP. As with any credit card transaction, we advise you to use the normal precautions.

    What is the difference between cable modem service and DSL service?

    The main difference between cable modem and DSL technology is the network underlying the service. DSL service uses the public telephone network for transmission while cable modems use a completely separate broadband, high-speed network. Telephone solutions tend to degrade and slow down the further away your home is from the telephone company's central office. Grande's high-speed Internet service is superior in this respect because Grande provides all users the same service regardless of their physical location.

    How does Grande compare to the competition?

    While Grande's competition also uses cable modem technology to deliver high-speed Internet service, the underlying network is the main difference. Grande's high-speed network is designed with more fiber-optic cable going deeper into the neighborhood (fiber provides an advantage of having faster throughput and less interference). Fewer people share network capacity with Grande, which means service does not degrade as more people access the network.

    How long does it take to install the cable modem and get me up and running?

    The time required for installation varies depending on the type of equipment and operating system you have. Generally we allot approximately two hours. In addition to installing all necessary hardware and software, the Broadband Communications Technician allots 30 minutes for user training to help you make the most of your new Grande service.

    How does Grande's modem connect to my computer?

    The cable modem requires a Network Interface Card (NIC) to be installed in your computer. This card gives your computer an Ethernet connection that allows the computer and modem to communicate at high speeds.

    Will I have trouble with two modems connected to my computer?

    The Grande connection is more similar to a network connection, in that a network card is inserted and connected directly to the cable modem. The modem itself is not connected directly to a serial port so both types of modems can reside in your computer. However, if your computer already resides on a network, there may be a conflict between your current Network Interface Card and the Network Interface Card that supports the Grande software.

    Phone

    May I keep my number if I switch to Grande's phone service?

    Yes. You have the option of keeping your existing number or requesting a new number from Grande Communications. Grande may be able to offer you a better or easier number to remember, or we may even be able to provide you with "vanity" numbers such as ###-CATS or ###-HOME. Call your Grande Customer Care Center for more information.

    May I keep my current long-distance carrier?

    Yes. You can keep your current long-distance carrier, but only if they have requested access to Grande's network. Not all long-distance carriers have requested access. Also, if you select Grande as your long-distance provider, you can select a call plan that is right for you - all on one bill.

    Do I receive a discount on telephone service if I'm a cable customer?

    Yes! You will save a significant amount of money when you sign up for more than one service.

    Will I be in the local phonebook?

    Yes, unless you request to not be included in the local phone book.

    How do I dial Directory Assistance?

    Dial 1-4-1-1 for all Directory Assistance calls at $.50 per call. Assistance Call Launch is provided free of charge. Long-distance charges apply to calls outside your local calling area.

    May I purchase long-distance and local service separately?

    You can purchase Grande local phone service with your choice of long-distance carriers. However, in order to have Grande's long-distance service, you must subscribe to Grande's local phone service.

    What is a flutter dial tone?

    Flutter dial tone is a tone interrupted by brief periods of silence. If you have a voice mail, you are notified of new messages by the "flutter" dial tone when you pick up the phone.

    What is digital telephone service?

    Digital telephone service allows clearer and cleaner transmission of the voice signal delivering a much higher quality service than the standard copper wire networks.

    Is there a monthly fee with the In-Bound Domestic 800 service?

    No, you only pay when someone calls you. It is a small charge per minute from anywhere in the lower 48 states. If a call is placed from a pay phone, there is a $.35 charge per call.

    I have a home-based business. Can my home line telephone number be listed in the business white pages?

    You must be a business line customer to be listed in the business white pages.

    How do I get my business phone number listed in the Yellow Pages of the phonebook?

    As a result of business listing in the White Pages, a Yellow Pages representative will contact you about an advertisement in the Yellow Pages section. Contact the Yellow Pages directly if you do not hear from them soon. Grande Communications does not sell or promote Yellow Pages advertisement space.

    Is my telephone bill included or separate from my Internet and Cable TV bill?

    Yes! You will save a significant amount of money with Grande Bundles and GrandePacks.

    Is Grande going to save me money?

    Grande provides high-speed Internet, local and long-distance telephone, and digital cable services at very competitive prices. And if you choose a Bundle or GrandePack, you will save significantly more.

    Since I have unlimited long-distance on my cell phone, do I have to take the 300 Minute Call Plan that comes with the Total and Elite Bundle?

    The 300 Minute Call Plan is included and although you may find there are some months you don't use it, you have the advantage of using the minutes anytime you want. You can also select to upgrade to Unlimited Domestic Long-Distance for only $5.00 per month. Then you can select a less expensive cell phone plan.

    Cable

    What is the difference between Digital Cable and Expanded Cable service?

    Digital cable offers digital quality picture and sound and provides more channels of programming which equals a better value for you. Other features Digital Cable offers are 24 hour, commercial free music; Pay-Per-View movie, event and sports channels and an Interactive Program Guide which gives you more control over your TV. Get all that cable has to offer with Digital Cable.

    What is the benefit of Digital programming?

    Grande Digital Cable offers more variety...everything from Home Theatre (Pay-Per-View) to 24-hours a day, commercial-free music. Plus, the on-screen interactive programming guide gives you control of your TV. With Digital Cable, you can set favorite channels, block channels and programs from the kids and control Pay-Per-View purchases through a PPV purchasing PIN.

    What is HDTV?

    HDTV stands for high-definition television. HDTV is a class of digital television that provides a very high-resolution picture with Dolby digital surround sound. The higher resolution picture, displaying up to ten times more image detail than standard TV, is the primary selling point for HDTV. HD signals also display in 16:9 aspect ratio as opposed to the standard 4:3 (a loss of up to 55% of the frame on movies filmed for the big screen), this allows viewers to see the whole screen.

    What is the difference between analog, digital and HDTV?

    Analog: Standard picture and sound quality with up to 80 channels. Digital: DVD picture and sound quality with more than 300 channels. HDTV: 10 times better resolution/image detail than analog with up to 28 channels currently available; more channels will be added in 2008.

    How many channels are available on HDTV?

    Currently Grande offers up to 28 channels in HD format. Grande will continue to add more HD channels in 2008.

    What are the requirements for receiving HD programming?

    If you are a Grande customer, you need to subscribe to Digital Cable, have an HDTV TV set with either a built-in tuner or an add-on tuner and an HDTV receiver.

    How much does HDTV cost?

    At this time, there is no additional cost to receive the broadcast channels in HD format. The broadcast signals are included in Digital Cable. Customers who subscribe to the HD Tier will receive 15 channels of HD programming for $9.95 per month. Customers who subscribe to the premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and Starz) will receive the matching HD channel at no additional cost.

    What is a DVR (Digital Video Recorder)?

    A DVR is a service that allows you to record and store television programming on a hard disk drive in your digital receiver so that you can access this programming at any time. The DVR functions like a VCR, without a videotape and with more sophisticated recording and playback options. Choose from live television or recorded content. A DVR will allow you to stop, pause, rewind, or fast-forward your program. For example, if you receive a call in the middle of a program, a DVR will allow you to pause the show, recording the content from the moment of the pause, and resume viewing where you left off.

    What is the difference between a DVR and VCR?

    DVRs store content in a compressed digital format onto a hard disk drive (like a computer), which alleviates storage limitations of VCR tapes. VCRs use VHS or Beta tapes to store information in an analog format. VCR tapes can only capture up to six hours of programming while a DVR can store between 30 and 50 hours. DVRs also provide more sophisticated recording options. For example, it can be programmed to record an entire season of your favorite show.

    Will I need to purchase any special equipment to use Grande's DVR service?

    No, you do not have to purchase any additional equipment. There is a monthly subscription fee of $9.95 per DVR and your digital receiver will be replaced with a DVR enabled receiver.

    I am a basic cable customer. Will Grande's DVR service be available to me?

    Yes, however, you will need to upgrade to Grande Digital Cable to be able to receive the DVR service. This is because the DVR service will only function with the DVR receiver.

    Do I get premium service on all TV sets in the house?

    If you subscribe to any premium service, you will receive the multi-channel premium service on those TV sets connected to a digital receiver.

    Who decides what channels are added?

    We consider how the channel will appeal to customers and how adding the channels will impact the cost of cable service. By choosing channels with a broad appeal and reasonable cost, we can continue to improve the channel lineup and minimize rate increases. Also, as we receive letters and telephone calls requesting different channels, we take these requests into account. We also rely on research on what customers across the country are watching and what new services are likely to be considered valuable additions.

    Can I get Grande Communications cable on all the TV sets in my house?

    Grande does not require a digital receiver for Expanded Cable. Those services are always available on all TV sets in the home connected to a cable outlet. Digital Cable does require a digital receiver for each TV set. One digital receiver is included in the Digital Cable package. Additional digital receivers may be leased from Grande for a small monthly fee. Only those TV sets equipped with a digital receiver will get the digital services. The other TV sets in the house will only receive Expanded Cable programming.

    Can I connect Grande cable TV service to my older TV sets?

    Cable-ready, or more accurately, cable-compatible TVs and VCRs are designed to receive non-scrambled cable channels without the need for a converter from the cable operator. However, not all "cable-ready" TV sets can receive some of the cable channels found on higher frequencies. You may need to buy a "channel extender" (also referred to as a basic converter) to ensure that you receive all of the channels available with the Grande Expanded Cable service. The channel extender is available for purchase from Grande Communications for a small fee.

    What are the fees on my cable bill?

    There are three fees associated with Cable services:

      • Sales Tax - local and state sales tax.
      • Franchise Fee - this is a fee levied by the city.
      • FCC Fee - this is a fee levied by the Federal Communications Commission to fund the regulation of the cable television industry.

    What is Music Choice?

    Music Choice is a digital music service that is included at no additional cost in the Digital Cable package. Music Choice includes 48 different music formats, each playing a specific music type such as Jazz, Classic Rock, Rhythm and Blues, etc. Simply tune to the channel you like and enjoy!

    Why doesn't Grande carry the Austin News 8 Channel?

    The News 8 Channel is a subsidiary of Time Warner, and therefore unavailable to Grande cable customers.

    What programming do you carry in Spanish?

    Grande offers a wide variety of Spanish language programming, including sports, novellas, music and variety. The services that Grande typically offers on Expanded Cable include Galavision, Univision, Telemundo and mun2. HBO customers also receive HBO Latino at no additional cost. In most markets we also offer a package of over 15 Spanish language channels for a small monthly fee.

    How much does The Movie Channel cost?

    The Movie Channel is included at no additional cost in the "Showtime Unlimited" premium package. Also included in the "Showtime Unlimited" package, at no additional cost, is Flix.

    Construction

    Who is Grande Communications?

    Grande Communications is building a brand new broadband network. We are currently installing fiber-optic cable in your area and within a few months, we will begin delivering you a choice in high-speed Internet, local and long-distance telephone and digital cable television services.

    What is that green box in my yard?

    Grande is building a brand new network from the ground up. We are not retrofitting or modifying existing network lines from other Internet, telephone and/or cable providers in this area. Instead, we are installing a state-of-the-art system that delivers our technologically advanced services clearly and easily. Our network will require the installation of a service box on approximately 5% of the residences that we pass. The service boxes are designed to be as unobtrusive as possible and are placed within the utility easement.

    Why do you need to enter my back yard to install Grande's network?

    Public rights of way and utility easements often cross private property, sometimes where electric, telephone and cable service boxes already exist. Many times the easements cross back yards. Therefore, Grande's construction teams will need to enter the back yard to hang cable from existing utility poles or install the service box. Again, Grande's construction work generally occurs around existing utilities.

    How often will these cabinets need to be upgraded, replaced or maintained?

    Grande's network is capable of delivering large amounts of data via a single line to the home. It is one of the most advanced networks currently being constructed and is designed to handle bandwidth demands well into the future. Grande customers will be able to take advantage of all the Internet and cable television has to offer - as well as dependable phone service - for many years to come. If it becomes necessary for Grande to upgrade its network or replace components, Grande will notify residents and work with the City to ensure that the upgrade is as unobtrusive as possible.

    What safety measures are in place to prevent children from entering the cabinet?

    Grande's number one priority is resident safety. A Grande employee or contractor will fit each cabinet with a padlock and the cabinet will be partially blocked by landscaping.

    What do the Remote Digital Terminals (RDTs) look like?

    The cabinets are constructed of galvanized steel, but will be painted to blend into the surrounding property. They are approximately seven and a half feet wide, six feet tall and four feet deep. Grande has built the cabinets to open on all four sides, where a four to five foot clearance exists, and plans to landscape the area around the cabinet.

    Spyware

    What is spyware?

    The term spyware is generally used to describe any program installed on your PC that sends information (with or without your permission) to someone else for the purpose of monitoring your online (browsing, shopping, etc.) habits as well as your personal information. In addition to being an invasion of your privacy, spyware applications can also cause your computer and/or Internet connection to function slower than normal or sometimes in extreme cases it may fail to function at all.

    How does spyware get on my computer?

    The two most common ways that spyware gets placed on your computer is 1) by installing freeware/shareware/demoware software that installs spyware applications during installation of the main program or 2) by visiting websites which attempt to install applications on your PC using exploitable web technologies like Microsoft ActiveX.

    What tools can proactively monitor my system as well as help remove existing Spyware?

    We recommend the use of Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition from LavaSoft. This application will search your system for spyware and will inform you of any questionable programs or processes that it finds. It will also stay up to date like most virus scanners do by connecting to the developers site and downloading regular update so that it will always be able to identify the latest types of spyware applications and techniques. Another highly recommended removal tool is Spybot Search and DestroyThis application is also free of cost and has proven to be one of the most effective of it's kind.

    What web browser software should I use in order to be the least vulnerable to spyware?

    We recommend the use of a web browser such as Mozilla or Firefox for general web browsing use. These browsers are less exploitable than Internet Explorer and may leave you less vulnerable to spyware when visiting websites. You may find that some sites you use frequently require Internet Explorer in order to function (Online Banking for example) and if this is the case you can still use Internet Explorer for these types of sites. For all other general browsing you will be less vulnerable to spyware if you stick to a browser like Mozilla or Firefox.

    How should my ActiveX options for Internet Explorer be configured in order to be the least vulnerable?

    Open Internet Explorer, click the "Tools" menu and select "Options". Select the "Security" tab and make sure that it is set for at least "Medium" or higher security. Then click on the "Custom Level" button and adjust the following options to these indicated values: Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt; Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disable; Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disable; Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Prompt; Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Prompt.

    My computer has been so badly damaged by spyware that I can no longer get it online. How can I troubleshoot the problem?

    Microsoft has an article that describes many steps that can be taken to identify and fix this sort of problem, but it can be complicated and requires at least some level of expertise. There is also a third party software tool called LSP-Fix which will attempt to identify these problems and fix them for you. If neither of these resources seem to help your specific problem then it might be a good idea to contact your computer manufacturer or vendor for advanced support.

    Neither Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition or Spybot S&D have been successful in fixing my spyware problems. Is there a more advanced free tool available?

    There is an advanced spyware removal tool called HiJackThis which has been reported to be extremely powerful and effective. This tool will aggressively search your system for web browser parasites and other spyware related applications. It shows you everything on your system that has any connection to your web browser and leaves it up to you to decide if it should be there or not. Extreme caution should be used with this tool because along with it's powerful capabilities comes the abiltiy to further damage your system.

    I can't boot my computer normally or gain enough access to it to download or install any of these spyware removal/detection applications. What should I do?

    It may be necessary to boot Windows into "safe mode" in order to install and run these applications if your computer cannot boot normally. Most versions of Windows can be strted in "safe mode" by pressing the F8 key during the initial stages of Windows startup. You will not have access to the Internet while in safe mode so it also might be necessary to place files needed for installation on floppy disks or recordable CD-Rs.

    Are there any online spyware scanners?

    DoxDesk has a nice online spyware/parasite scanner that will perform a quick search for the most commonly found spyware applications.

    Spam

    What does "550 5.7.1 Refused" mean?

    This error message will always be followed by ONE of the following:

    (where [IP] is the blocked IP address.) Visiting the link any of these error messages will give the exact reason for the block and instructions for removal from the respective blacklist.

    Why am I getting email that is addressed to someone else?

    A common tactic of junk mailers is to specify one of the recipients in the To: field and then use what is called 'Blind Carbon Copy' to silently instruct the mail server as to which other addresses should receive the email, yours being one of them. This makes it appear as if you are receiving someone else's email, but due to the BCC, you were actually receiving an additional copy. Grande already takes a number of steps to reduce the amount of junk email that users receive, however you can enable more aggressive filtering on your account by using our Email Admin site at https://admin.mygrande.net. Please be sure to take a look at Spam Assassin FAQ first in order to find out which method of filtering works best for you!

    When should I use an unsubscribe link?

    Almost never! Here are some valuable tips:

      • If the unsubscribe link contains a numeric IP address, rather than a name, do NOT use it (ie. http://63.20.84.12/unsub)
      • If the address is not a standard extension like .com or .net (ie. http://clicktowin.nl/remove) do NOT use it.
      • If the unsubscribe page actually requires you to enter your email address into a window, rather than being automatic, do NOT use it.
      • If there is an email address to send to to unsubscribe, do not use it. The exception would be a known reputable mailing list server (ie. groups.yahoo.com)
      • If the email contains a string of random characters at the bottom like this "zrtuna(nathvfu^tenaqrpbz(pbz" it is likely the unsubscribe will not be honored.
      • If the From: address of the email is either your own address, or your username followed by some other domain, it is also a forgery and you should not use any provided unsubscribe links.
      • A legitimate unsubscribe link may look something like this: http://www.amazon.com/preferences/unsub.cfm?id=xx79skkg8ab
      • Visit the site in question! If you add a 'www' in front of the referenced domain and do not find a clean, professional looking website free of popups, blinks and other clutter, chances are good that the domain in the unsubscribe link is a spam haven.

    What does Grande do to prevent unsolicited commercial email (spam)?

    Grande employs many aggressive tactics to prevent junk email. The following list of deployed weapons alone serve to block or discard tens of thousands of unwanted emails each day:

      • SORBS, NJABL, SBL, and SpamCop DNS-based filtering
      • Known DNS-based dial-access relay blocking
      • Subject: header filtering of known junk topics
      • Automated throttling of dictionary address harvesters
      • Automated IP Firewall blocking of dictionary attackers
      • From: header filtering of known junk reply addresses

    Why do I still get junk email?

    If you have ever been involved in any of the following, your email address has probably been 'harvested' and now some unscrupulous folks may be distributing or selling your email address:

      • Posting to Usenet newsgroups using your standard return address
      • Posting to web-based forums that do not mask your address
      • Receiving 'greeting card' emails from friends who enter your address
      • Signing up for email newsletters
      • Clicking 'unsubscribe' links on previous unsolicited emails
      • Friends email you jokes/cartoons from websites by entering your email
      • Your address has appeared in printed media of some form
      • Shopping online from non-reputable vendors
      • Entering your email address virtually anywhere online!

    Does sending fake bounce (returned email) messages to spammers work?

    NO! Spammers do not use real return addresses, so when you send the fake "User unknown" returned emails to them, they just bounce again. It is pointless to enable this feature on your email software because the junk mailer will never see nor heed the message (all legitimate mailing entities provide a proper unsubscribe link.) So either just delete your junk mail, or see our Spamcop FAQ on how to take punitive action against the sender.

    I've not done any of the above, and I get virtually nothing BUT spam!

    Grande now provides optional filtering for your @grandecom.net email address. To use it, please choose a filtering type from the options listed here. Then log in with your email username and password at https://admin.mygrande.net and click Manage in the Filtering section in order to enable your selection.

    Why should I use SpamCop? Why can't I just filter spam?

    Filtering does not prevent the mail from arriving, but rather just files it appropriately. Nor does it impose any punitive response on the junk emailer. If you religiously use SpamCop, you will be part of a larger cooperative to help eradicate spam on our Internet. Join us!

    What is email phishing?

    Phishing is the term used by Internet scammers who imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share usernames, passwords, account information or credit card numbers.

    The term Phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they "fish" for users' private information. The most common ploy is to copy the look and feel of a web page from a major site and use that design to set up a nearly identical page that appears to be part of the company's site.

    There are several steps you can take to make sure you never fall for one of these scams:
      • Always be suspicious of any email or phone call that asks for your personal account information, such as usernames, passwords, and account numbers. emails, phone calls, text messages, instant messages, or Web logs that appear to come from a reliable source may not always be authentic.
      • Grande will NEVER ask you for password information via phone or email, as that information is private and is only known by you.
      • Grande will NEVER ask for billing or payment information through email.
      • Always be extra cautious when giving out your personal information on the phone
      • Always ensure that you're using a secure server when submitting credit card information. To make sure you're using a secure server, check the beginning of the web address in your browsers address bar - it should be https:// rather than just http://. Contact your bank or Credit Card Company if you think you may have replied to a fraudulent email with sensitive personal information.

    For more information you can visit this website: http://onguardonline.gov

    Email & Webmail

    Will I receive a discount if I get more than one service?

    Yes. You will see a savings when you subscribe to more than one service, plus you will have the convenience of one bill, one company and one call for customer service.

    What equipment is required for Grande's phone service at my home?

    A network interface device is required and will be installed on the side of your home where your other utility devices are located. Grande Communications does not need to do any wiring or installation inside your home, as long as your home has been pre-wired when it was constructed.

    Will my Internet and telephone service be combined on the same bill?

    Yes, all of your Grande services will be on one convenient bill.

    May I keep my current phone number?

    Yes. You have the option of keeping your existing number or requesting a new number from Grande Communications. Grande may be able to offer you a better or easier number to remember, or we may even be able to provide you with "vanity" numbers such as ###-CATS or ###-HOME. Call your Grande Customer Care Center for more information.

    May I keep my current long-distance provider?

    Yes. You can keep your current long-distance carrier, but only if they have requested access to Grande's network. Not all long-distance carriers have requested access. Also, if you select Grande as your long-distance provider, you can select a call plan that is right for you - all on one bill.

    If I don't want all the call features listed with the GrandePacks, can you deduct the amount for those features?

    You have the options available to use at any time. You may feel that you don't want to use all of them, but as your needs change or as you try the different features, you may find them useful. Many of our customers try them and find them very easy to use and helpful. There is, however, no further discount on the GrandePacks if you choose not to use some of the Custom Call features.

    Bundled Services

    Will I receive a discount if I get more than one service?

    Yes. You will see a savings when you subscribe to more than one service, plus you will have the convenience of one bill, one company and one call for customer service.

    What equipment is required for Grande's phone service at my home?

    A network interface device is required and will be installed on the side of your home where your other utility devices are located. Grande Communications does not need to do any wiring or installation inside your home, as long as your home has been pre-wired when it was constructed.

    Will my Internet and telephone service be combined on the same bill?

    Yes, all of your Grande services will be on one convenient bill.

    May I keep my current phone number?

    Yes. You have the option of keeping your existing number or requesting a new number from Grande Communications. Grande may be able to offer you a better or easier number to remember, or we may even be able to provide you with "vanity" numbers such as ###-CATS or ###-HOME. Call your Grande Customer Care Center for more information.

    May I keep my current long-distance provider?

    Yes. You can keep your current long-distance carrier, but only if they have requested access to Grande's network. Not all long-distance carriers have requested access. Also, if you select Grande as your long-distance provider, you can select a call plan that is right for you - all on one bill.

    If I don't want all the call features listed with the GrandePacks, can you deduct the amount for those features?

    You have the options available to use at any time. You may feel that you don't want to use all of them, but as your needs change or as you try the different features, you may find them useful. Many of our customers try them and find them very easy to use and helpful. There is, however, no further discount on the GrandePacks if you choose not to use some of the Custom Call features.

    Anonymous FTP

    Why do I have to use FTP to send large files instead of email?

    The email server has a limit since the SMTP protocol was designed for light transfers. In addition, every single byte is scanned in order to filter for known viruses, spam, and other undesirables. FTP is by far the faster and recommended method of transferring files.

    Does Grande have an anonymous FTP server that I can use?

    Yes! The address is ftp.grandecom.com

    What directory would I put files in?

    The directory is called 'incoming'. In your FTP program, there is a setting for 'Initial Remote Directory' or 'Remote Folder'. Set this to '/incoming'. Any file that you want to upload, simply drag and drop into /incoming from your local machine.

    I just uploaded a file, but its not there?

    It is there. The directory is write/retrieve only. In order to protect the privacy of the files that you are transferring to your correspondents, we have intentionally set it up in this manner. This way nobody will EVER be able to see any private material that you wish to pass on to your friends/family.

    If the files aren't visible, how can my recipient retrieve it?

    You will have to give your correspondent the exact filename that you used. If you upload a file into /incoming called 'myphotos.zip', then simply send an email to your recipient containing the following address: ftp://ftp.grandecom.com/incoming/myphotos.zip Then all he/she will need to do is click the link to download the file you have uploaded.

    I uploaded a file, and sent my friend a link, but it is still inaccessible to them?

    Make sure that the filename portion of the link you sent matches the case exactly. 'MyPhotos.zip' and 'myphotos.zip' are two different files!

    I put a file on ftp.grandecom.com for my friend to retrieve and the name is definitely correct, but this person cannot retrieve it?

    It is possible that your friend did not receive it quickly enough. Although most items remain in the /incoming directory for a few weeks before deletion, the extremely large ones may be erased in as little as 48 hours depending on usage. Please try to coordinate the time frame as closely as possible when sharing files if they are larger than 50MB.

    What does it mean when I upload a file and it says "Illegal Command" or "Illegal Filename"?

    For security purposes, only standard filenames are permitted. No spaces or extended ASCII characters can be used in file or directory names. Simply replace your spaces with underscores (usually shift-minus on your keyboard) and use standard alpha characters. It is highly recommended that you use all lower-case to simplify matching on filenames when passing on the links to your correspondent.

    DNS Block List

    What is a DNS Block List (dnsbl)?

    A DNS Block List is a database of IP addresses which have been flagged for Internet misuse. This may include origination of junk email (spam), a virus propagation source, an open relay or an open proxy. Email administrators program their servers to consult these IP databases before permitting delivery to their users.

    What is an open relay? An open proxy? Why are they bad?

    An open relay is a mail server that permits anybody on the Internet to send email through it. Optimally, relaying should only go through one's own Internet Service Provider which would ensure that misuse would be trackable. An open proxy allows users to connect to a remote SMTP server and send mail fully disguising their source of origin, thus promoting abuse without accountability.

    I get one of the following errors when mailing any Grande user:

    I get one of the following errors when mailing any Grande user:

    You do not have permission to send to this recipient. For assistance, contact your system administrator.

      • 550 5.7.1 Refused. See http://www.dnsbl.sorbs.net/cgi-bin/lookup?IP=X.X.X.X
      • 550 5.7.1 Refused. See http://spamcop.net/bl.shtml?X.X.X.X
      • 550 5.7.1 Refused. See http://www.abuse.net/sbl.phtml?IP=X.X.X.X
      • 550 5.7.1 Refused. See http://njabl.org/cgi-bin/lookup.cgi?query=X.X.X.X
      • 550 5.7.1 Refused. See http://some.other.host/program?ip=X.X.X.X

    The IP address of the Email server that you are using to send mail (this may include your own computer if you are running a local mail daemon on it for sending purposes) is listed in a DNS Block List.

    Can you please take my IP address off your block list?

    No, we cannot because this is not 'our' block list and Grande did not add you to it. These lists are administrated by 3rd party organizations whom Grande has no affiliation with other than as an end-user of the service.

    How do I get my computer or email server off this block list?

    If you are an Internet Service Provider or Systems/Network Administrator for an IP network, and manage the IP space which is blocked, simply follow the hyperlink in the error message (as shown above) which will take you to the reason for the listing. Each site contains clearly marked directions for removal. If you are a customer of an ISP, school, office, etc. please copy the full error message, and pass it on to whomever supplies your Internet access.

    Okay, now explain DNS block lists to me in English!!!!

    Perhaps this analogy will work. The clerk at the grocery store hands back your corporate credit card, saying it is "declined". This is because the 3rd party entity, the credit card company, has denied the transaction. Your only course of action is to have your company now contact the credit card company to settle the probable mixup. There is nothing that you or the store clerk can do about it.

    Consider Grande to be the clerk. We want to accept your email and we have no reason in the world not to. However the company that we use to validate your credentials tells us that we must refuse the transaction! Like the example above, you must now have your ISP contact the DNS block list maintainer to fix the problem. Once they "clear" your ISP, your email will once again be able to reach us. Neither you nor Grande need make any changes for this to happen!

    Online Security

    How do I disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP?

    The ports used by Windows NetBIOS over TCP/IP (137,138,139, & 445) are among the most vulnerable to hackers. Disabling NetBIOS over TCP/IP is easy:

    Windows 2000/XP:

      • Right click on My Network Places and select Properties
      • Right click on your LAN connection and select Properties
      • Click on Internet Protocol TCP/IP and select Properties
      • Click Advanced and select the WINS tab
      • Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (changes take effect immediately without reboot)

    Windows 95/98/ME

      • Right click on Network Neighborhood and select properties
      • Click on Internet Protocol TCP/IP and slect Properties
      • Select the NetBIOS tab and disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP (reboot required)

    How do I "lock down" my computer on the Grande broadband network?

    There are a few simple steps you can take to keep your computer safe.

    To start, you will want to install a firewall. The best solution is a hardware based firewall/router such as the Linksys BEFSR41. You can pick one up for around $50 and it comes with a 4 port switch to connect your computers to. By using a hardware based router between your cable or DSL modem and your network, you are able to provide NAT IP addresses on your LAN so that it appears all of your computers are coming from a single IP and it makes it harder to get to those computers. Be sure to change the default password on your router once installed.

    The other option is to install a software based firewall such as ZoneAlarm or BlackIce. These firewalls start out basically blocking everything and allow you to choose as needed inbound and outbound activity.

    Remember that firewalls are not a substitute for taking the other necessary steps.

    Install and keep your antivirus software up to date by using the automated update feature. Check it fairly often to make sure that your updates are occuring. Some commercial antivirus programs require a subscription for you to receive updates. Also, don't blindly click on attachments such as .pif, .exe, .zip. If you weren't expecting a file from someone, don't open it. We recommend AVG as a good free antivirus program that keeps itself updated.

    It is important to keep your Windows installation secure by updating it frequently at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.

    Install a Pop-Up blocker such as the Google Toolbar. Besides allowing easy searching of Google, it also stops those annoying Pop Up adds that some websites use.

    Sometimes pop-up spam is sent via the Windows Messenger Service (not MSN Messenger which is instant messaging software similar to AIM or ICQ). To get rid of that spam, you will need to disable Windows Messenger. Please follow the simple directions here.

    In addition to using antivirus software, you will want to run a periodic scan to confirm your computer is not infected with Spyware. Spyware is software that gathers information about your browsing without you necessarily knowing. It is usually installed when programs like Comet Cursor and various other websharing clients are installed. A couple of good free ones are Ad-aware from Lavasoft and Spybot Search & Destroy. Both programs do an excellent job of cleaning spyware from your computer.

    Disable Windows File and Print sharing. Leaving them open only opens up your computer to a number of possible attacks. You can find out how here for XP and for Vista.

    As a final precaution, if your cable modem has a stand-by button (If its a Motorola it probably has it on the top or front, Com21's do not have them), you might want to use it. Turning it on will stop all communication between the Computer side and the Internet side of the cable modem. Just remember to turn it back off when you want to use your computer again. Alternatively, you can just power down your computer when its not in use.

    Why does my firewall (ie BlackIce or ZoneAlarm) say that Grande is attacking me?

    Frequently these programs are very sensitive to packets that are required for you to use the internet. A common example is firewall software reporting an attack on port 53, the port used for DNS. DNS is the translation mechanism that the Internet uses to allow you to access web pages by typing in their names rather than their numerical IP addresses. Sometimes a firewall package will report the response we provide back to your computer as an attack. Most alerts concerning port 53 can be safely ignored and/or disabled.

    How do I secure my wireless network?

    The largest threat when using a wireless LAN is a failure to use any security measures at all.

      • Check the manufacturers website frequently for security related updates including new firmware.
      • Enable WEP and change the default key by using your own custom key.
      • Change your key regularly.
      • Change the default SSID to a custom name.
      • Use MAC address filtering, if supported. This is one of the best measures you can take.
      • Password protecting drives and folders can increase security.
      • Implement session keys if your hardware supports this feature.
      • Limit the number of DHCP addresses to the number of wireless access points that you will be using. Optionally, set static IP addresses, set to non-standard network blocks.
      • Consider using VPN, SSL, Firewalls, RADIUS, Kerberos or other access control, or end-to-end encryption. Most of these can be integrated into your 802.11b appliance.

    What kind of firewall should I install?

    Our first recommendation would be a hardware based NAT router such as the Linksys BEFSR41. With it, you can share your internet connection between all of your computers.

    Or, if you do not with to install a router, install something like BlackICE or Zone Alarm. As always, we request that you install a good antivirus package such as AVG on every computer.

    What IP traffic should I worry about/not worry about?

    Traffic on port 53 is DNS. Unless you are running a DNS server, you are receiving responses back from your requests. You can safely ignore those alerts.

    Traffic on port 67 and 68 is DHCP. That is normal traffic as your computer must request an IP address and frequently request to continue using it. What is reported as an attack is actually just Grande's servers allowing you to continue to use that IP address.

    You can find a list of other normal activity commonly misinterpreted as harmful at http://www.mynetwatchman.com/kb/res-falsepos.htm

    I continue getting alerts about a certain port and want to know more about it?

    Please visit Internet Storm Center and input the port you want to know more about. They also have a map available showing the top kinds of attacks currently happening.

    What vulnerable ports does my computer have open?

    You can run a scan of your computer at Symantec. If you are running a firewall, be forwarned you will get alerts generated by this.

    I think I am infected with a virus/trojan, what can I do?

    You will need to install a good antivirus package such as AVG or update the definitions of your existing software and run a full scan. Also, you might want to visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. just to make sure that your computer is fully updated with the latest security patches.

    I'm being attacked. How should I submit logs?

    The easiest way to report abuse if you are using BlackICE, ZoneAlarm, or a Linksys firewall is to install the agent from myNetWatchman and have it do the reporting for you. It will compile reports from all of their users and sends a summary to the ISP. That way all the legwork is automated, making it easier for you and the ISP.

    Or you can look up the abuse contact for an IP address and submit the report to them. For a given IP, you can find the owner by using the whois tool located at http://www.geektools.com/whois.php. Just input the IP, fill in the code, and click submit. You will want to find the abuse email address listed to send email to.

    Please do not send your logs for attacks that did not originate from Grande IPs to us.

    When reporting an attack, most providers will want the data in the same format: IP Address of the attack, Date/Time stamp of the attack including offset from GMT, Protocol/Port used, and the number of instances of each packet type received. A good example follows:

    Mar 15 19:33:03 -0600 192.168.30.150:3510 -> 10.60.87.1:9898 SYN ******S*
    Mar 15 19:33:03 -0600 192.168.30.150:3511 -> 10.60.87.2:9898 SYN ******S

    What actions will Grande take if my PC gets infected with a virus which causes it to send unsolicited email or scan remote computer systems?

    Your Internet access could be temporarily limited or disabled until the virus is removed from your system. The Federal Trade Commission has recently recommended this course of action due to the amount of unsolicited email that gets sent through virus-infected PCs.

    What is email phishing?

    Phishing is the term used by Internet scammers who imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share user names, passwords, account information or credit card numbers.

    The term Phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they "fish" for users' private information. The most common ploy is to copy the look and feel of a web page from a major site and use that design to set up a nearly identical page that appears to be part of the company's site.

    There are several steps you can take to make sure you never fall for one of these scams:

      • Always be suspicious of any email or phone call that asks for your personal account information, such as usernames, passwords, and account numbers. emails, phone calls, text messages, instant messages, or Web logs that appear to come from a reliable source may not always be authentic.
      • Grande will NEVER ask you for password information via phone or email, as that information is private and is only known by you.
      • Grande will NEVER ask for billing or payment information through email.
      • Always be extra cautious when giving out your personal information on the phone
      • Always ensure that you're using a secure server when submitting credit card information. To make sure you're using a secure server, check the beginning of the web address in your browsers address bar - it should be https:// rather than just http://. Contact your bank or Credit Card Company if you think you may have replied to a fraudulent email with sensitive personal information.

    For more information you can visit this website: http://onguardonline.gov

    Viruses

    Will I be protected from viruses with Grande high-speed Internet?

    Computers catch viruses in many ways, primarily by execution of a program containing a virus. Caution must be exercised on any online service and virus protection is always the responsibility of the computer owner.

    People are receiving emails that say they are from me but I am not sending them. Why is this happening?

    Most viruses that generate email have forged their "From" field -- in other words, the email appears to come from someone who in fact is not actually not the originator of the email. If your name is forged as the sender of the virus this does not mean that your account has been compromised. The email has not been sent from your account -- instead it has been sent forged in your name.

    If someone reports an Email that you did not send you should instruct them to view the email headers and use the senders IP address to report the message to the abuse department of the provider from which it was sent.

    I received a bounce message indicating that the attachment I sent was infected with a virus, however I didn't send it!

    You probably have nothing to worry about. A lot of recent viruses will randomly pick a return address from the victim's address book to use when automatically propagating itself. So most likely one of your email correspondents has picked up a a virus which is forging your address. Still, it is recommended that you keep your AntiVirus software current and running! As far as the actual bounces, you can safely delete them - they will stop coming when the person with the virus disinfects his/her computer.

    Are there any utilities that disinfect recent viruses?

    Yes, McAfee makes a program called AVERT Stinger. It can be found here: http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/.

    My computers homepage keeps getting changed to about:blank or when I go to google.com I get sent somewhere else.

    Your computer might be infected with the 'CoolWebSearch' which is a browser hijacker/spybot. Ad-aware and Spybot Search & Destroy do not currently catch this, nor do most antivirus programs. The best tool currently available to fix this problem is CWShredder. Please download this tool and run it to get rid of this particular version of Spybot.

    Do I really need an antivirus program?

    Yes. We highly recommend that you install antivirus software and also keep the definitions up to date. Most modern antivirus software will permit you to periodically download updated definitions automatically. Each software package is different, so be sure to check the documentation and keep those definitions current!

    What antivirus software do you recommend that I install?

    For Windows, either McAfee or Norton. A reasonably good free package for Windows is available at Grisoft. For Macintosh, Norton makes a version that you can purchase online at http://www.symantec.com/purchase/

    I am receiving emails from people I don't know with songs or documents attached, what should I do?

    Delete them. They probably contain a virus. We recommend installing a good antivirus package like McAfee or Norton and keeping the definitions up to date.

    Why can't I connect directly to a Microsoft Exchange server or map a network drive outside of my home from my cable modem?

    These actions require the use of port 135 which is now blocked on the Grande network for the protection of our customers. The block is due in part to a security vulnerability in several Microsoft operating systems that may allow unauthorized access to computers on the Internet via this port. A port filter is the optimal response as recommended by the US Department of Homeland Security.

    What should I do if I'm infected with the Novarg/Mydoom worm?

    This worm forges emails to (and from!) everyone in your address list and includes a dangerous payload that when executed will infect them and send itself to everyone they have in their address book. On February 1, 2004 all infected hosts will perform a Denial of Service attack aimed at http://www.sco.com/ and on February 12, 2004 the worm will stop spreading itself. To remove it from your computer, update the virus definitions in your existing antivirus program or install the free version of AVG. Once your definitions are updated or AVG is installed, run a full scan on your computer. Once thats done you should be clean.

    I'm infected with Welchia, what should I do now?

    Please follow the instructions at Symantec to download and use the Welchia removal tool. You will also want to update your operating system by using the instructions from Microsoft to prevent further infections using this exploit. We also recommend that you install and keep the definitions updated on a good antivirus package such as McAfee, Norton, or AVG.

    I am infected with MSBlast, how can I get rid of it?

    Please visit the Symantec website and download the removal tool and follow the instructions with it.

    How can I prevent being infected with MSBlast?

    This worm only affects Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. You must download a patch to update your operating system from the Microsoft website. Also, you will want to install antivirus software or update the definitions on your existing software.

    I think I am infected with the virus (Sobig.b), what do I do?

    Please visit the sobig.b removal page for a tool to remove the current infection from your computer. You will also want to install antivirus software or update the definitions for your existing software. The tool above cannot prevent reinfection, only remove whats already there.

    I am infected wtih klez, what is it and how do I get rid of it?

    Klez is a worm that searches your computer for any email address and then hides itself in one of your files and sends itself out along with one of your files. You can find a tool to remove it here: klez removal tool.

    I am infected with Sircam, what is it and how do I get rid of it?

    Sircam is a worm that collects email addresses from various places on your computer. It then sends itself along with randomly chosen .doc or .txt files that are on your computer to the addresses it has collected. To get a fix for it, please visit the sircam removal tool.

    How do I remove the CodeRed virus from my computer?

    CodeRed is spread through unpatched Microsoft IIS web servers. If you don't need to run a webserver, disable it. If you do, please patch it. You can find a cumulative patch here to prevent you from being reinfected. To clean off your current infection, please visit this link for a tool that will remove it for you.

    How do I remove the Nimda virus from my computer?

    Nimda is a worm that spreads itself via email and attaches to infected Windows IIS Servers. If you don't need to run a webserver, disable it. There are two variants of nimda, each with their own tool. Please see w32.nimda.e@mm.removal.tool and w32.nimda.a@mm.removal.tool for each of them. You will have to run both to determine which you are infected with.

    How do I remove the Deloader virus from my computer?

    This worm is spread through unprotected or easily guessed passwords on shares on port 445 on Windows 2000 and Windows XP systems. Once its in it installs itself and starts to spread to other users. Please visit this link for information on how to remove it. To protect yourself, turn off any unneccesary shares and configure better passwords on shares that do exists to include numbers and special characters.

    What if I am infected with a virus not listed here?

    Symantec has provided a number of removal tools. If you know the name of the virus, you can download the removal tool for it and follow the instructions to remove it. However, to prevent infection from the same virus or other viruses in the future, you will need a good antivirus software package installed.

    Abuse

    I am receiving unsolicited bulk email (UBE) from an IP registered to Grande Communications. How do I report this to the Grande Abuse Department?

    Please submit the email you received including the full email headers to abuse at grandecom dot com. Please make sure that your report meets the following conditions so that we will be able to process it:

    - Please include the full email headers or message source so that we will be able to identify the true source of the email. Without the full email headers we will not be able to process the report.

    - Only one unsolicited bulk email message at a time should be submitted to the Abuse Department. This allows the individual incident to be processed and tracked with the highest level of efficiency.

    - Grande users should not report unsolicited bulk email to our Abuse Department unless of course the UBE originated from another Grande user. For unsolicted bulk email originating from another network or ISP Grande users should utilize the SpamCop service so that the UBE can be reported to the Abuse Department of the network from which it originated. For help with SpamCop please see SpamCop FAQ

    My firewall is telling me that I am receiving undesirable traffic (port scans/probes/attacks) from an IP registered to Grande Communications. Why am I seeing this type of traffic and how do I report this to the Grande Abuse Department?

    This type of traffic is almost always originated from a computer that has been infected with a virus. Please submit the following information to abuse@mygrande.com and we will identify the cause of the traffic and take steps to help the situation:

    - Submit any firewall logs that will indicate the nature of the activity being reported. Firewall logs should be submitted in a text-only format. Logs that are submitted in the format of spreadsheets, images, or other specialized formats may not be processed as efficiently as if they were received in a text-only format.

    - The IP of the host where the activity is originating (source ip) must be included.

    - Timestamp of the activity including the Timezone. Without the Timezone included the report may not be processed.

    - Source port (if available) and the Destination port (required) of the activity.

    In addition please make sure that you report meets the following requirements:

    - Some software firewall products for consumers do not do a very good job of providing all the required information above. Unfortunately without all this information we are unable to process a report so please be sure that your firewall software is providing all of this information.

    - Only one host at a time should be submitted to the Abuse Department. If a complaint needs to be filed against multiple hosts it is desirable for this to be done with separate emails to the Abuse Department. This allows the individual incident to be processed and tracked with the highest level of efficiency.

    - Grande users should not report port scans to our Abuse Department unless the port scan is originating from a Grande ip address. For port scans originating from another network or ISP please use the form located at http://www.abuse.net/lookup.phtml. Enter the offending ip address into the form to display the abuse contact information for the owners of the ip address.

    Domain Email

    What is the largest email I can send?

    50MB. NOTE: Email programs use MIME encoding to convert your attachments into a format suitable for emailing. Typically, this will take as much room as 33% of the original file size (it is called "overhead" So an attached file that is only 15MB in size can result in a 20MB email! If you run into limitations as a result of this overhead, you might try using ftp instead to transfer large files.

    Where can I add and/or manage email accounts for my domain?

    https://admin.mygrande.net

    What username do I need to use to log in to the Management Interface?

    Your administrative (global) account is 'postmaster@yourdomain.com'. To individually manage accounts, log in with the email address of the account you are managing, ie. 'johndoe@yourdomain.com'

    What is my POP3 username?

    Your username will be in the format 'username-domain'. So if your address is 'jdoe@mydomain.com', your POP3 username will simply be 'jdoe-mydomain.com'.

    What is my POP3/SMTP server address?

    The address will be in the format 'mail.domain'. Thus, if your domain name is 'mydomain.com', both your SMTP and POP3 server addresses will be 'mail.mydomain.com'. If you are in the process of modifying the DNS servers for your domain to Grande from another service provider, you will be provided an IP address to use until the DNS change occurs.

    Is my username or password case-sensitive?

    Yes, both are. Please use all lower-case on usernames and be sure that if you have set a password with mixed-case in the Management Interface, that you match it when configuring your email program.

    What is the size of my mailbox?

    Each email account has a quota of 500MB

    Do I need to be on a Grande IP address to send email (relay) through the server?

    No! Our servers have dynamic relay authorization control (often referred to as 'POP before SMTP'.) Simply check your email before sending a message, and your current IP will be authorized to relay for 12 hours. If you accidentally allow this time to expire while using Outlook Express and get an error sending, simply drag & drop the email that you are composing into another folder temporarily. Then after you check your email, move the message back into Outbox, and then it will go out normally on the next Send/Receive.

    Personal Web

    How much storage do I have?

    Your quota is 20MB.

    What is the URL of my web page?

    http://home.grandecom.net/~[username]

    Where, [username] is your primary email username (without the @grandecom.net)

    I just signed up, but I can't access my web page. What do I do?

    Your web space is not enabled by default. Click here to email a request. In most cases it should be active within a few hours.

    I enabled my webspace ages ago, but I am now getting authentication failures?

    If you never uploaded any content to replace the default page, it is likely that your site was automatically removed by an audit. Please see the question above on how to request it re-enabling.

    May I use Microsoft FrontPage 2K to publish my site?

    At this time personal web pages do not support FP2K. You can publish your site using FTP (FAQs are available for most popular FTP programs). In order to use FP2K you will need to purchase our Domain/Virtual Web product.

    How do I upload pages to my site using FTP?

    Set your FTP program to use 'home.grandecom.net' as the remote host. Leave the port set to the default - it should be '21'. Your username and password will be those supplied to you at the time of provisioning, in most cases identical to your email username/password. The Remote Directory will be '/public_html'.

    How do I configure my FTP software?

    You should be able to consult the documentation that came with your software, however we have provided some graphical HOWTOs for WSFTP, Cute FTP, and DOS FTP client on this site. You can find these on the main FAQ HOW_TO's menu.

    I replaced some old pages via FTP today. Why do I still see the old pages in my web browser?

    Your browser probably has the old pages cached. Usually just clicking "Refresh" ("Reload" in some browsers) will load the new version of the page. In some instances you may need to delete your temporary internet files (or "clear cache" in some web browsers.)

    My FTP client is asking for a "Remote Directory" or "Initial Folder".

    This will be "public_html".

    When people visit my site in a browser, they just see a list of all my files. How do I get my main page to automatically load?

    Simply rename your main page to "index.html" (index.htm will work too).

    I uploaded all my pages - why does nothing show up in my browser?

    It is possible you uploaded them to the "/" directory instead of "/public_html".

    Why do I get an error when I try to upload a file?

    It is possible that the file you are attempting to upload will cause your quota to be exceeded. Check if you have disk space available!

    Do you back up my web content?

    All of your files are stored on a redundant (RAID) array comprised of multiple hot-swappable disk drives. Thus you can be sure your data is always safe, HOWEVER if you yourself delete anything, it is gone forever! Thus, you should always keep a recent backup of your site to protect against mistakes!

    Domain Web

    What is my web address?

    http://www.yourdomain.com

    How do I upload pages to my site using FTP?

    Set your FTP program to use 'www.yourdomain.com' as the remote host. Leave the port set to the default - it should be '21'. Your username and password will be those supplied to you at the time of provisioning. These will exactly match your FrontPage 2000 login/password. The Remote Directory will be '/html'. If your connection 'hangs' try toggling the setting for passive transfers in your FTP program to the opposite of its current value.

    Why do I always get authentication failures in FTP and/or FrontPage?

    Make sure the following are all true:

    - If FTP, you are connecting to 'www.yourdomain.com'

    - You are using all lower-case for your username and password

    - If FP2K, you are connectiong to 'http://www.yourdomain.com'

    - You do NOT have '@yourdomain.com' appended to your username

    - Your Grande account is currently in good, paid standing

    I uploaded new pages, but they don't show up when I go to my site.

    Make sure that you published/uploaded to the /html directory. If you put them in '/', they will not be visible via a web browser.

    What are all these '_vti*' folders in my home directory?

    These are called 'stubs' and used by the Microsoft FrontPage client for site publishing. You need not worry about these - they are very small and they will not detract from your quota in any noticable way.

    I only use FTP on my site - can I delete the FrontPage extensions?

    Yes, you may, but if you change your mind later and would like them re-added, you will have to send us an email request to do so. It is safe to delete all the '_vti*' directories, and also '_private'.

    What is my disk quota?

    You have 150mb with the basic package, 250mb with the enhanced package.

    How do I program my site to send emails out?

    We provide a "communal" mailer program to allow the sending of email messages from your site form submissions. Please click here for usage instructions.

    How do I add a hit counter to my site?

    You can connect to your site via MS FrontPage and add a counter component or simply insert the following code into your page, substituting with the name of your own site (ie. www.mydomain.com):

    You are visitor number < img src=http://< mysitename>/cgi/counts.phtml>

    How do I view statistics on traffic to my site?

    If you have the Premium hosting package, simply visit the URL http://www.yourdomain.com/stats/

    Where can I get some help understanding my site statistics?

    http://www.webalizer.com/webalizer_help.html gives a nice description of each of the main headings.

    How often are my statistics updated?

    Logs are analyzed every Sunday at 2:30AM CST. We save a history file, so all stats are cumulative, and will always date back to the inception of your site unless you choose to delete these yourself from the /stats directory.

    How do I get statistics if I have the Basic hosting package?

    You still have access to your server logs, however you will need to download the raw log file yourself and use one of the freely available statistics processing programs to analyze the log file. You will find it in /logs/access_log when logged in via FTP. The format of the file is called "Combined" (you may need this for your log processing software)

    Why does /logs/access_log only contain recent entries?

    If you have the Basic hosting package, these will frequently be rotated and compressed to save disk space. In /logs you will find several access_log_DATE.gz files - these can be deflated with a standard utility such as WinZip. If your log processing software does not support multiple logs, you may have to concatenate them all together using editor software such as WordPad.

    What scripting languages are available?

    The PHP scripting language is made available for all websites. Please see the PHP Documentation for help with usage.

    Maillist

    How do I set up recipient lists in Outlook?

    From the Tools menu, select 'Address Book'. In this new window, select 'New Entry' from the File menu. Next, select New Distribution List and click OK.

    Label this list by putting a name in the 'Name' field. (ie list1, list2), then click Select Members. Select addresses from the left column and click Add to add this address to your list.

    How do I set up recipient lists in Outlook Express?

    From the Tools menu, select 'Address Book'. Next, select New Group from the File menu. Give this group a name in the Group Name field.

    Click Select Members and select addresses from the left window. Click Select-> to add address to group. Click OK to save this list.

    How do I send email to multiple lists in Outlook?

    You'll need to send separate emails for each list. Send the first one, go to your Sent folder and forward to list #2, etc.

    How do I send email to multiple lists in Netscape?

    Right click on the message and select Edit as New, change the recipient to list #2.

    Grande Music

    What are the minimum system requirements?

    Minimum System Requirements

      • Microsoft Windows XP
      • Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher
      • Intel Pentium III or higher microprocessor
      • 128MB or higher of disk space recommended for the Performer Digital player and your music
      • 128MB or higher of RAM recommended
      • Broadband Internet connection

    Can I use the Music Service to listen to my existing MP3s?

    Yes. The Music Service player can play many popular digital music formats. To import your other music, click the Tools menu and select Import Media You can tell the player exactly where to look for your other music, or leave the default set to Entire Computer to find music anywhere on your hard drive. If you have a large music collection, it may take several minutes to find and import all your music.

    What is a stream?

    Streams allow you to play music over the Internet without downloading a big file to your computer's hard drive. To stream a song, select a song and click the Play button. You can stream full songs as many times as you wish as part of your monthly subscription.

    What is a download?

    Downloading a song to your computer lets you to play the song whether you are connected to the Internet or not. The song file stays on your computer until you delete it. There are two kinds of downloads: subscription downloads, and purchased downloads.

    What is a subscription download?

    A subscription download is a song file that you can play as many times as you want, as long as you have a current subscription. You can download most songs as subscription downloads. Subscription downloads are included in the monthly price of your service. The computer containing your subscription downloads must periodically update licenses by going online at least once a month.

    What is a portable download?

    A portable download is a subscription download that you can play and transfer to a maximum of two supported portable music players, visit http://www.playsforsure.com to see if your player is supported. You must have a current portable subscription to transfer songs to your supported portable music player.

    Can I transfer downloads to my iPod or old MP3 player?

    No. The Apple iPod and older MP3 players don't support our music copyright protection format.

    What is a permanent or 'purchased' download?

    Permanent downloads can be burned to CD for playback on your home, car or portable CD players. They can also be transferred to supported portable music players and burned to a CD. Permanent downloads are not included in your subscription service; they must be purchased separately. You do not need a subscription to play permanent downloads.

    What is a 'burn'?

    To Burn means to copying a permanent download to a CD so you can play it on your home, car, or portable CD players. Permanent download customers can burn single songs, entire albums, or customized song lists to CD. In addition to meeting the minimum system requirements, you will need a CD recorder and software to make CDs.

    How many times can I burn the same purchased download?

    Each unique list of purchased songs can be burned to CD 7 times. Each song can be on any number of unique burn lists. Add or remove songs from your burn list to burn more CDs.

    How do I find music in the Music Service?

    To find music, use the search tool at the top right of The Music Service, type an artist name, song title, or album name in the search box at the top right then click the Go button. For a more specific search, or to search for videos and radio stations, Advanced Search link near the bottom right of the Home page. You can also browse music by genre. Click on the Browse Artists A-Z link near the top left of the Home page button and choose a genre. You will see a list of artists in that genre in order of popularity. Choose a letter on that page to see an alphabetical list of artists whose name starts with that letter.

    Why isn't a certain artist or song in your catalog?

    If an artist or song is not in our catalog, it is usually for one of two reasons. The Music label does not yet have legal approval from the song's owners to distribute it online or the artist might be signed to a music label that has not yet partnered with us. There are currently more than 2 million songs in our catalog. The depth and breadth of the catalog will continually expand, and new music is added every week. Check back often to see if your favorite artist has been added.

    How do I play a song?

    Search for an artist or song you want to play, then click the Play All button near the top of the search results, or click the play button (a little right arrow) for a particular song. You can stop, pause, or resume your song from the player if you want. The Play column indicates if you can play a full-length subscription version of the song. Sometimes the play icon has the number on it indicating the song is not available for subscription streaming

    I'm a subscriber, but all I'm getting are 30-second samples. How do I get full songs?

    If you are a current subscriber, but are only getting 30-second samples, Sign In before playing songs. All users can access 30-second samples, and signed in subscribers can stream most songs full length. A very few artists have not made their content available in our subscription service. You will hear 30-second samples of those few songs even when you are signed in.

    Where are songs stored when they're downloaded? Can I change this location?

    By default, The Music Service stores your downloaded songs in the desktop folder My Documents\My Music. You can change this location by selecting the menu, then clicking Options, and selecting File Locations from the list on the left of the window that appears. In the Output File Location section, click the button next to the Base Path text box. Select the directory where you would like your downloads saved and click the OK button. Future downloads will be saved to the directory you selected.

    How do I play a song after I download it?

    You can play a song after you download it by clicking the Audio section in the SOURCE area on the left side of the player. Once you locate the song in the list, double click it to play it.

    Do I have to be online to play a downloaded song?

    No. Simply double click a song in the Audio section in the SOURCE area on the left side of the player. You can collect downloaded songs and play them while offline or online. Your license for subscription downloads must be updated every month, so you can download a song and play it without reconnecting to the Internet for 30 days. You don't need to be connected to play permanent downloads.

    Can I copy my downloaded songs to another computer?

    Yes, you can download subscription songs as many times as you need to on up to 3 computers. You can download purchased songs up to 5 times each. To move songs to another computer, first install the Music Service player on the other computer. Then Sign In and go to the My Account Download History page. Find the songs you want to download to the new computer and click the Download link.

    If I accidentally delete a song from my computer, how do I get it back?

    If you delete a song from your computer you can re-download it from the My Account Download History page. You can download subscription songs as many times as you need to on up to 3 computers. You can re-download purchased songs up to 5 times each.

    My download failed, but I don't understand the error message. What do I do?

    There are several possible reasons a download might fail. There may have been a system or connection failure that interrupted your download; the Music file may become corrupted; or your computer may not have received the license allowing you to play, burn or perform other tasks with your legal music file.

    Here is a summary of the errors you might encounter, and how to fix them:

    • Download request failed:
      Your download did not begin properly. Use the Retry button to start your download again.
    • Cannot connect to server:
      There is a temporary connection problem between your computer and our back-end servers. This may be caused by a disruption in your Internet connection or by several other factors. You may wish to wait before trying your download again.
    • Cannot start download:
      Your download did not begin properly. Use the Retry button to start your download again.
    • Not enough disk space:
      You may not have enough disk space on your computer to store another music file. You should delete some files from your computer before trying your download again. Please note that the file size for each song is displayed in the SIZE column; make sure you delete enough files to accommodate a file of this size.
    • Cannot write to disk:
      Same as above.
    • Download incomplete:
      Your song download began successfully, but you may not have received the full song. Use the Retry button to start your download again.
    • Invalid file - download failed:
      Your music file cannot be saved because the file name is invalid, or the file is already in use by your computer.
    • License acquisition failed:
      Your music file has a license attached to it; this license determines what you can or cannot do with the Music file. This error indicates that you may have received the entire music file, but you did not receive the associated license. Without the license, you will not be able to play or perform other actions with the song. Use the Retry button to start your download again and retrieve the proper license.
    • Download failed:
      This error displays when a download failed for some reason other than the above. In this case, you may use the Retry button or contact customer support for more help.

    How can I tell if a song has explicit lyrics?

    The Music Service displays the industry standard, voluntary Parental Advisory sticker for songs with explicit lyrics. The advisory is displayed as the word Explicit at the end of album or song names. The Music Service videos carry standard TV parental guideline ratings.

    Can I filter out explicit content for my kids?

    Yes. Select Parental Advisory on the My Account Update Settings page and create a password. You will need to re-enter that same password if you ever wish to turn Parental Advisory protection off. To set parental controls for videos, select the maximum rating you wish to be allowed and create a password. You will need to re-enter that same password if you ever wish to allow more mature video content.

    Phishing

    What is email phishing?

    Phishing is the term used by Internet scammers who imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share user names, passwords, account information or credit card numbers.

    The term Phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they "fish" for users' private information. The most common ploy is to copy the look and feel of a web page from a major site and use that design to set up a nearly identical page that appears to be part of the company's site.

    There are several steps you can take to make sure you never fall for one of these scams:

      • Always be suspicious of any email or phone call that asks for your personal account information, such as usernames, passwords, and account numbers. emails, phone calls, text messages, instant messages, or Web logs that appear to come from a reliable source may not always be authentic.
      • Grande will NEVER ask you for password information via phone or email, as that information is private and is only known by you.
      • Grande will NEVER ask for billing or payment information through email.
      • Always be extra cautious when giving out your personal information on the phone
      • Always ensure that you're using a secure server when submitting credit card information. To make sure you're using a secure server, check the beginning of the web address in your browsers address bar - it should be https:// rather than just http://. Contact your bank or Credit Card Company if you think you may have replied to a fraudulent email with sensitive personal information.

      For more information you can visit this website: http://onguardonline.gov

Contact Us

We're a Texas company with a local customer service and technical support team here for you 24/7

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