1. Why should I network my PCs together?
   First of all, a home network lets everyone surf whenever they want. So, no more fighting over who should surf the Internet first. Everyone can do so with a home network.
   
   Secondly, you can share files and printers among family members. This means you only need one printer for everyone at home – much like you and your colleagues sharing a printer at the office. You can also share photos and holiday videos with family members by copying them over to another PC at home.
   
   There are a lot more things that a network can do for families. The kids can challenge one another on a game of FIFA 2005, for example.
2. Why should I choose MaxOnline for my home network?
   Compared to other broadband offerings in the market, MaxOnline comes with both networking-friendly features and ease of use. See box below.
3. What do I need to set up a home network?
   You’ll need a broadband router and a network card for each computer if it doesn’t already have it built in. If you are setting up a wireless network, you’ll need a wireless router and wireless network cards or USB adapters for each computer if it doesn’t come with wireless capabilities. If you want to share printers and other devices, you may need additional networking equipment.
4. Can my Macintosh and Windows PCs surf at the same time?
   Yes. MaxOnline supports both Macintosh and Windows computers. However, for a wireless connection, a Macintosh AirPort may be needed for some Macintosh computers.
5. Does sharing a connection mean that my speed is affected?
   MaxOnline is the only broadband service in Singapore that offers truly unlimited broadband Internet access at download speeds of up to 100Mbps⁺, the highest for residential broadband in Singapore at one flat rate. This speed will remain an achievable data transfer speed of up to 16Mbps or 30Mbps for each networked home , depending on which MaxOnline service you choose. Hence if you have set up a home network and sharing the broadband access with your family, the speed will vary, depending on how many people in your family are logging in at the same time within your home network.
6. What if everyone in my area/block shares a broadband connection at home – will it affect my speed?
   No, your surfing experience will not be affected. MaxOnline is committed to making your broadband experience a satisfactory one. The bandwidth/download speeds that MaxOnline provides is for each networked home and is not dependent on the total number of MaxOnline users within your area or block. Our capacity is more than sufficient to cater to the needs of the user no matter how many users from the area/block concurrently log in at any point in time.
7. If I share my files with other people, am I opening up my computer to intruders?
   No, if you take the right steps to secure your computer. Broadband routers usually hide the identity of your home computers from people on the Internet. However, you should also install antivirus and firewall software to ensure that you are adequately protected.
8. I’ve been told that a wireless network is open to intruders. Is it safe to surf wirelessly at home?
   Yes, it is, provided you ensure that the right security precautions are taken. For a start, you can set your router to encrypt the data that is sent wirelessly, so outsiders cannot sniff what you are transmitting. You may also set your router to allow only certain computers to log on to it.
9. If I set up a wireless network at home, can I go online wirelessly when I am at work or overseas?
   Yes, you can. If your computer is set up to connect to a wireless network at home, you can surf online wirelessly wherever you are at home. For wireless access out of the home, you need to be at a wireless hotspot. StarHub Wireless Broadband Hub has local and overseas hotspots so all you need to do is bring your laptop with a wireless access card to one of these spots and you can start surfing!
10. Can someone help me set up the network?
    MaxOnline is unable to provide technical support for third-party peripherals like printers, scanners or other add-on devices. While our Customer Care will be able to check and determine if your cable modem is faulty, you may wish to contact the respective distributors/agents should you require technical support on the devices.

DSL or Cable?
Though other service providers also offer multiple-user broadband plans, MaxOnline is the obvious choice for a few reasons:

⁺ With 100Mbps-ready cable modem. Actual bandwith is dependent on hardware, software, internet traffic and destination server.