Networking FAQ's

Technical FAQ's

VoIP FAQ's

Q: I tried VoIP before and it sounded bad. Why?

A: There are a number of reasons including:

Inadequate computer resources including: CPU, RAM, NIC, Sound Card, etc.
Inadequate network resources including: routers, switches, WAN bandwidth, Internet access bandwidth, upstream ISP.
Lack of QoS.
Poor network design.

Q: I tried VoIP before and I could not hear the other person but they could hear me. Why?

A: There are a number of reasons including:

Incorrect TCP/UDP/IP port/address assignments.
NAT interference.
Firewall is blocking audio stream.
Sound card settings and other issues.

Q: I tried VoIP before and we simply could not connect. Why?

A: There are a number of reasons including:

Incorrect TCP/UDP/IP port/address assignments.
NAT interference.
Firewall is blocking signaling stream.
Proxy or server is not configured.

Networking / Internetworking FAQ's

Q: Do I have to buy a router to connect to my high-speed Internet access connection?

A: If you only have one PC, then definitely not, but you should invest in firewall software protection.

If you have multiple PCs, then a router can make your set up a whole lot easier, plus it can save you money too, especially if the router supports NAT. However, instead of using a router you can request multiple IP addresses from your ISP.

Q: We have multiple offices and data lines, and one day a line went down and we had no access for the whole day. Is there a way to get around this?

A: YES – We can help you deploy an advanced routed WAN (Wide Area Network), that will quickly re-route your data traffic around the failure.

Q: We have a very large network mostly compose of hubs and a few switches, and even though it is a 100Mbs Fast Ethernet LAN, it seems still slow. What could be the problem and how could we fix it?

A: There could be numerous problems here, including:

Network is too large and too flat. To fix it will require a re-architecting of the IP addressing plan, subnets, and likely require the purchase of routers, and switches, and getting rid of the old hubs.
A NIC could be defective.
Unnecessary ARPing between Layer 2 and Layer 3.
Default gateways incorrectly planned.
Extra protocols on the network.
Your network is simply overloaded by the work that you do……to fix will require advanced designs and the consideration of multi-Megabit or Gigabit technologies.

Q: What is QoS exactly?

It stands for Quality of Service.
A network running QoS will give priority over desired applications, and give fewer resources to other applications.
In some cases can be an effective substitute for buying ‘bigger lines’, thus keeping your monthly charges low.
Sensitive applications like VoIP and video can really benefit from QoS.
In heavy heavy congestion scenarios, QoS can only do so much, and the buying of more bandwidth may be unavoidable.

Corporate FAQ's

Partner FAQ's

Q: Do you have partnership arrangements with equipment vendors?

A: NO – We are strictly 100% independent and objective, and do not use equipment sales to influence our thinking. We design for our clients (you) the best possible solutions, and then help you find the best vendors and pricing.

Q: Do you specialize in certain vendors?

A: YES – We specialize in certain technology from Cisco Systems.
We also work with technology from 3COM, Mitel, Avaya, and LinkSys as well.

Marketing FAQ's

Q: Why did you create Newfound Networks Inc, and why in Atlantic Canada?

A: To provide clients with someone who is truly objective, and at the same time can bring 14 years of telecommunications and data networking expertise to the table. We believe in the strategic long term planning of data networks and telephone systems, and we want businesses to have access to this. Atlantic Canada is a great place to do business.

Q: What are your rates?

A: Our rates are competitively priced and we offer 'blocks of time' discounts. To learn more, call us and tell us about your project. We will provide rates and estimates shortly afterwards.

Q: Who are your clients?

Small business that do not have IT departments.
Medium and large business that do have IT departments that have a temporary need for a specific set of expertise.

Q: Do you set up computers, servers, and printers?

A: We have done this in the past, but it is not our technical focus.
For small networks with simple needs we can do this for you. For larger network with advanced Windows Networking (not to be confused with LAN/WAN networking) needs, we will set you up with some experts we know.