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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to general questions about Routie and common troubleshooting. If you don’t find what you are looking for please contact us at support@routie.io
PKT Pal - Frequently Asked Questions

Any guest information you collect by providing guest wifi access is exclusive to you. Each guest will select during login if they subscribe to marketing communications. If they do not subscribe to marketing communications, you can still use your database to build social media audiences for targeted ad campaigns. Routie will not use your database for any of its own direct email or SMS marketing purposes.

If you continue with the service beyond the 30 day trial, you will become an Enterprise customer and be charged the first quarterly payment. If you choose to cancel and return your Mini before the end of the 30 day trial, you must return the device to Routie. If you cancel and the device is not returned, you will be charged $299, less all amounts already paid.

The Cube comes with a lifetime subscription of the enterprise features. You can also purchase the Mini for $299, however this only includes the basic features. To be able to customize your captive portal you will need to order the Business or Enterprise subscription.
No, all we require is that you return the hardware in the same condition you received it upon cancellation.

No, all Routie subscriptions are on a rolling basis to give you complete control over your subscription. We do not offer partial refunds. However, you can switch plans at any time. If you cancel, then your service will terminate at the end of the term.

The Mini is a plug and play guest wifi system that provides businesses with a captive portal to safely share their internet with their customers and guests.
By connecting the Mini to power and internet, it omits a captive portal so people can access your guest wifi by entering an email or any custom fields you choose. The traffic is routed through a VPN, so your IP address is never exposed and your network remains secure. If users require faster internet, you have the option to charge for streaming fast internet with its built-in payment processor.
Streaming Fast Internet is optional. When using this option, the user will connect to your captive portal by entering your desired guest information. Once confirming their email they can choose the free or fast option. When the fast option is selected they enter their credit card or use ApplePay or GooglePay.
When users access your internet using the Mini, all traffic is routed through an encrypted VPN. This means that your IP address is never exposed and your network is secure.
Wifi sharing allows you to safely share guest wifi with your customers or nearby users without the need for a password.
When a Cube or Mini is sharing guest wifi, users in range will see “PKT Free Internet” as a network choice by default. However, you can customize the network name with an enterprise subscription. Once selected, this will open a password-free, hotel-style captive portal. The user simply enters their personal details such as name, email, phone number or birthday to get online for free. When a user wants streaming-fast internet, for large file transfers or zoom calls, they can pay a small fee of your choosing. They simply enter a credit card into our built-in payment processor and get online. When a user pays for the internet, the wifi sharing provider gets paid every hour.
Enterprise wifi sharers can customize how much to charge for guest wifi, by default it’s $0.99/day. Depending on if you have a busy location with lots of turnover or you are a resort charging a large daily internet fee for access, it will all play a factor on monthly earnings. Wifi sharers are paid every hour in PKT, which is a digital currency. You can turn this digital currency into your native currency whenever you want. (To learn more about PKT select What is PKT below)
It is recommended that you have a high quality internet connection with strong upload bandwidth and no bandwidth cap, such as a fiber internet connection. Unfortunately, many customers are misled into believing they have a good internet connection because they have good download speeds, such as 1 gigabit (1,000 Mbps). However, most internet companies offer poor upload speeds of less than 10-35 Mbps. Even Starlink does not offer significant upload speeds and is beginning to impose bandwidth caps. There are many ways to maximize bandwidth quality. The best example of good internet connectivity is fiber to the home (FTTH), or fiber to the premises (FTTP). Be careful, because oftentimes internet companies will claim they offer fiber, but you must make sure it is FTTH or FTTP. Some companies falsely advertise “unlimited” plans that are not unlimited. Fiber internet is extremely fast and offers symmetrical upload and download speeds. If available, fiber is cheaper than cable internet and usually comes with unlimited data. If you are a residential user and fiber is not available in your area, ask the fiber provider if business fiber is available. Many fiber companies offer business fiber even when residential fiber is not available.

The Edge Extender is an antenna that pairs with Routie’s Cube and Mini products to extend the range of wifi sharing. Each Edge Extender extends wifi sharing range by up to 10,000 sqft, depending on obstructions.

An Edge Extender must be connected to either a Cube or a Mini via ethernet. Each Cube or Mini can support unlimited Edge Extenders, enabling you to create a mesh network around your property. Edge Extenders require a power over internet (POE) connection. When connecting multiple Edge Extenders, a POE switch will be required. Cable runs for each Edge Extender should not exceed 100m, unless using a fiber converter. With a fiber converter, the distance between Edge Extenders can be extended exponentially for maximum wifi sharing range.
Edge Extenders extend wifi coverage up to 10,000 sqft per unit. However, thick walls can limit range. For hotels or to cover a multifamily building with wifi you will want to consider an Edge Extender in each room.
The Cube is a plug and play edge device that allows individuals to earn money from their unused internet. The Cube is equipped with PKT mining and comes with a lifetime subscription of the enterprise, customizable captive portal for guest wifi sharing.
The Cube is running an algorithm that proves you have internet and encrypts the network, called PacketCrypt. No one is using your internet, it is just rewarding you for providing quality internet to the PKT Network. The Cube is equipped with a high-powered, 16 core AMD 5950x Ryzen 9 processor for maximum PKT mining income. Cubes sold after November 2022 also have wifi sharing capabilities built-in and all of the enterprise features. Cubes sold prior to November 2022 need an Edge Extender for wifi sharing. To extend wifi sharing range, each Cube includes 1 free Edge Extender.
The Cube is a high yielding supercomputer that generates ~3,000 ke/s in processing power. Depending on upload bandwidth and network difficulty this will generate ~250-500 PKT per day, paid every minute. Mining yields will vary based on mining competition. The more miners, the less rewards shared amongst all miners. Every 100 days there is also a decimation that occurs on the PKT blockchain, which reduces mining rewards by 10%. The best time to accumulate PKT is now.
The Cube uses ~180 watts/hour, which is the same amount as two light bulbs. This amounts to ~4.32 Kwh/day or ~130 Kwh/month. The Mini only uses ~15 watts/hour. This amounts to ~0.36 Kwh/day or 18.3 Kwh/month.

All of Routie products are plug and play. They require no technological experience to install. With that said, Routie products do require being hardwired to each other. All products require an internet connection and power. Edge Extenders can gain internet by connecting to each other as long as one is connected to the Mini or your network.

If you have complex networks, it will be useful to engage someone who knows that network. If you are looking to add Edge Extenders to the exterior of your building or in various rooms, be prepared to run wires through crawl-spaces or along footboards.

Yes. The captive portal will work with your current network setup. Simply connect the Mini so it sits between your LAN (internet source) and your existing network. The Mini will act as a bridge and display the captive portal when someone connects to your current access points. Additionally, as long as the Mini/Cube is on the same network as the Edge Extender(s), it will discover the Edge Extender(s) and broadcast your captive portal.
When someone is within range of the Mini, Cube or Edge Extender they will see it as an open network connection. To maximize awareness, it is also encouraged to get the word out in your local area. Pass out flyers, hang door tags, and tell your neighbors. Even if your neighbors already have a subscription from their ISP they are likely interested in paying less from you, rather than paying a higher subscription cost from their ISP.
Since there is so much internet bandwidth available, most of it goes to waste each day. Basic usage, such as checking email, requires so little bandwidth that it should be a free public service. That’s why wifi sharing was developed. It provides basic internet access for free with the option to pay for fast speeds only when needed.
You will need to specifically review your internet’s terms of service. In some cases, you may need a business connection. However, the internet is shared everywhere around the world. We use the internet at businesses, hotels, airports and even at a friend’s house.
Safety, privacy and security are the top priority with wifi sharing. When someone connects through wifi sharing, all of their traffic is routed through a captive portal and a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs are encrypted data tunnels that go from the user to the internet to mitigate the wifi sharing person’s liability. This means that when someone gets online through PKT Free Internet, that usage is not associated with the wifi sharing provider’s IP address, removing legal or privacy risks. Using a VPN connection in this way makes your internet safer than not using one.
When mining PKT no one is actually using your internet. You are just proving that you have an internet connection, which also encrypts the network. When wifi sharing, all data travels through a VPN so users are not connected to your IP address and all traffic is end-to-end encrypted for maximum data privacy and security.
The Mini is designed for wifi sharing. However it does generate income from being connected to the internet and mining. The Mini generates ~175 ke/s in processing power. Depending on upload bandwidth and network difficulty this will generate ~15-30 PKT per day, paid every minute. Mining yields will vary based on mining competition. The more miners, the less rewards shared amongst all miners. Every 100 days there is also a decimation that occurs on the PKT blockchain, which reduces mining rewards by 10%. The best time to accumulate PKT is now.
PkteerOS is a proprietary, user-friendly dashboard that comes pre-loaded on the Cube and Mini. The PkteerOS has no license fee and can be securely paired to a computer or mobile device.
PkteerOS offers a range of features from the dashboard including, user analytics, captive portal and network customization, tracking earning, network stats, bandwidth scheduling, wifi sharing, built-in VPN and a PKT wallet. Upcoming features such as supercharge mining, AnodeVPN client, and media hub are a few features on the PkteerOS roadmap.
The PkteerOS provides footfall data on how many people are connected at your location, your busiest days and time of day, and which customers use your guest wifi the most.
You can view and customize your Cube and Mini bandwidth usage in the PkteerOS dashboard using bandwidth scheduling. Since the Cube uses lots of consistent bandwidth, you are able to schedule the amount of bandwidth it uses based on your schedule.
Rack mode is for customers who have more than one Cube or Mini. Rack mode makes it possible to accumulate earnings into one master wallet.
The Cube and Mini should be kept on a smooth, flat surface, where there is proper ventilation. When wifi sharing, you want your Mini or Cube to be close to a window to maximize range. Avoid placing your Cube or Mini on the floor where they will gather dust.
PKT is a blockchain for bandwidth. The software is free to use and enables anyone to earn money from their unused internet bandwidth. By connecting to PKT, this builds a faster, and more secure, decentralized network powered by the people. There are many businesses in the PKT ecosystem but no company, no foundation and no investors “behind PKT.”
PKT is a native mined coin that is issued by the PKT blockchain.
PKT Cash is mined using the novel PacketCrypt mining algorithm. This software requires a combination of upload bandwidth and CPU power to participate.
You can control how much bandwidth your Cube or Mini allocates toward PKT mining: Off, Low, Medium, or High. However, you cannot directly choose which PKT pools you want to mine into.
The Cube and Mini support the growth of the PKT project by building the PKT Network, powered by the people. Also, wifi sharing helps people in local communities get online. This supports the mission to help get the next 1 billion people online.
PKT is currently listed on Bitmart (US/Global). You can send your coins from your wallet to the exchange or buy PKT from the exchange and transfer it to your wallet on your Cube or Mini anytime.
Yes, you will find a wallet import feature in the dashboard that lets you merge as many PKT wallets as you like into your PKT wallet associated with your Cube or Mini. The PKT wallet on your Cube or Mini does not allow multiple addresses at this time.
It is very important that you backup your PKT wallet seed ASAP. Your seed is a secret code (15 words) linked to your wallet. This code will make it possible to recover your wallet if your Cube or Mini is lost, stolen, or damaged beyond repair. PKT Pal does not have access to your seed or your funds. You must save your seed in at least two places, where you will remember it is located, like a safe and a password software.
Log into your dashboard, go to wallet tools, click import seed, and insert your seed and selected password.
The PKT project is focused on building a network that is powered by the people. This effort decouples the business side (serving customers) and technical aspects (maintaining infrastructure) involved with internet service. By lowering the barrier of entry for internet service competition, ordinary internet users can become internet providers.

PKT was created by Caleb James DeLisle. Caleb is also the creator of cjdns. Cjdns is a decentralized mesh networking protocol that is designed to function even if some of the nodes in the network are adversarial. Since there was no pre-mine with PKT, Caleb had to mine PKT similarly to everybody else involved with the project. Caleb is currently the CTO of Routie.

The difference between Bitcoin and PKT is its proof of work. PKT is a fork of the Bitcoin code base (btcd), but replaces Bitcoin’s SHA-256 with PacketCrypt, the world’s first and only bandwidth-based proof of work. Bitcoin has a 10 minute block time and PacketCrypt uses 1 minute blocktime. Bitcoin has a 21 million coin cap and PKT has 6 billion coin cap. Bitcoin mining rewards halve every 4 years. PKT has what is called a decimation every 100 days, during which mining yields decrease by 10%. With PKT, 20% of each mined block goes to the Network Steward wallet, which funds R&D of the PKT ecosystem.
The early miners and adopters of PKT will benefit greatly. PKT also benefits everybody because it will lead to a lower cost and highly competitive internet service ecosystem.

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