Technical Help Requested: HughesNet

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[TexasNative2000]

Since we have moved to a rural area, DSL is not available and we are considering using a HughesNet satellite internet conncection. I am seeking input from any Freepers who have experience, either positive or negative, using HughesNet.

Thanks for your input.

[dirtboy]

Can you get a cable modem? Those tend to be more widely available than DSL.

[TexasNative2000]

I'll be away from the computer for a large portion of the day - I'll respond to any input later in the day. Thanks again.

[TexasNative2000]

We are using satellite, not cable.

[dirtboy]

We are using satellite, not cable.

You might want to see what a combined cable TV/cable modem would cost as compared to a sat dish/HughesNet. A lot of times you get a decent package deal from the cable company if you get both services.

[bwteim]

Check with N3WBI3 who maintains a tech ping list in chat.

[yellowdoghunter]

I understand you problem. Where you and I live cable is not available, only satellite.

I have not tried the satellite for internet but have known two people who have and were not happy with it. It was not HughesNet but another provider. If I recall correctly they kept losing the signal, etc.... and for the price thought it should have been better service.

Anyway, that is just what I know of the matter. I understand the "pain" of dial-up...:)which is why I love FR...no graphics, pictures, etc.....:) We have been told where I live that they will be laying fiber optic cable in the next two years....at least it is something to look forward to!

But I still wouldn't trade the peace and quite of my rural lifestyle for high-speed internet!

[HAL9000]

If you can get the emerging terrestrial wireless service in your area, it's better than satellite.

There is also another satellite company worth checking out - wildblue.com.

[dawn53]

My sister lives out of the country (in Central America.)

They use hughes.net and we don't seem to have any problem sending or receiving emails, and I've never heard her complain about her service (except when the electricity goes out, but that's a common occurrence in a Third World country and not hughes.net's fault.)

[Waverunner]

One of our field AE's up north uses it.
Download rate is pretty fast 1 mbps or faster, uploads are at about 100kbps
He's happy, except like all satellite systems,
Bad weather disrupts it somewhat.

[js1138]

If you can get Verizon wireless or equivalent, it's about the same monthly price, and a lot more portable. Clearwire is a lot cheaper, but not available as many places. If you are in the boondocks, you are stuck with Hughs.

[N3WBI3]

Any Input on HughesNet for TexasNative2000?

[tj_2004]

I have had HughesNet (Direcway) for about 6 years with very few problems.

[PureTrouble]

I have seen Earthlink sponsor a satellite Internet connection.

There are also Internet connections by way of Transmission tower to your home.

Also, a lot of cell phone companies are offering high speed connections for Laptops ~ $60 to $80 a month.

[gondramB]

>considering using a HughesNet satellite internet <

Hughesnet is the recently renamed Directway - sattelite internet from DirecTV. Its about as reliable as DirecTV which is to say it is not brought down by local power or cabling problems can effect cable modems and wired DSL but it is succeptable to rain fade and requires open sky toward Mexico i.e Southwaest for East U.S.

The speed should be fine but the latency is high compared to other services. You are unlikely to notice this for internet surfing and it is unimportant for file transfers but will drive you nuts for online gaming.

Good luck.

[WayneH]

Try Wild Blue. It's cheaper and faster.

[KoRn]

I don't know if satellite internet access has improved since I have last seen it. I mostly saw it when I was installing DSL and people were having it replaced.

I did use at someone's house, and it was barely faster than dialup downloading. Of course it was a cloudy day, I don't know if that makes a difference. If I were you, I would find someone who is using it so you can see it for yourself. Based on what I've seen satellite isn't worth the additional for such little increase over dialup. It's been 3 years since I've seen the satellite internet, it may have been improved since then.

Can you get cable TV in your area?

[HDCochran]

We use HughesNet because neither DSL nor cable is available. We used Comcast cablenet at a prior location. HughesNet is neither as fast nor as reliable as Comcast cablenet was for us. HughesNet has made a complete dog's lunch of the transition of emails from Direcway.com to Hughes.net and our Direcway.com messages are still not being forwarded as promised.

All that being said, however, HughesNet is MUCH better than dial-up and is faster than DSL. The internet browsing service is fine if you can tolerate several brief (5-10 min) outages almost every day. The email service has been OK except for the botched transition noted above. Telephone support is available and usually competent; however, a wait of 30 min is not uncommon.

If we had a choice, we would certainly switch to cablenet and probably switch to DSL.

[trebb]

I used DIRECWAY before Katrina trashed the area. It was a lot better than dial-up, but there were some drawbacks too. Bad weather would hose the Internet portion way before the TV was affected because the transmitter is pretty weak and can't punch its signal through. Sometimes uploads were fair, but they never topped 6-K or so and downloads would be anywhere from 175K to 600K with 240K being a average. Plus, it was a lot more expensive than cable or DSL - the initial cost for equipment/hookup was over $300, then the service was about $60/month.

I'm holding off making a decision to go satellite again in the hopes that Cable will be available by the time my house is put back together again. If it doesn't seem likely, I will go back to satellite, but reluctantly.

[olinr]

"There is also another satellite company worth checking out - wildblue.com."

I have WildBlue service. All of the satellite services are expensive! They restrict the amount of download bytes as a Fair Access Policy (FAP). Read some of the forums that center their comments about each service. I did before I subscribed.

I purchased the Pro package from WildBlue and got hit by their FAP within two months. It is NOT FAIR or regulated. You are at the whim of WildBlue. They keep the information secret and you have no recourse. I am still using POTS until I can download data again.

A pro is that my downloads are fast. And there is nothing else around if you live in a remote area. I believe that once WiMax reaches remote areas with their towers, than the satellite service will be history. It is beginning, not fast enough.

Here is a link for you to investigate about WildBlue:
http://help.servicecenter.wildblue.net/display/2n/_index1.asp?tab=faq&r=0.9921381

There are adjustments going on with the HughesNet. It was DirectWay by DirecTV, however Hughes is DirecTV! So, I do not see much of a change, except for the earnings bottom line with DirecTV.

Good luck, you will need it!