Being Forced To Get Satellite Internet - Which of the Three Should I Go With?

[TheTechGuru]

First let it be known that for some odd reason, my area is not eligible for the Recovery Act discount, nor is WildBlue's Exede or Hughes's GEN4 available here. WHY? I DON'T KNOW! Considering there is nothing else this makes no sense at all!!!

Right now I'm learning towards HughesNet's 5mbps/1mbps 20GB plan. Both WildBlue and StarBand look to be way too slow.

 

[grohgreg]

The faster Exede and Gen4 subscriptions are provided via their newest generation satellites. I don't doubt that you've already looked at the respective Ka-coverage maps, and understand that satellite antenna coverage can be programmed directionally. I think the current coverage areas for the faster service have to do with return on investment. That is, target the general areas where they anticipated more subscriptions per square mile. Slower Gen4/Exede subscriptions outside those targeted areas are provided via the earlier generation Ka-satellites.

As far as which one to go with, I've been a long-time Hughes customer - simply because of their established history in the business. It's a rare occasion when I have to contact tech support, but when I do - it sucks. No matter what your skill level, the Gen4 tech support ladder still starts with a call center in India. But enough of that. The original Wildblue started off on a bad foot. They made some bad decisions - business and technical - early on, which left a bad tasted in my mouth. Having said that, their new owner (ViaSat) has been in the business a long time. With luck, they've turned the ship around. Speaking of bad decisions though, Hughes doesn't come off squeaky clean either. They dropped the "all you can eat" feature of their late night downloading AND uploads now count against the monthly throughput total. To their credit, Exede tech support is not outsourced - and they do offer unlimited late night downloading.

//greg//

 

[TheTechGuru]

Well now I don't know what to do, Hughes wants $400 to get installed because they can't pull a credit score for me because I have a fraud alert and lifelock...my report isn't locked, they don't know how to properly handle a fraud alert, other companies (Like DirecTV and electric company) go though a verification process, this is unknown to HughesNet. WTF?!

Going to try getting it though a local dealer, then I have no idea what to try. Wonder how much EoC, or ISDN PRI is from AT&T...

 

[grohgreg]

Ordering online would be my last choice anyway, it's a fulfillment system; you may never see the same installer twice. Worse, you have no way of telling up front what the service record might be of either an initial installer or a subsequent repairman. There are horror stories of some of the hacks that show up, and it's near on impossible to get the same guy back if mistakes need fixin'. In my book, the local dealer/installer is the way to go.

I've been with Hughes since the old one-way satellite systems (satellite receive/dial-up return). I tried 3G from Verizon once, but gave it back to them only 2 weeks into the month trial period. My iPhone is now telling me that it's getting a 4G/LTE signal, so I may test drive another Verizon product. Home Fusion seems overkill in a one-user household, so I'll likely try the 4G router. But then again, perhaps you've already determined you can't get a usable 4G signal.

Comments on your poll; there is no more Wildblue. Not since ViaSat bought them out. There may be a few legacy Wildblue customers, but they're now served by Viasat under the Exede brand. Every cancelled subscription empties the old Wildblue pool a little more. Every upgrade is either to Exede5 or Exede12, depending upon their geoloco. So the selection you have labeled as "old Wildblue", should actually be Exede5. Also, Hughes is not signing up any new consumer grade customers to any plans other than Gen4. It's just that two grades of service are offered, based again upon geoloco. That said, you might consider GEN4 business grade. Reason? US-based tech support. If my LTE trial doesn't work out, I may go that way myself.

//greg//

 

[TheTechGuru]

The only four G (numbers not working on phone for some reason) here is AT&T. The only plan I'm finding has a five GB cap.

The only plan hughes offers in my area is the five down and one up with twenty gb cap (ten anytime , ten night bonus).

 

[navychop]

May not apply to you, but Dish customers considering sat Internet should be aware they can get it from Dish for $10/month. Might be promo price.


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[Stargazer]

Have you looked to see if there are any wifi providers in your area?

 

[TheTechGuru]

May not apply to you, but Dish customers considering sat Internet should be aware they can get it from Dish for $10/month. Might be promo price.


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See my signature? I use DirecTV.

Have you looked to see if there are any wifi providers in your area?

The only wireless provider disappeared and left everyone high and dry. http://www.stelera.com

http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...dband-Expands-Wireless-Internet-Service-Texas

 

[navychop]

See my signature? I use DirecTV.

No, it's not visible on the Reader app. But I think I covered it by "might not be" - post is for others more than you.


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[TheTechGuru]

http://www.dallasnews.com/business/headlines/20100804-Stimulus-fails-to-link-Texas-1515.ece

3 year old article, STILL TRUE!!!

 

[grohgreg]

Adding to that, Dish resells both Exede and GEN4. But I've read horror stories about the extra layer of tech support. FWIW, I like my DirecTV HD channels too much. As such, switching to Dish would represent a significant downgrade.

//greg//

 

[TheTechGuru]

Spent an hour at a HughesNet dealer today and they could not get my info to go through. Kept saying credit report mismatch or something. They called dealer support and got nowhere. Is there some corporate office I can call? I have a copy of my Equifax and all matches, there is something wrong with their system, I know this for a fact because the dealer tried WildBlue for the hell of it and it worked fine right away but I'm not paying WB's price for 256kbps (128kbps reality) upload.

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[grohgreg]

Not sure where you got the 256/128 numbers, unless you're citing old HN9000 numbers. Gen4 customers served via the slower Spaceway 3 satellite should still be able to obtain 800 Kbps uploads. It's still the same satellite, but the modem is different. Gen4 customers on Spaceway 3 get the HT1000 modem, which bumps the transmit (inroute) speed to an advertised 1 Mbps.

They may advertise 1 Mbps (or 1000k) uploads, but in reality that number represents the symbol rate; 1 Msps (or 1000 Ksps). Clear day inroute correction rate is only 4/5 (1 redundant bit out of 5 transmitted) gleaning about 800 Kbps out of 1000 Ksps. But as propagation conditions deteriorate, the ModCod rate steps proportionate with attenuation. In inclement conditions, as error correction increases, data rate decreases. Worst case scenario could gradually step your transmit speed to as low as 64 Kbps, but the decreased speed relative to increased error correction is what keeps your connection alive as long as possible.

//greg//

 

[TheTechGuru]

Not sure where you got the 256/128 numbers, unless you're citing old HN9000 numbers. Gen4 customers served via the slower Spaceway 3 satellite should still be able to obtain 800 Kbps uploads. It's still the same satellite, but the modem is different. Gen4 customers on Spaceway 3 get the HT1000 modem, which bumps the transmit (inroute) speed to an advertised 1 Mbps.

They may advertise 1 Mbps (or 1000k) uploads, but in reality that number represents the symbol rate; 1 Msps (or 1000 Ksps). Clear day inroute correction rate is only 4/5 (1 redundant bit out of 5 transmitted) gleaning about 800 Kbps out of 1000 Ksps. But as propagation conditions deteriorate, the ModCod rate steps proportionate with attenuation. In inclement conditions, as error correction increases, data rate decreases. Worst case scenario could gradually step your transmit speed to as low as 64 Kbps, but the decreased speed relative to increased error correction is what keeps your connection alive as long as possible.

//greg//

I was talking about WildBlue's upload speeds.

Anyway, finally got HughesNet ordered, had to have a family member use their credit info because they coulden't get mine to work (yet mine works with WildBlue and DirecTV, odd).

So which satellite do they use so I can go out with my DishPointer app and pick out a spot for them to put the dish. Ideally, 3-4 feet over from my pole mounted DirecTV dish would be best. I ordered the "Connect PRO" which is a GEN4 plan, but for some odd reason the Power GEN4 plans are not available here.

 

[grohgreg]

It's likely the Jupiter1/EchoStar XVII @ 107.1 West. But send me a private message with your address and ZIP code, so that I can rule out the possibility of Spaceway3 @ 95 West. FWIW, I put both my HughesNet 98cm dish and my DirecTV SL5 dish on the same 2" Schedule 40 steel pole. The Hughes dish is on top, pointing at 99W. The DirecTV dish is below it, pointing at 110W. I can send a photo if the concept interests you.

//greg//

 

[TheTechGuru]

It's likely the Jupiter1/EchoStar XVII @ 107.1 West. But send me a private message with your address and ZIP code, so that I can rule out the possibility of Spaceway3 @ 95 West. FWIW, I put both my HughesNet 98cm dish and my DirecTV SL5 dish on the same 2" Schedule 40 steel pole. The Hughes dish is on top, pointing at 99W. The DirecTV dish is below it, pointing at 110W. I can send a photo if the concept interests you.

//greg//

That sounds interesting but probably involves buying stuff I don't want to buy. I read the Hughes standard install PDF and it says a pole install is included when other options are not possible. My roof is metal and my siding is masonry so ya, pole install needed.

Oh, BTW, kinda important, does the HughesNet modem have a bridge mode to where the public IP can be passed and assigned to my router?

 

[grohgreg]

Don't know what "bridge mode" is, sorry. On consumer-grade accounts, Hughes places a NAT (Network Address Translation) server between you and the internet. That essentially means that your actual IP address is masked by the NAT server. The only way around that is to pony up the extra bucks for a static IP address. This is another reason that I think you'd be happier with a HughesNet business-grade account.

And assuming you still have the DirecTV vertical mounting arm (wall mount), the only thing extra you'd have to buy is a pair of U-bolts. Assuming you definitely qualify for the free pole mount installation, they should install an 8'x2" Sch40 galvanized steel pole. It should be buried to a depth of no less than 32", have an anti-spin rod installed in the bottom, and anchored with at least one bag of concrete mix. Jump up and down if they don't provide the right kind of pole and/or installation. The HughesNet dish will cap the top. Put the DirecTV dish on it's vertical arm, then attach the arm to the new pole with U-bolts.

//greg//

 

[TheTechGuru]

Being installed right now. Being wall mounted (small area that's not masonry), and aimed at 95. HN9000

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[TheTechGuru]

Well it's installed, man this is laggy. I'm used to 5ms ping Charter Communications!

 

[grohgreg]

Didn't get your address in time, or I would have advised against the HN9000. That said, new customers have 30 days to cancel and avoid the 2 year commitment.

Lag is a fact of life with satcom. Consider that your Comcast signal travelled thousands of feet instead of thousands of miles. Spaceway3 is >22,300 miles away from you. Then 22,300 back down to the Hughes earth terminal. And that's only one way. Double that for the round trip. So your PING is making a 90,000 mile trip at roughly the speed of light. No matter how you slice it, that alone is 480ms.. Then add server lag and switching time, and you're up into 700+ territory.. And if there is accompanying packet loss, that time can double or triple

//greg//