Satellite internet?

Big Joe · #1 01-17-2011, 02:47 PM

Looking like I need to go the route of satellite net.

Hughesnet seems popular. Is it fast? Reliable? Issues?

Anything else I should look into?

Verizon dsl and comcast are in my area but cannot run to my house.

CapnSev · #2 01-17-2011, 02:55 PM

I used to have it in a student housing complex that I lived in. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. It never crashed once while I was there, but it wasn't all that quick, but that may be because every student in the complex was using the same thing.

**embellisher** · #3 01-17-2011, 03:45 PM

Not terribly fast, but faster than dial up. The speed has improved in the past couple of years, but a friend of mine says that they have a soft cap on it. Once you use 200MB in a 24 hour period, they slow you down to 56k.

Wimax (wireless, usually microwave) is a lot faster, but there may not be a provider in your area. But it is available in a lot of rural areas.

Dirk Diggler · #4 01-17-2011, 03:50 PM

Try cell technology, there are share spots you can get for less than a phone. I know of a verizon one that works well for a friend that has no cable, or dsl capability in the location.
I have another customer that has the satellite setup and it's slow and about par to dial up.
Good luck,
Dirk

DigMe · #5 01-17-2011, 03:56 PM

The latency will drive you crazy. If you have any 3G cell service in your area then an aircard paired with an aircard router will absolutely be a better solution.

I have a friend who chose satellite over the other option of paying Time Warner $1000 to run cable to his house from the nearest switch. After a few months with the satellite he got so fed up with latency issues that he broke down and paid the grand. He now considers it a good choice to have done so.

bc

DigMe · #6 01-17-2011, 03:58 PM

BTW- We run an AT&T aircard through a Cradlepoint router at our house out in the counry and I works wonderfully.

Big Joe · #7 01-17-2011, 04:18 PM

I'm actually posting this from a t-mobile 4G aircard.

Turns out that Verizon DSL runs to my next door neighbor so I don't know why they can't come to me. Comcast is run to the house across the street but they are only on that side of the street. They said it would be at least $5K to run it across the street (underground utilities) assuming they could get approval from the borough and someone else and couldn't give me a guarantee that they could get approval and that was a minimum cost assuming there were no places to bypass thereby increasing the distance and cost.

Gotta call Verizon and yap at them. I might take t-mobile up on their 14 day return policy or maybe not. This is pretty fast. I have to see how it holds up against some of my online-based programs for work.

Thanks for the replies.

MIJ-VI · #8 01-17-2011, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Joe

I'm actually posting this from a t-mobile 4G aircard.

Turns out that Verizon DSL runs to my next door neighbor so I don't know why they can't come to me. Comcast is run to the house across the street but they are only on that side of the street. They said it would be at least $5K to run it across the street (underground utilities) assuming they could get approval from the borough and someone else and couldn't give me a guarantee that they could get approval and that was a minimum cost assuming there were no places to bypass thereby increasing the distance and cost.

Gotta call Verizon and yap at them. I might take t-mobile up on their 14 day return policy or maybe not. This is pretty fast. I have to see how it holds up against some of my online-based programs for work.

Thanks for the replies.

Cut a Wi-Fi deal with a neighbor?

mmbongo · #9 01-17-2011, 04:52 PM

It's crap. The only thing worse is dial-up. If that's your only choice to avoid dialup, then go for it...but if you have any other option then take it.

**embellisher** · #10 01-17-2011, 07:28 PM

If you have a 4G wireless card, do not get satellite internet. Your cellular wireless is at least 10x faster, and probably half the price.

DigMe · #11 01-17-2011, 08:16 PM

Also, plug that aircard into a compatible aircard router.

bc

PolkaHero · #12 01-17-2011, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Joe

I'm actually posting this from a t-mobile 4G aircard.

Turns out that Verizon DSL runs to my next door neighbor so I don't know why they can't come to me. Comcast is run to the house across the street but they are only on that side of the street. They said it would be at least $5K to run it across the street (underground utilities) assuming they could get approval from the borough and someone else and couldn't give me a guarantee that they could get approval and that was a minimum cost assuming there were no places to bypass thereby increasing the distance and cost.

Gotta call Verizon and yap at them. I might take t-mobile up on their 14 day return policy or maybe not. This is pretty fast. I have to see how it holds up against some of my online-based programs for work.

Thanks for the replies.

Does T-Mobile have a 5G per month limit like Verizon and Sprint? My current ISP is going to start charging $2 per gig over 5G starting next month. Looking for other options. . .