Cable-internet-telephone vs satellite-internet

I have two options. I currently am a Directv user when I move I can take the dish with me and install it at the new house I can then have Directv through Huhesnet install a broadband dish for satellite broadband. Or Insight can install cable/internet/phone. Cable/internet from the menu will be about $20 or so over what I am paying now for the dish alone. But I'd drop some channels that I am currently getting with the dish package (that I won't miss except for G4).

Any satellite broadband users? How is it for rain fade? I lose signal occasionally during heavy storm cells but not all that often. Will the larger dish eliminate that problem?

The biggest problem I think I would have with a satellite connection is the latency when browsing and especially gaming.

A larger dish should be very beneficial if you loose signal occasionally. How big you need is another question.

Check on how much bandwidth they allow you to use over time... I thought that I read something last year where satellite broadband will limit your average bandwidth if you use the internet a lot (you are sharing your connection with lots of other users).

Ah... Here it is--Fair Access Policy.

FAP is straightforward: based on an analysis of usage data, Hughes Network Systems has established a HughesNet usage threshold well above the maximum typical usage rates. When a customer exhibits patterns of system usage which exceed that threshold for an extended period of time, the FAP may temporarily limit that subscriber's throughput to ensure the integrity of the system for all HughesNet subscribers. Typically, the restrictions will be lifted within 8-12 hours of the original application of the FAP if the customer's usage in this period stays below the FAP threshold.

For example, you may experience FAP if the cumulative requested downloads in a relatively short time period (1-4 hours) exceeds your HughesNet plan download threshold. An example of what can be downloaded within any HughesNet plan would be a software application such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Adobe Acrobat. And normal Internet surfing generates small downloads for each Web page viewed. For example, an hour of surfing can generate 1-10 MB of download activity depending on the content being surfed - well below the amount required to trigger FAP.

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-Bill

I have a question about satellite broadband. You get your downloaded signal from the satellite, but how does your uploaded, outgoing signals get into the system? Do they give you a transmitter that sends it to a satellite?

I had the first version of StarBand. They used to be with Dish Network but are not now. It was all I could get where I live, and while it let me download fast, for then (00'), at about 500K, the latency was bad. NO gaming, and the upload, while not over the phone line like some, it had a 2way tranceiver, was really slow, 20K if I was lucky. Things may have changed, but if I had the choice I would go with a cable connection.

I gave up my dish in 01', and have been internetless until recently when I got a Sprint air card. It is slow at my house, but it allows me to communicate, and I get a $15/month deal. When I am in the area of their EvDO network I can get broadband like speeds, 700K I think. I haven't tried to play any games... I have resorted to single player games. Oblivion... :rock:

allthatwhichis said:

NO gaming, and the upload, while not over the phone line like some, it had a 2way tranceiver, was really slow, 20K if I was lucky.

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Did the transceiver send to a satellite, or some receiver node on the ground?

Lightmeup said:

Did the transceiver send to a satellite, or some receiver node on the ground?

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AFAIK, you use some sort of modem through your phone lines for your upstream bandwith.

IMO, you should avoid satelite internet unless they somehow now offer high upstream speeds. Otherwise, just go with the cable.

Lightmeup said:

Did the transceiver send to a satellite, or some receiver node on the ground?

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It was on the sat... Just beside the LNB. It had a heatsink like look to it.

HughesNet appears to be a bi-directional sat connection... No local phone line/modem connection:

HughesNet FAQ:

With the HughesNet Home service plan, you may enjoy download speeds up to 700Kbps, with typical speeds of about 500Kbps to 600Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 128Kbps, are typically 70Kbps to 80Kbps during peak hours.

With the HughesNet Professional plan, connect your home office to the Internet with maximum download speeds of up to 1.0Mbps, with typical speeds about 650Kbps to 750Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 200Kbps, are typically 100Kbps to 125Kbps during peak hours.

With the HughesNet Small Office service plan, you may enjoy maximum download speeds of 1.5Mbps, with typical speeds of about 800Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 300Kbps, are typically about 185Kbps during peak hours.

With the HughesNet Business Internet plan, connect your office to the Internet with maximum download speeds of 2.0Mbps, with typical speeds about 1.2Mbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 500Kbps, are typically 300Kbps during peak hours.
...
No [phone lines/modems]. HughesNet delivers high-speed Internet access via satellite, so you have instant access to the Internet without dialing-in. You do not need a phone line or dial-up data modem to access the Internet when you use your HughesNet service.

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-Bill

Cable: you hook up the modem, it works, and you typically have symmetrical latency, which makes gaming smooth.
DSL: you hook up the modem, log on, it usually works, and your IP changes all the time. How well it works depends on where you are, and around here (and I mean even up to 50+ miles away, but the same provider), at least, upload performance highly varies (most of my experience with that is RDP and VNC).
Wireless: meh. Promising, but what I've seen has not been great (high latency, not too stable, etc.). It will likely be great in a few years, and may already be nice if you're in a major metro area. What I've seen currently reminds me of early cable (which is why I think it will get better fairly quickly, too).

For example, you may experience FAP if the cumulative requested downloads in a relatively short time period (1-4 hours) exceeds your HughesNet plan download threshold. An example of what can be downloaded within any HughesNet plan would be a software application such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Adobe Acrobat. And normal Internet surfing generates small downloads for each Web page viewed. For example, an hour of surfing can generate 1-10 MB of download activity depending on the content being surfed - well below the amount required to trigger FAP.

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Someone at that company hasn't yet tried tabbed browsing on broadband (that, or they've done it with images, flash, and java turned off, on top of using adblock plus--I bet I can get 10MB of just ads in an hour!).

The Directway satellite serivce is for those that live in more remote areas and cannot get a Cable modem or DSL.

The Upstream Bandwidth is horrible ~56k and it does "uplink" from the dish, not the phone line. The latency is horrible with Sat as you have to 400ms delay earth to sat, and another 400ms sat back to earth. That is 800ms one direction (such as you sending a request). Then you have another 800ms from them to send a response back to you. Also as mentioned above, Directway also has what they call a Fair Access Policy. Since they have a very limited amount of bandwidth. Once you FAP out as it is called, they limit you to ~64k upload and download.

Cable is your best bet for Internet. DOCSIS specifications are the same speed from 1 foot to 100 miles from the cable head-end. Cable offers 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speeds here for residential access.

DSL is generally good if you are within a mile and a half of the central office (~8000 ft). Ask them how far you are from the central office. If they won't tell you or don't know I would look at your cable options.

Wireless someday will be the sidespread standard. Right now the technology is still evolving. Five years from now it may be the answer.