HughesNet ready to go

[Tom]

I've been getting the coach ready for our upcoming 3-month trip and I figured I'd check out the HughesNet system; It's been 6 months since I last used it and wasn't sure if I'd remember the setup procedure.

Using Don Bradner's great DSSatTool utilty I obtained the dish pointing parameters and told the modem where I am. Next I went up on the roof of the coach and aimed the dish using the parameters previously obtained. I'd previously leveled the coach, so a quick look at the bubble levels told me I had a plumb mast. Then I used my trusty Birdog meter to lock in on the satellite and methodically peak the signal.

When I went back inside the coach I noticed that all 5 modem lights were lit, telling me the modem was online and ready to rock. I hooked up the LAN cable to the PC and I was browsing with a signal strength of 81.

After several hours, I have zero transmit or receive errors and the signal strength is essentially unchanged, so I believe I have a good setup and the system is ready for the trip. Of course, I'll also have my t-mobile GPRS/EDGE card along for the ride.

Now back to the "dirty" jobs.

 

[Ned]

Isn't technology wonderful?  When it works

 

[Tom]

LOL Ned, I'm glad you added the clarification.

BTW later in the evening I noticed that web sites started getting "can't find ...." messages. Some at first, then an increasing number, until no sites could be found. Everything still looked good with the setup and the modem continued to report zero errors and good signal strength. After a little diagnosis (aka stumbling around in the dark), something prompted me to set a proxy in one of the Internet Properties screens and voilla! everything was accessible again.

I don't recall having to set proxies before, either on the HN system or any of my other systems. (I believe they're set to detect automatically). I vaguely recall you talking about turning proxies on and off under different conditions (e.g. when you couldn't access the CS forum), but I must admit to not understanding why or when they need to be set on, off, or detected automatically  :-[

 

[Ned]

You don't need to set a proxy server with the 6000/7000 modems.  But sometimes the built in proxy server, called the web accelerator, has problems and needs to be changed.  There is a page in the advanced section of the modem setup that does that.

 

[Tom]

I thought of (when I stumbled across it) the web accelerator, but had it disabled all along.

 

[Ned]

You don't want to disable the web accelerator, in fact, it's hard to disable it.  Without it browsing is very slooooooow.

 

[Tom]

Hm, I'll check when I go back out to the coach, but I know I've not touched it and I could swear it was off  ???

 

[Ned]

Not the proxy server settings in the browser, the web accelerator in the modem.  The only way to disable it is to force it to an invalid address.

 

[Tom]

Not the proxy server settings in the browser, the web accelerator in the modem.

That's what I was talking about Ned and that's why I have to wait to do it in the coach - don't have a 6000 modem in the house.

 

[Ron]

When you start getting a lot of cant find ... messages go to: http://192.168.0.1/cgi/tp_config.bin and click on tear down turbo page connection.  On the next page click on continue.  then try browsing again.

 

[Ned]

That's the one.  I'm on DSL and not HugheNet now so couldn't lookup the page.  Thanks, Ron.

 

[Tom]

Thanks for the tip Ron.

 

[Ron]

To see what changes when you tear down the turbo page before tearing down go to 192.168.0.1 and click on system status.  the bottom line in the chart will have something like this: 
Web Acceleration Status Operational; Upstream Addr: 067.142.130.041 

When you tear down the turbo page this line will change and after you browse again a new upstream address will appear.  Sometimes you have to do it a couple three times to get a new address.

 

[Tom]

Will do, thanks again Ron.

 

[Jeff]

After my stop in Houston to have Ron replace my traansmitter and a couple of cable ends I also set up in five minutes tonight without problems. As Ned said "Isn't technology wonderful?"   

Again!!! ;D ;D

 

[Ron]

Glad to hear our efforts were sucessfull.

 

[Tom]

...I also set up in five minutes tonight without problems.

How come it takes you so long Jeff?  BTW what's your procedure?  How many trips to the roof?

 

[Jeff]

How come it takes you so long Jeff?

Because I still do a xpol.

 

[Ron]

I check cross pol too and it doesn't take me 5 minutes.

 

[Tom]

Ron, better show Jeff how to speed up his x-pol test  ;D