what's Hughes Net?

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Pat

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Payson AZ
Hughes Net was mentioned in one of the other topics.  Somebody down the street here seems to be selling dishes and setting people up to use it. 

Anybody know what the up front and periodic costs are? 

How much coverage does the system have? 

Doesn't seem to be very popular, because I don't see much about it on the fourm.

--pat
 
Hughesnet is a system for internet via satellite This was formally called Direcway but renamed to Hughes Net after it was sold.  Several members here have satellite by internet most being Hughesnet, formally Direcway either using the automated system called Motosat or the manual setup system.  Another system is called Starband.

I have been using a the Direcway ( now Hughes Net) for around five years now.

 
There are numerous users of HughesNet (previously called Direcway) on the forum, myself included.

Initial cost is around $1500 or up for the manual system depending who you buy from, or around $5,000 for the automatic system. Monthly cost starts at $59 a month.

Click here for a HughesNet installer, in case you wanted to have one on/near your RV.
 
I have a Motosat automatic satellite dish on my roof with a receiver and controller unit inside a cabinet.  Can this equipment be used for Hughes Net?  I think I spoke with the fellow down the street here who is selling manual dishes and doing installations, and, although he didn't look at what I have, he said using Hughes Net would require one of the dishes he's installing.  Sound about right?

Also, would anybody know about how much Hughes Net internet access costs?

--pat
 
No, the equipement you have is for TV only and will not work for internet.  HughesNet uses a .74m (or larger) dish and is pointed at a different sattelite than you use for DirecTV.  There is also a modem, and if using a Motosat Datastorm, a controller as well.  The equipment costs vary from about $1500 for a manual, tripod mounted system to $5000+ for a fully automatic system.  Monthly costs vary with the plan but start at about $59/month.

Do a search on satellite internet here and you'll find numerous threads on the subject with more details.
 
The most important difference is that an internet dish set-up has to be able to transmit data to the satellite as well as receiving from it. TV is a receive-only medium.
 
Oh.  Well, so much for the raincatcher on my roof.  It had internet info in the brochure.  I'll be fine back with my cellphone dialup when I'm out of wifi range again this winter. 

When an RVer provides access for neighbors, is access limited to one user at a time?

--pat
 
Pat said:
When an RVer provides access for neighbors, is access limited to one user at a time?
Click to expand...

No, it will allow as many as the owner of the access point allows.
 
One of the Wed Night campfires about a month ago we had myself and our next door neighbor both logged in via my Hughs dish.  Worked great.  I'm not sure how many users my router supports at one time but I can tell you how many "Random drive bys" it supports... NONE. you can't get on lessen you know the pass phrase and that... You have to ask me for, not even wife knows it.
 
Glad to hear multiple users won't interfere with each other.  I asked the Hughes rep who lives in this park, and he said he doesn't make it available to anybody, because they tied it up so he can't use it. 

At about $1200 for equipment and $60 a month, it's not worth it for me alone, but it would be fun to provide access to others.  Where I winter I use cellphone dialup.

Wish satellite internet had smaller equipment than the huge dishes and tripods I see here.

--pat
 
That must be different from household wireless routers....I was told that if one found an unsecured wireless network it would take the whole neighborhood to slow down the link.
 
Depends on many things what it takes to slow down a connection.

Hughes net offers around 700-800Kbps speeds.  (Basic contract, Professional contracts offer hijgher speeds)  You really notice when your speed drops around 100 to 200 Kbps (300 if you are streaming video) so 2-8 users depending on use.

However Hughes has a Fair Access policy, and if someone starts downloading video it will max you out and then they clamp down and suddenly dial up is faster.  This is what makes most of us secure out network.  We have all heard of the un-kind freeloader who was watching his Sling Box TV via someone' s Direcway (What Hughesnet used to be called) and fap'ed his host.


With a home router and a DSL connection you are looking these days at 1-3Mbps range, so the max load is about 1-3x that of Hughes

With cable 3-6Mbps so the max load is 3-6 that of Hughes,

And no FAP
 
Paying a bunch of money for something like that doesn't work, if I can't share it.  No good deed goes unpunished.

--pat
 
Well, that's true Pat, however normally it does work, and what's more it works most anywhere,  which is more than  I can say of any other service, You don't have wires hooking you to the central node so you don't need phone lines or cable.  There is no radio interference to your radio or television as with the new ill-fated BPL about the only problems are Trees and radar detectors and you can usually avoid trees
 
Pat, there is no reason you can't share it, you just have to be careful who you share it with.  I too believe in good deeds but I don't think it would be good to travel into south east LA handing out 10 dollar bills to just anyone...wink wink.

You can put a wireless router on any of these satellite internet systems and then secure the router with an access code.  If you like your neighbor just give him the code and explain the limitation.  You will feel good and they will appreciate it.

Shop around and you can find set ups for under $1,000  The two big providers with economic consumer grade offerings are Hughes net (formerly Direcway) and Starband.
 
dudes:

Thanks for the names of the two providers.  I didn't realize there is an alternative.

--pat
 
Pat said:
dudes:

Thanks for the names of the two providers.? I didn't realize there is an alternative.

--pat
Click to expand...

I believe I mentioned both Hughesnet and Starband in an earlier message dated 09 Oct.  We share our connection at Forum rallies all the time.  I would not recommend just opening the wireless up to anybody since you should be aware of who is using your connection for security reasons.
 
i've just learned of the slingbox and wondered if someone could tell me what percentage of the larger rv parks have wifi?
 
Several RV parks have Wi-Fi that is limited in some way (Verizon or Hughes as the service provider) they will not appreaciate you using a Slingbox.  And in all parks I do not care how they get the net, there is limited bandwith.  Slingbox streaming video will eat up a fairly large hunk of it and upset other users.  I would suggest you re-consider using a Slingbox.

Slingbox is good where you have a dedicated hard wired T-grade connection at the remote site, but even then your boss may get upset
 
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