Satellite Internet?

Balldog · 09-09-2012, 05:09 PM

We are moving to a pretty rural area which does not have High Speed Internet available. So it looks like our only options are Dial-up or Satellite.

Does anyone have Satellite? I'm guessing my days of playing FIFA online are over

Glengoyne · 09-09-2012, 05:49 PM

There have been some threads here discussing this. I think the biggest problem with satellite is latency, which is brutal on online interaction.

There are some wireless options these days that probably have better bandwidth, but I'm not sure about the latency or the cost for that matter.

Ksyrup · 09-09-2012, 07:29 PM

We've had several threads about this. I hated it when I used it for 18 or so months around 2001-2003. It was awful.

jeff061 · 09-09-2012, 07:31 PM

My understanding is it's adequate for web and maybe videos. Unusable for gaming. I don't have first hand experience though.

Desnudo · 09-09-2012, 08:03 PM

Are you in a 4g network? That might be your best bet.

lungs · 09-09-2012, 08:05 PM

Satellite is terrible. Videoes are almost unwatchable, much less gaming.

stevew · 09-09-2012, 08:09 PM

Second the 4G thing if available.

Balldog · 09-09-2012, 08:44 PM

For some reason I am not able to use the board search function from my phone.

I am looking into 4G now and my wife also found a HS provider that supposedly has service to our property.

stevew · 09-09-2012, 08:53 PM

You have to bookmark the search page from an iPhone in order to use it.

stevew · 09-09-2012, 08:53 PM

Front Office Football Central

Balldog · 09-10-2012, 07:22 AM

Thanks, are you guys able to play online with 4G?

terpkristin · 09-10-2012, 04:33 PM

As much as I rally against satellite television (the consumer dishes just aren't big enough to be able to cope with losses when it rains/fierce wind/snow/etc), I rally against satellite internet 10x more. The "new hotness" that people are moving to is Ka-band, which is actually mostly intended for mobile broadband..and that's the kind of thing you should expect to be able to handle with satellite internet, the same stuff (and speed) you do on your Android or iOS phone.

Satellite is great for distribution channels (e.g. for Verizon who has a satellite farm that they then dump over their copper and fiber) but not so great for the end-user.

/tk

JediKooter · 09-10-2012, 04:57 PM

Most of the speeds these satellite internet providers claim are always at idle times. They don't ever advertise how slow it gets when you actually, you know, surf or download...two of the main things you do with the internet.

HerRealName · 09-10-2012, 06:05 PM

I've had HughesNet now for a little over 2 years. DSL becomes available in a month or two and I'll be switching as soon as I possibly can.

The service does suck but maybe not as bad as indicated here. For normal browsing, it's usually fine, you just never know, though. There are some days where everything is running fast (including streaming videos) and other days where things crawl. Peak time in the evenings are usually slower than other times.

Pros:

- Better than dial-up and 3G

Cons:

- Data limits on daily use per day. Something like 800 MB per day.
- Expensive
- VPN useless
- Forget online gaming

The data limits are our biggest problem. My kids use Facetime with their friends and it works better than I expected, we just have to watch how long their conversations run (not a bad thing anyway).

Balldog · 09-10-2012, 07:51 PM

Thanks for all the responses. We ended up going with CenturyLink which has DSL at 10mbps. It's a downgrade to what we have today but should be usable.

stevew · 09-10-2012, 08:48 PM

oh yeah, if you get DSL that's a no brainer

09-09-2012, 05:49 PM	#2
Glengoyne Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fresno, CA	There have been some threads here discussing this. I think the biggest problem with satellite is latency, which is brutal on online interaction. There are some wireless options these days that probably have better bandwidth, but I'm not sure about the latency or the cost for that matter. Last edited by Glengoyne : 09-09-2012 at 05:51 PM.

09-09-2012, 07:29 PM	#3
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	We've had several threads about this. I hated it when I used it for 18 or so months around 2001-2003. It was awful. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

09-09-2012, 07:31 PM	#4
jeff061 Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: MA	My understanding is it's adequate for web and maybe videos. Unusable for gaming. I don't have first hand experience though. __________________

09-10-2012, 04:33 PM	#12
terpkristin Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ashburn, VA	As much as I rally against satellite television (the consumer dishes just aren't big enough to be able to cope with losses when it rains/fierce wind/snow/etc), I rally against satellite internet 10x more. The "new hotness" that people are moving to is Ka-band, which is actually mostly intended for mobile broadband..and that's the kind of thing you should expect to be able to handle with satellite internet, the same stuff (and speed) you do on your Android or iOS phone. Satellite is great for distribution channels (e.g. for Verizon who has a satellite farm that they then dump over their copper and fiber) but not so great for the end-user. /tk __________________ GO TERPS! https://www.flickr.com/photos/terpkristin https://twitter.com/terpkristin

09-10-2012, 04:57 PM	#13
JediKooter Coordinator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: San Diego via Sausalito via San Jose via San Diego	Most of the speeds these satellite internet providers claim are always at idle times. They don't ever advertise how slow it gets when you actually, you know, surf or download...two of the main things you do with the internet. __________________ I'm no longer a Chargers fan, they are dead to me Coming this summer to a movie theater near you: The Adventures of Jedikooter: Part 4

09-09-2012, 08:03 PM	#5
Desnudo Coordinator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Here and There	Are you in a 4g network? That might be your best bet.

09-09-2012, 08:05 PM	#6
lungs Pro Rookie Join Date: May 2002 Location: Prairie du Sac, WI	Satellite is terrible. Videoes are almost unwatchable, much less gaming.

09-09-2012, 08:09 PM	#7
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	Second the 4G thing if available.

09-09-2012, 08:44 PM	#8
Balldog Pro Rookie Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Macomb, MI	For some reason I am not able to use the board search function from my phone. I am looking into 4G now and my wife also found a HS provider that supposedly has service to our property.

09-09-2012, 08:53 PM	#9
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	You have to bookmark the search page from an iPhone in order to use it.

09-10-2012, 07:22 AM	#11
Balldog Pro Rookie Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Macomb, MI	Thanks, are you guys able to play online with 4G?

09-10-2012, 06:05 PM	#14
HerRealName College Prospect Join Date: Dec 2002	I've had HughesNet now for a little over 2 years. DSL becomes available in a month or two and I'll be switching as soon as I possibly can. The service does suck but maybe not as bad as indicated here. For normal browsing, it's usually fine, you just never know, though. There are some days where everything is running fast (including streaming videos) and other days where things crawl. Peak time in the evenings are usually slower than other times. Pros: - Better than dial-up and 3G Cons: - Data limits on daily use per day. Something like 800 MB per day. - Expensive - VPN useless - Forget online gaming The data limits are our biggest problem. My kids use Facetime with their friends and it works better than I expected, we just have to watch how long their conversations run (not a bad thing anyway).

09-10-2012, 07:51 PM	#15
Balldog Pro Rookie Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Macomb, MI	Thanks for all the responses. We ended up going with CenturyLink which has DSL at 10mbps. It's a downgrade to what we have today but should be usable.

09-10-2012, 08:48 PM	#16
stevew Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the yo'	oh yeah, if you get DSL that's a no brainer

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