I've had it with HughesNet!!! Need Advice

[EddieWalker]

Jazz,

It could easily be another five years until I'm serious about opening, and it could be longer. I'm not under any preasure to get it done or open.

As for guests, it seems that the technology is changing so quickly, that anything I plan on using today will be outdated in six months. Satelitte really sucks, so I have my doubts that a commercial system will be all that much better. Even with twice the power, it's still Satalitte.

This cellular setup is really cool and I'm wondering if it might just go the route of the telephone. For a very long time, offering phone lines was considered mangatory for people to call on and to use their computers on a phone modem. Now phone lines are not even installed in new parks. Heck, it's almost impossible to get a pay phone.

The phone company may have to upgrade their lines before I open, which will affect what I decide to do too. A new bank is being built, and it will require high speed service. I've been told that once they bring it out for one business, it's real easy to jump in and get them to do it for others.

If that doesn't work out, there is the option of a T-1 or sub T-1. The install cost is a bit steep, but not rediculous. Once up and running, it's my favorite plan as of right now.

Eddie

 

[riptides]

I would not worry about the cell stuff going away anytime soon. Wireless will be the future along with fibre. The current cell stuff has numerous standards in front of it that are all competing for speed and saturation points. It will only get bigger, better and faster.

Unfortunate the US ranks 15th globally for broadband speed and access. Now, that sucks, big time.

 

[Jenkins003]

I once had DirecPC which was before Direcway. It only did downloads, you had to have a dialup for the uplink. It was very expensive and horrible service but it was the only option at the time for anything faster than dialup. You had a limit on how much you could download before they cut your download speed to a crawl for several hours. I was never so glad when DSL came to my area. Sounds like things haven't got much better.

 

[riptides]

Just a general observation about satellite stuff.

Who would have thought this would ever be available to consumers?

We are talking about computers talking to low earth orbiting services!

How good can these services be? Think GPS and so the bar is there.

 

[SCRich]

Verizon has NOT purchased Altell but has made an offering. All of these purchases are subject to FCC and FTC approval so it is in the process but it can take a long time for approval then after the purchase it will take a bit longer to wrap both networks up into one, Rome was not built in 1 day.

I have a Verizon UM150 which is an OK card, the AC595U is better but more expensive. I also use a Cradlepoint CTR350 router purchased from EVDO Forums - EV-DO Discussion, Support, Coverage, Compatibility, Tips, Verizon, Sprint, Alltel, UM175, Kyocera KR2, WRT54G3GV2, WRT54G3G-ST, Cradlepoint CTR350, PHS300, MBR1000, CTR500 : EVDOforums.com and they have great support. DO BE VERY CAREFULL as to what you purchase, all routers will not work with all modems. Make sure you research everyhthing prior to each purchase both the modem and the router to make sure they will work with each other. Also make sure the modem will work with the provider, just because you have a the router and card that will work with one cellular provider it does not mean that your setup will work with the other.

I was spoiled, DSL for years at my homes, Cable modem which was faster at a rental after I moved and NOTHING when we finally built the ranch. I can't stand it!!! I have little to no cell service here and surfing is slow, not dial up slow but slow after so many years of DSL and cable it's painfull. I have had to purchase a cellular repeater and high gain directional antenna to make it work, that's what I get for living in the middle of a pine tree farm! Now I get some speeds like DSL light here at the house, if I have to do any heavy uploads like photos to a web site I take my laptop and router with me into town and do it there. No need for the router but it's so easy, I often leave it in the truck on an inverter and go into a diner for lunch or dinner and take care of the uploading via WiFi.

 

[EddieWalker]

This is the router you want if you need one Kyocera KR2 Evdo Wireless Broadband Mobile Router EV-DO (KR2) | KR2 [Kyocera] | kr 2 rotuer kr1 TXRTR10000 kr 1 D-Links DIR-450 3G Wireless Router 54Mbps 802.11g 4-Port EV-DO Kyocera Kr1 Evdo Wireless Mobile Router EV-DO dir450 dlink

After looking around and trying to find a better deal, I orderd this router from this place. They are by far the cheapest.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[JazzDad]

Jenkins wrote: "You had a limit on how much you could download before they cut your download speed to a crawl for several hours."

My current HughesNet contract states that if I go over 200Mbs in a 24 hour period they clamp my speed down to slower than dial up. An the fastest our prior dial up ever connected was 26.4Kbs!

 

[EddieWalker]

We've had two heavy storms hit since I've gone to the Alltel connection and I haven't lost my signal. It's raining real heavy right now as I type this, and I'm still amazed that I'm online. With Hughesnet, I'd have to wait for it to stop raining to be online. That difference alone is HUGE. Add lousy customer support, having to have a technician come out several times a year and not knowing when it will work or not is just part of the list of why satelitte is doomed and why I'm so happy with this new connection!!!

You'd have to realize that for years, when it rained, the connection would drop. The people at Hughesnet and the techs that came out here all told me that the rain doesn't affect the signal, but with differnt dishes, different radio transmitter/receivers and different modems, it's always failed when it rains.

Eddie

 

[JESSE1]

Does the Alltel system work with desktops or just laptops? I'm on dialup, no other internet available. I thought about getting Hughesnet but don't really want to worry about the equipment needed.

 

[riptides]

Does the Alltel system work with desktops or just laptops? I'm on dialup, no other internet available. I thought about getting Hughesnet but don't really want to worry about the equipment needed.

The solutions providers have cards or USB devices available that can plug into your PC/Laptop or Router. It is best to figure out what you have, then what you need, then what you may be connecting to use the solution.

It could be something as simple as a USB (Broadband) modem plugged directly into your PC.

Or it could be something as complicated as a PCMCIA card into a router that shares a wireless network and a hard-wired network thus giving all access to the broadband service.

Did I mention antennas and amps to boost the signal? You can do that too.....