Here's the deal. I live in a town that has neither DSL or cable modem offerings for interenet service. Local phone company tried to condition the stranded copper for DSL, to no avail--so that looks like a slim to none proposition for the future as well.

So what I'm looking for are folks that have satellite internet service to throw some suggestions my way--types, plans, speed, costs, etc. I have been sick and tired of dialup for a LONG time, now I need to research my high speed options.

BTW, I worked as a green badge at Intel, so I KNOW how fast 10Mbps and 100Mbps connections are, and the drool factor. I was hoping for high speed offerings to turn up, but it would appear that I need to find dish service myself.

Anyone?

I'm a complete computer dweeb (read illiterate).
Is satellite faster than a 'tin foil hat'??? [;D]

Had a bud who got Starband.  It was terrible.  He got 400kb/s when it worked... but VERY high latency.  He averages 600ms or more to most sights.... with annoying packet loss.  VPN work was next to impossible, because of the high latency/loss issue.

I would also love to hear from anyone with Satellite internet... my Dad is moving back to the states soon, probably to rural Ohio, and will be wanting high speed inet as well.

I am also pretty interested in this, I have DSL at the clinic, but my house is way out in the boonies and the connection is super slow

I have customers on Starband (none on Pegasus); apparently some of the installers are not fully up to speed (and that can really wreck useability). Installed correctly, it beats dial-up, but is not as preferably as DSL or cable modem. 300-400 kbps is normal download throughput. Latency is pretty significant. And AOL won't work over it. Starband offers either USB or ethernet connectivity whereas Pegasus only has a USB interface. Hope this helps.

If I was within 20 miles, and line of sight, I would consider 802.11b.... but that's about a $6000 investment.  :-(

Got a quote from an outfit in Seattle, four days ago:

U$8,499 installation AND US140/mo (ISP?) service.

Didn't even bother to respond!

Think about it DJbump, it has to be very slow.  There's no way the signal can go from the ground then 22,000+ miles to the satellite then 22,000+ miles back to you quickly.  That takes a minimum of 0.264 seconds for the signal to travel there and back.  The round trip time is over a half of a second.  A good 56K connection can average less than 90 milliseconds RTT.  Think about that, a modem connection can be over five times better than that!  The fastest satellite IP line I've dealt with had a minimum RTT of 680 milliseconds.  This was about 13 years ago, so the equipment might be a little better, but it simply can't get less than about 0.53 seconds.  The salesman can claim all he wants to that satellite connections are "fast," but he can not change the speed of light.  I've had several friends that got suckered by Circuit City and their satellite Internet scam.  About the only time it's a good service to have is when you live somewhere you can't get, or your local phone company won't sell, a phone line.z

I'm also interested in hearing from anyone about this as I will soon be in the same situation. However, there may be a semi workable solution, if you need it bad enough, in what may be a new variation on an old theme-flat rate ISDN. When I called about it, it amounted to a couple of hundred for setup, a few more hundred for equipment you have to buy yourself, and something like $80 a month for unlimited local service. That does not include an ISP and their ISDN rate service. However, it should be available at much greater distances than dsl, and should be about 4 times faster than dialup. See what you have available in your area.

I use DirecPC dial-return system. Uploads suck, because they're limited to the capabilities of a dial-up modem, but for downloads I average over 700kbps and have seen speeds as high as 1.5 Mbps. Sustained downloads at 900 kbps are fairly common.

Latency is a big problem, so don't expect to play any MPGs.

At some point I'll probably upgrade to the Satellite Return system (2-way satellite) but I haven't had the time or inclination to chage yet. If I had any other broadband option, I would probably take it, but for the $149 investment (DirecDuo dish) and the monthly fee it's been worth it.

What about a microwave dish? I have no clue about these, other than a comunity college in my area uses them to connect their off site campuses.

I HAVE STARBAND...LISTEN CAREFULLY B4 YOU BUY!!!

I too live in a rural area devoid of DSL or cable internet.  My wife works via the internet and our phone, needing both at the same time so we had no choice but to go with two way dish.  So as not to bore you with long stories of shity service and bunguling installers and techies I will just list the pros and cons and let you decide.

Pro:  Once connection to download is established the download speed can rival cable, on a continuous stream that is not interupted.

Con:  Because you must, in order to connect to a site, send a signal to a satelite, which then sends a signal to a receiver in Kansas or whereeverthehell, which then connects to the internet server, which then connects to the site you want, which then must re-trace all the previous steps to direct information to you, initiating a download can take a while.

Pro:  You can surf while still on the phone.

Con:  Snow will kill your signal.  If you live where it snows a lot expect to not have connection while snow is falling from sky and until you go broom of your dish.  DO NOT believe the BS they tell you when trying to sell you the system.  Bad weather means bad connection.  Heavy rain...don't use the internet.  Dark clouds blocking your view of the sky...your screwed.  Mr. Sun lined up directly behind the satelite...you loose signal for about 4 minutes. (I'm not making this up.  So many people were complaining about the satelite eclips they sent out a tech note telling us all it was just normal)

Con:  *this is my biggest gripe*  I used to love playing Rogue Spear on the internet.  With a 56K I had a ping of around 320 on a good day.  It would some times fall to about 600, and then people would boot me.  I kid you not, with Starband I have a ping of anywhere from 4000 to 12000. (I did count the zero's folks)  If you press the techies at customer service they will admit that this is about normal and there is no remedy.

In the end, for my wifes work, downloading files, retreiving and sending mail, it is pretty good.  If you want the system to play games, it's hell.

A few responses. First, let me narrow the parameters. The options I would be looking into would be mini-dish (18-24 inch dishes) not C-Band satellite options.

I tried online gaming over the net in 1998 with dialup, and while chess and checkers are fine, first person shooters and the games Ilike simply need MUCH more bandwidth than a dialup  or mini-dish (reliability and latency) can provide. I know that, so online gaming would be out as a priority.

So that leads to mini-dish options that run less than $250 for the hardware outlay and less than $75/month for the service.

From the responses so far, it would appear the pickings are slim. Isimply would NOT pay more than the stated prices. More than that, and my firearms budget would be jeopardized. I will deal with dialup for as long as I have to if doing otherwise cuts into the feeding and caring of my guns.

Thanks for the replies so far. Wish I could just take out a 20K foot ladder and hang my own damn fiber backbone.

http://www.dslreports.com/

NOT JUST FOR DSL!!!

they got all sorts of broadband info...check the forums there is a section for wireless, satellite, and other kinds of broadband!

the page also can find what is avalable to you from all diff companies

btt

Thanks, I had forgotten about [url]dslreports.com[/url]

Was surfing around the site last night reading all sorts of good info. Still looks as if dialup will be my friend for a while to come.

Oh well, with recent grumblings from ICANN, it would appear the net is almost through anyway, at least as a free, public property. We've all passed around or at least gotten righteously indignant about the taxing of the net, now what are we gonna do if ICANN transforms the 'net into a corporate money-maker where the only voices heard are those of the state?

Anyway, thanks for the responses, and the link.

The germ of destruction of our nation is in the power of the judiciary, an irresponsible body - working like gravity by night and by day, gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing its noiseless step like a thief over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall render powerless the checks of one branch over the other and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated."  -- Thomas Jefferson, 1821

ex-DirecPC tech here.

Avoid it if you have any other services avail (which you dont seem to) problems direcpc had when i was there.

the guys at the NOC (Network Operations Center) couldnt leave well enought alone and normally once a week broke the system for a few hours to a day. VPN does not work due to 2 ips per system (modem uplink, sat downlink) 400Kbs (50KB) average speed. sometimes less if they messed up the gateways. they still havent changed the passwords to the user admin system, so i can still login and messup their settings if i was the mean type. (2+ years on the same passwords, my what bright security) average ping times at 500-600ms, very bad for gaming. if you play games online expect to get beaten up badly. now the 2way sat came out after i left them. still has a 400Kbs down i belive. but i imagine your ping time should be closer to 250ms. unsure, but with the oneway (downlink only) satallite DPC would directly tell you the service is not designed for gaming (even said it on their webpage). also DO NOT TRUST ANY SALES GROUP, they all lie and tell you the service is better than it is. take it from a insider DPC is a poor system for anything beyond surfing the net. beware FAP (Fair Access Policy) if you download alot of big files they will cut you to sub dialup speeds to give other users a fair share of bandwidth, within 24 hours your speed is back up to normal (as long as you get offline). if you have a streaming radio running and just surfing the net you wont get hit with fap. but its big 500+meg downloads that get you hit with fap. i searched their site. and they seem to have removed the plans and fap... makes me wonder if they only have unlimited with no fap now(doubtful). also speeds may have changed. 2+ years away things are bound to.

If you use their ISP for your upstream modem link(supposing you get the oneway) you will need to find out if they have a local dialup for you. if not use a local ISP and pick a non-bundled plan.

Bunny Zap is 100% correct about the weather problems. the sun pumps out so much power that it washes out the signal from the sat when they are lined up. and it does only last a few minutes.

DPCs 2way costs twice as much PLUS a mandatory professional install. unless you have a FCC transmitter setup license. because you are setting up a powerful transmitter to hit that orbiting satallite.

consider Gilat as another source. their 2way was operational and available before DPCs.

i dont have any love for the DPC service, but it does fill a need for the boonies.

expect shoddy service, a evil moneygrubbing billing department. gripe enough and ask for a months service free if you have had a problem. the techs can give it. get his manager and chew on him ask for 2 months. (level1's can give 1 month, level2's and managers can give 2 months)

its 1-800-DirecPC for them...
do not make a mistake and call 1-800-DirectPC (one to many numbers.. lands you on a toll naughty line.)

in general expect database using techs to answer your questions, not all of them are bright. a few are, you will know when you get a good one. minimal typing will be heard, they are just entering what they did in the trouble ticket.

Now this is a great discussion.  I have the same problem.  I was looking at DirecTV, and also at ISDN.  I am going to call a local ISP today that offers ISDN and see is I can get that or not.  ANybody know much about ISDN?  I searched the web and could not find a technical description or anything like that.  Would it be good for gaming?

ISDN is good for gaming yes. and will normally only use 1 of the 2 64K channels. i used to have ISDN till i went DSL. nice service. expect around a 12KB download speed. for a 128Kb link (2 64's) gaming i got around a 120-150 ms ping on it. dsl now i get sub 70. although you will find ISDN units to be very sensitive to lightning so sheild it well.

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