DirecPC Satellite Internet Service, Broadband From Above!!
Mar 16 '01 (Updated Mar 28 '01)
The Bottom Line I recommend satellite broadband Internet service, but only in locations where DSL/Cable access is unavailable. Satellite service is more expensive, and has restrictions.
After changing my residence to a rural location where broadband Internet services such as DSL and Cable wasn't available, I learned about satellite Internet service. Hughes Network System, the same company who provides DirecTV satellite television, owns and operates DirecPC as well. Promised speeds are of "up to 400 kbps", and all one needs is a clear view of the southern sky, the appropriate receiving equipment, and an account.
DirecPC equipment is widely available at electronics stores, and consists of an oblong dish that is somewhat larger and heavier that its television counterpart, and a high speed modem that connects via a computer's USB port. For customers who wish to receive DirecTV as well as DirecPC off the same dish, there is an optional DirecDuo dish that provides two simultaneous television signals along with the Internet connection. The single DirecPC dish costs about $149.99; the DirecDuo goes for $199.99.
DirecPC is a "receive only" system, meaning that the user must still maintain a separate phone line and a land based modem to transmit data to the Internet. The user may keep his or her existing Internet service provider (ISP) and pay DirecPC a monthly fee of $39.00, or ask DirecPC to provide the ISP along with its satellite service for $49.00 monthly (unlimited access). A complete DirecPC price plan listing may be found at http://www.direcpc.com/consumer/cost/cost.html. Once the DirecPC hardware and software is installed and operational, the user connects to the internet in the normal fashion. However, DirecPC inserts a "tunneling" code into each transmission that redirects the return transmission to its satellite instead of the customer's modem. The entire process is both reliable and transparent, and the connection behaves like any other super fast broadband connection since internet browsing speed is almost entirely dependent upon the receive rate. The customer still has the option of connecting to the Internet solely via mode using the normal dialup connection, a mode known as “terrestrial” in DirecPC lingo.
After thinking the offer over, I went to a Best Buy store and bought the DirectDuo system since I was already a DirecTV subscriber and needed an additional TV connection anyway. After making a good many calls to all the communications companies in the yellow pages, I learned that very few of them will actually get involved in satellite internet installations, and the sole company who did wanted a whopping $150.00 to do the job! (I only paid $50.00 for my DirecTV install). So, even though I had never attempted a satellite installation, I decided to do the job myself.
The dish and modem instructions came with an adequate assembly manual, and anyone with a few basic tools should have no trouble assembling the equipment. The dish contained only a few major components, which bolted together with ease by following the instructions, and I mounted the dish on one of my rear patio deck's 6x6 wood supports. The job required an electric drill to create the mounting boltholes on the 6x6 support and a hole in the floor of my home computer office to run the cable. The only other tools needed are a ratchet with a couple of sockets (or alternately two crescent wrenches), a compass and carpenters level. The level is necessary to insure that the dish mounting pole is 90 degrees perpendicular.
For me the real "fun" started when I began searching the southern sky for the satellite signal. First I hot-plugged the modem into the computer's USB port and was pleased to see that Windows 98 instantly recognized the device. I then connected the dish to the modem using regular satellite cable. Continuing to follow the instructions, I installed the CD installation software that opened a satellite-pointing program that gives both visual and audible tuning indications when the satellite signal is acquired. The program also told me where to aim the dish after I typed in my zip code or selected my city from a list. Using the compass, I set the dish on the mounting pole and aimed it accordingly.
From there, small adjustments in elevation and azimuth were necessary until the satellite signal was acquired. This is preferably a two-person job with one watching the signal indicator on the computer while the other is at the dish making the adjustments. Unless of course you want to move the computer outside and next to the dish! Or alternately, if your ear has good pitch you can align the dish by yourself by listening to the increase in tone when the signal gets stronger. Not being musically inclined, I opted for the "brother method" where I forced my younger sibling to sit at the computer listening to a mind numbing serenade of beeps and watching for the strength meter to rise above "0". The satellite signal is digital, and it takes up to ten seconds for the computer to lock onto the signal after each adjustment, so the process can take a while.
After two hours of searching and not finding any signal, I then decided to go watch the video installation guide that is part of the installation CD. If you have never installed a satellite, the video is a must since it will tell you exactly how to perform your sweeps in order to find the signal. A half-hour later, and armed with my new tutorial derived expertise, I found the signal in only a few more minutes! Once I was receiving the signal, I was able to adjust azimuth, elevation and antenna polarization for maximum strength very quickly and accurately.
Quite proud of myself for having saved on the install fee, I finished installing the software, which dialed a toll free number to register me as a new user. I used a credit card to get signed up, and viola!….high speed Internet access was mine!
After using DirecPC for only couple of weeks, I began to notice some peculiarities about the service. I found that at 3:00 am in the morning the download speeds could be a blistering 650 kbps. However, during the early evening hours, the service would slow down to a fraction of that, often falling to about 100 kbps. While slower service during peak usage hours is common among shared bandwidths such as DirecPC, I thought that a six-fold decrease in speed was a bit extreme. And since I’m much more likely to be on the computer at 8:00 pm than 3:00 am, I was experiencing much slower access on the average.
Searching for information about DirecPC, I stumbled upon the Usenet group alt.satellite.direcpc that put me in contact with other DirecPC owners. I learned that wildly variable Internet speeds, particularly during the crowded peak usage evening hours; seem to be a expected feature of the satellite service. I also learned about another type of speed reduction known as DirecPC’s Fair Access Policy (FAP), which is the name of a program by which DirecPC deliberately reduces the access speeds of its customers who in its opinion appear to be using too much of the internet. The term “fapped” is well known among DirecPC subscribers.
According to DirecPC, FAP works like this; subscribers can download up to 169 mb per hour, each hour. Once the customer exceeds this threshold, DirecPC can (and does) reduce their speed for an unspecified period of time after the “FAP” is implemented. DirecPC subscriber opinions vary widely on how much they can actually download before getting the FAP, how much the FAP reduces their access speeds, and how long one must remain in the penalty box before the FAP is lifted. Regardless of the opinion variations, nearly all subscriber opinions on the FAP are negative, and many subscribers claim that they cannot nearly approach the stated threshold limit without being fapped. The FAP appears to be the single largest source of complaint among subscribers, and I know of no other Internet company who has such a policy. Although DirecPC does publish its FAP policy, the company appears vague on how severe the reduction is or how long it lasts. DirecPC’s Fair Access Policy is can be viewed at http://www.direcpc.com/consumer/cost/describe_fap.html which I’m publishing because the policy can be difficult to locate on DirecPC’s website. The policy certainly does not appear in the company's FAQ, or in their “pc slowness” troubleshooting guide. The newsgroup and some internet articles also indicate that DirecPC was sued by some of its users over its policy, and that as part of a settlement the company had to publish FAP threshold standards as well as allow its customer to know if they have been fapped by calling technical support.
For me, the FAP is constant worry because I like to download MP3 music files and other software, and of course I didn’t want to be fapped anyway. I experienced a feeling of déjŕ vu that caused me to remember driving across Kansas on I-70 during the days of the infamous 55 mph speed limit; I had this marvelous straight highway in front of me which stretched to the horizon, but putting it to good use was risky!
When downloading off DirecPC, I use a download program known as DU Meter, which has a stopwatch and a gauge to measure rate of download so that I won't go over the 169 mb/hr threshold. For the first two weeks I flew under the FAP radar, but one afternoon while downloading some IRC files my download speed dropped from 480 kbps to 38 kbps (modem speed) in a flash. I had been carefully monitoring my DU Meter and the nearest I came to the threshold was only 124 mb/hr. After calling customer support, I verified that I had indeed been fapped, and that I should stop downloading, disconnect, and wait several hours before reconnecting in order for the restriction to be lifted. If I failed to do so, I would be subjected to "multiple FAPS", whatever that is. I protested to the tech that I had not exceeded the download rate but was informed that FAP was computer controlled, and that nothing more could be done about it. Feeling like I had been unfairly ticketed, I was chafed, but I obeyed and dropped the connection to the Internet. Some hours later I returned to find that my speeds were back to normal.
DirecPC’s unique Fair Access Policy was an enigma to me until I realized that traditionally DirecPC has been the sole provider of satellite Internet service. By being the only game in town and free of competitive pressure, any company can call its own shots. The consumer situation is not nearly as bad as the scenario where some scoundrel offers you a loaf of moldy bread for $20.00 after the hurricane has passed through, but the comparison does come to mind! However, several other companies have just started offering satellite Internet service, especially two-way internet, and it appears that DirecPC may already be feeling the sting of competition. For example, DirecPC has recently announced its own entry into the two-way market (as a side note, two-way satellite internet eliminates the need for a second phone line and separate dialup account, but professional installation is required, and the total cost can easily exceed $600.00. Also, the monthly subscriber fee is almost doubled that of DirecPC).
I know little of satellite networking hardware, but it appears that commercial satellite transponders are very pricey for companies in the consumer internet business, so there is far less bandwidth for satellite Internet than there is for comparable land based services. Is it possible that all ISPs oversell their bandwidth in order to get richer, and that the satellite customers only suffer more because of lack of available bandwidth to begin with? This is a popular assumption on the Usenet group.
In summary, I have found that DirecPC is much faster than 56K modem dialup connections, even during the peak hour slowdowns. It also has been the only high-speed option for persons living in the “boonies”, and anyone with a few basic tools and minimal handyman skills can install the system and escape the exorbitant install fee. Except for finding the satellite signal, the assembly, dish mounting, modem and software installation was a breeze. And, if I had to do it again, I am confident that I could find the satellite signal in far less time.
Satellite Internet technology works. It is reliable, and except for the rare and brief rain “fade” experienced in severe storms, it’s always up and running. DirecPC access speeds seem to vary more than any other shared broadband Internet service I am familiar with, even without the FAP, and operating under threat of FAP can be stressful. Additionally, on-line gamers will find that satellite internet is unsuitable for their purpose since the satellite lag time (speed of light) adds an additional 240 milliseconds to their existing latency.
Satellite Internet is NOT preferable to DSL or Cable Internet. If DSL or Cable is available to you, these options will give you better service for less money so don't even consider a satellite connection. However for serious Internet customers living outside urban areas, satellite access is truly a bonus! DirecPC does seem to be better suited for customers who simply browse the Internet, do a little emailing and only infrequently download software. If you are a download hog, as I sometimes am, you may become quickly frustrated by the bandwidth restrictions which can easily result in FAP sending you to the dunce's corner for an indeterminate time.
Although some DirecPC subscribers complain about the quality of customer service on the newsgroup, I found the techs to be generally courteous and helpful.
I hope that my experiences are helpful to everyone reading this opinion, and thank you for visiting. Please email me if I can be of further help.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
tejones
|
|
Member: Thomas Jones
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 11 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.