What to look for in a Satellite ConnectionDec 21 '01 Write an essay on this topic.
Popular Products in Musical Instruments
The Bottom Line Be skeptical! Shop around! And don't assume the service is better because it costs more!
What to look for in a Satellite Connection Provider This tutorial will show you what to look for when signing up for a Satellite Connection. Things to Remember When shopping around, keep in mind that MOST of these providers use DiRECWAY. They are almost all connected in some way or form to DirectTV/DirectPC and Hughes. Most of these companies are affiliates of this company. In other words, they use DirectTV equipment and satellites, but they offer the service and support. So, you can safely assume that almost all of these companies offer the same quality connection. The only difference is their technical support, installation, and price. Bandwidth The amount of bandwidth they allow is up to them. There are not limitations (at least none that any normal user would meet) in technology. In other words, DSL has limitations in bandwidth. About 1 Meg/sec for a phone line. Cable is about the same. T1 Lines are about 10 Megs/sec. And regular phone lines using 56k modems have a bandwidth limitation of 56k. Note: 56k modems do not have a limit of 56 Kilobytes of data. They have a limitation of 56 Kilobits of data. Note the small k rather than the capital K. When you have a 56k modem you can actually download 5.6 Kilobytes per second. And normally you cannot get that much throughput. 56k is the maximum! Literally the 56k was found by testing the modems with perfect phone lines in a lab environment. This applies to your Satellite providers also. They will tell you 700kbs. Know your game. This means you will normally get a maximum of 70 Kilobytes of data per second. Remember this is your bandwidth! It's like a pipe that your data travels down. That doesn't mean that the data is going to flow at that speed, that just means that the pipe can handle that much data. So, if your bandwidth is like a water line to your home, and your data is water: Just because you have a huge pipe, that doesn't mean you are going to get floods of water. Okay?? Get it? Now that you are informed about bandwidth, here are some standards. ISDN: 128kbs Price: $49+ Cable: 128-750kbs up to 1 Meg. Price: $49+ DSL: 128-750kbs up to 1 Meg. Price: $49+ Satellite: 128Kbs-10 Megs. Price: $69+ Most satellite services are more expensive, because people seem to think that they are faster. It's not necessarily true. Reasons You Might Pay More for Satellite 1. Superior Support. This should always be your number one priority. This is especially true if you are new to computers, because you'll always need help. The reasons you should make this number one are obvious. 2. No Busy Signals. You will not get busy signals with Satellite. You will not get them with Cable/DSL either, BUT the difference is that since Satellite maintenance is highly expensive, they insure multiple redundancies. The more the better. This means that their network goes down less than Dial-Up, DLS, and Cable. 3. Fast Access. The access is about the same for the price. It is possible for you to get much higher speeds, but you will pay MUCH more with Satellite. Remember: Cable is automatically what satellite companies call "two-way." The upload and download "pipes" are the same for cable no matter what. But "one-way" satellites force you to send information at 56k Speeds over the phone line. Most "two-way" satellites have a "cap" over how fast the upload will go. Normally it's about 128kbs. 4. Combination Services. Often if you have DirecTV you can also get the Internet service for a little bit more. It just makes it a little more valuable. 5. Availability. It's available everywhere. A lot of rural areas do not have pipes pumped out to their area, but a satellite can connect from anywhere without trees. Hey, worse case scenario you have to cut down a tree or two. Common Misconceptions About Satellite 1. Speed. It can be faster, but don't assume that because it costs more that it's faster. Ask them about the bandwidth and ask them about average speeds. Do not be fooled about high bandwidth, that doesn't mean you'll get speeds that high. 2. Traveling. You can't travel with the satellite. And you must have a technician install it, and move it if you have problems with it. 3. Upload Speeds. Most satellites have a limited Uplink, and so they limit your upload bandwidth. This isn't a big issue, because most people do a lot downloading and little uploading. But be sure you ask. 4. Big Satellite Market. There are VERY few companies with their own Satellite uplink. Be sure to ask them if they use Hughes/DirecTV/DirecWay.  |
| Read all comments (4)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
