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- HughesNet History -
Introduction to Satellite Internet
Delivery
HughesNet, formerly DirecPC and DirecWay, offer high speed internet access via
satellite. Broadband via satellite is mostly suited to rural
areas and areas not serviced by regular high speed internet
access, such as cable internet or DSL via the telephone company.
Service is provided via Hughes Network systems. HughesNet minimum
usual download speeds of approximate 400K/sec which is more than
7 times the speed of a 56K modem. It is not uncommon to see much
greater download speeds, usually in off peak hours of up to
1Meg/sec or more. HughesNet 2 way systems advertise satellite
uploads up to 128K, which is twice the speed of the 56K dialup
return systems. 2 way systems have a higher equipment cost and
the monthly service is approximate 2X that of regular high speed
internet access. HughesNet systems also require a clear line of
sight to the satellite, and residences with heavily treed or
mountainous terrain may encounter difficulties. Severe weather
conditions can affect the HughesNet service temporarily. In most
cases, this can be solved by upgrading to a larger dish size,
which will increase your satellite signal strength. Additionally,
FCC and CRTC regulations require that HughesNet 2 way systems must
be professionally installed to prevent interference from
improperly installed systems. Because of these drawbacks,
HughesNet is not for everyone and the majority of customers are
rural home owners who do not have any alternate means of high
speed internet access. HughesNet is available throughout the
United States and also in Canada.
DirecPC :
DirecPC was the original high speed internet access via satellite
product delivered by Hughes. DirecPC is a one-way satellite
broadband system, delivering high speed satellite internet via
downloads only. Dialup internet access is required for uploads.
Older DirecPC systems used internal PCI modems. More recent
models use an external USB modem. Although original DirecPC
systems are no longer sold as a new product (Replaced by
HughesNet), they can still be activated if you purchase one used.
Hughes has been slowly phasing out its DirecPC users by offering
incentives to switch to the more modern HughesNet 2-way
system.
DirecDuo :
DirecDuo allows both high speed internet access via DirecPC and
also satellite televisions service via Directv on one dish by
using a special larger elliptical dish that is designed to
receive signals from both satellites simultaneously.
HughesNet :
The HughesNet system was the first to offer a 2-way satellite
return system. The 2 way system is designed for both high speed
downloads and also uploads via satellite. This eliminated the
need for a seperate dialup account and also increased the upload
speed to approx 128K, as opposed to the 56K dialup barrier.
HughesNet also offers 1 way dialup return systems identical to the
old DirecPC setups.
SpaceWay :
Spaceway is Hughes next generation of satellite based internet
delivery service, expected to begin service in 2004. Its novel
mesh architecture will allow customers to communicate directly
via satellite, without connecting through a central
retransmission service or hub. Bandwidth-on-demand means
customers will only pay for the bandwidth their applications
require, whether it's for low data rate transactions, or
multi-megabit, video-intensive, media-rich content delivery. It
will seamlessly integrate with existing land-based local and
wide-area networks and be fully compatible with a wide range of
communications industry standards.
Classic Gray DirecPC Dish System
Newer White DirecWay Dish System
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DirecWay FAP or "Fair Access
Policy?"
High speed internet via satellite is a shared internet
resource, meaning that there are many thousands of people using
the same resources. This is similar to cable internet technology
that uses neighborhood "hubs" that all neighbors within a certain
radius use. Because satellite transponder bandwidth is finite,
Hughes developed a policy called the FAP or Fair Access Policy,
to ensure that all HughesNet customers receive equal access.
Without such as policy, several high use customers could consume
the bandwidth allocation reserved for many hundreds of
customers.
The Fair Access Policy operates by allocating each customer a
limit in terms of data that they can download in a given period
of time. For example if your combined usage exceeds 169 MB in a
relatively short period of time (1-4 hours) during peak hours
(5am EST - 2am EST) the FAP may be triggered, which will
automatically slow your download speed considerably (sometimes to
less than 56K). Typically, the FAP restrictions will be lifted in
8-12 hours, provided that your consumption remains below the
threshold. The off peak threshold (2am EST - 5am EST) is usually
higher and around 225 MB.
Regular internet surfing and occasional software downloads
will be far from the maximum threshold, however heavy software
downloads or continuous downloads of large files such as Mp3
files will trigger the FAP if you are not careful.
The FAP threshold is variable and your particular limit will
be dependant on which internet surfing package you are subscribed
to. The majority of home users have an approximate 169 MB
threshold. Higher cost office packages offer up to a 360 MB
threshold. The FAP threshold is not a finite number, sometimes
you will be able to download a much greater amount than your
threshold if the overall use of the HughesNet resources are not at
peak use. However as a rule, it is highly recommended that you
avoid exceeding your FAP threshold.
 There are a number of software programs
available on the software downloads area of our Members
Area which will closely monitor your usage and alert you when
you are approaching the threshold to avoid triggering the FAP.
This monitoring software is available on the downloads page and
is an absolute must for those people who frequently download
large amounts of files
What kind of speeds can I expect with my HughesNet
system?
HughesNet advertises download speeds of up to 1.5 Meg/sec
and upload speeds of up to 128 KB/sec, depending on the subscriber package.
Because the HughesNet
system is a shared resource, your upload and download speeds can
vary greatly from day to day or even hour to hour. Certain peaks
hours are usually the times that your speeds will be the slowest.
Late evenings you will usually notice a significant jump in
download speed and it is not uncommon for speeds to greatly
exceed 700 KB/sec , sometimes reaching speeds up to 1MB/sec or
more. Satellite uploads for 2-way customers are much slower,
usually averaging 40-60 KB/sec. Uploads for 1 way users of course
depends on your modem speed.
What operating systems is HughesNet compatible
with?
The new HughesNet software is compatible with Windows
95/98/ME/NT/XP/2000/Vista. Older DirecPC software is compatible with
Windows 95/98/ME and there is also a separate XP version.
I have heard the term "host" and "client" used. What is
the difference?
The HughesNet system requires a computer "host" in order to run
the software and modems. The host is the computer that the
HughesNet modems are connected to and that runs the HughesNet
software. The host computer must be operational at all times in
order to retain internet access. "Client" computers are other
computers that are networked to the host computer and share the
HughesNet internet access. Client computers must be configured
differently than host computers. They connect thru the host
computer via a "gateway" which is a software or hardware portal
which channels incoming and outgoing request to and from the host
computer.
With HughesNet 1 Way or DirecPC do I need to be connected
via dialup to download?
Yes. For 1 way users, the dialup connection is used for all
uploads. While you are downloading, it is still necessary to have
an active upload connection as your computer will periodically
transmit data to the sender. Without the upload connection, the
sender will terminate the download as it will interpret the lack
of communication as a transmission error.
Does it take long for data to get to and from the
satellite?
The satellites that Hughes uses for its DirecWay and DirecPC
system are in geosynchronous orbit, 22 300 miles above the Earth.
Because of the distance, it takes approximately 0.23923 seconds
or 240ms for data to travel from Hughes network operations center
and travel back down to you. This lag is referred to "Latency".
Can I install the DirecWay system
myself?
You can install the DirecPC and DirecWay 1-way systems
yourself. Hughes will only activate 2-way systems that have been
professionally installed. Both FCC and CRTC regulations require
professional installation to prevent satellite interference due
to improperly installed systems.
Does weather affect my DirecWay system?
Yes, weather can affect performance of the DirecWay system.
Thick, moist cloud cover or heavy rain or snow can temporarily
knock out signal or dramatically reduce signal strength. If you
live in an area that receives frequent heavy rain or snow
showers, you may want to look into upgrading the size of your
DirecWay dish to compensate. The larger your DirecWay dish, the
stronger your signal strength will be that will make you less
prone to service interruptions.
Can I play online games with my DirecWay
system?
You can, however it will not work exceptionally well due to
the satellite latency. (Time data takes to travel to and from te
satellite) This will make real time game play difficult.
Does DirecWay provide email and newsgroup
services?
DirecWay does provide its users with email accounts and
addresses, however it does not support newsgroup access. There
are a number of quality free and low cost newsgroup providers
that you can use in conjunction with your DireWay service
however, such as Teranews
Our Members
Area contains a great wealth of additional information
relating to DirecWay and DirecPC, including software downloads,
FAQ's, tips, tricks and tweaks to help you get the most out of
your system.
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