Is Dish Network Internet ok?

[Buddy Wallace]

Originally Posted by Buddy Wallace

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/t...X4caAiV_8P8HAQ

Winegard x2 with dish network let's you only pay the months you are out on the road.

It finds either the eastern or Western Satellite.

[Marilyn H]

Originally Posted by BasilFawlty

Read their rules and find 1500 kb/s download, 4GB per week and free nights.
....
What is your experience with reliability re. speed and are they honest with the amount of data they say you have used?

It's 5GB/week (http://www.mobileinternetsatellite.c...ice-plans.html) - we're using the Nova 1500. We've only started using it this past week in parallel with our cable internet while we are still at the house. The performance is fine - using speedtest.net it runs 1.3Mbps download on average. I haven't verified the download stats yet but they don't appear to be out of line.

We're able to stream video such as Netflix or YouTube w/o problem. They don't provide up to the minute stats but only a rolling daily total. For downloading large content in the off-hours, I'm using a combination of PlayLater.tv and a script to start selected video downloads at a specific time.

[BasilFawlty]

I understand that Dish is ok BUT if you move from one geographical area to another you need to put in codes related to ZIP-code and Dish is NOT willing to let you do that acc. to my dealer. It is not made for portable people. But I might be wrong.

Trying to get in contact with someone WHO HAS TESTED IT themselves.

Read a lot of complaints online and after signing a two year contract I want it to work or it is thousands of dollars just wasted.

So I am trying to figure out what I need. Some says that since you are transmitting a signal you even need to pass an exam due to FCC rules (starband.net) but if the signal I receive in different positions is useless if I can not unscramble it with the correct code I am stuck anyhow. Think Exude (the provider of the signal for Dish) calls it "beam spots".

I will revert when I know more - seems to sound simple but a lot of details that has to be checked.

[Marilyn H]

Originally Posted by BasilFawlty

Read their rules and find 1500 kb/s download, 4GB per week and free nights.

What is your experience with reliability re. speed and are they honest with the amount of data they say you have used?
...

We have the Nova 1500 w/ 5GB/weekly download (see http://www.mobileinternetsatellite.c...ice-plans.html). I have the system setup at the house now so I can still use the cable internet.

Using speedtest.net the average downloads run ~1.3Mbs. Starband.net provides an "account" page that shows the daily totals of download/upload amounts. They don't appear to be out of line but I haven't specifically validated them. Our system has been up for a 4 days so far and it continues to perform w/o problem.

Since we like Netflix and other streaming videos, I found a way to record them in the off hours. I'm using PlayLater.tv and a script I wrote to start the selected downloads in the off hours. With my initial testing/validation, the movies are downloaded just fine and we can stream them via Roku from the Windows 7 box where they are stored to the tv (a feature of PlayLater).

[BasilFawlty]

Have you tried the Dish with the antennas in the link you sent?

[Marilyn H]

Originally Posted by BasilFawlty

Have you tried the Dish with the antennas in the link you sent?

Not sure who you are asking...

Sorry about those two posts from me above - evidently since I am new my posts had to be reviewed...

-Barton

[BasilFawlty]

Dear Barton,

Thanks a LOT!! Your answer is relevant and highly interesting! 1.5 to 1.3 is fine but if you actually only got 256 not much use! So that sounds excellent. I much rather have 1.3 steady than sometimes 5 but often 0 like now with different campgrounds WiFi.

I am reading up on ka band that Dish is using and the other that Starband is using and the star band system does work wherever you are and you do not have to tell any central office your zip code I understand. Just hook up the dish when you set up camp and it just works.

I have a Mac but I am sure there are scripts that I can use for "recording" a Netflix video or Youtube videos over night, I will look into that.

My fear was that this satellite internet for consumers was of very poor quality since here in the US they sell systems that are professional for much more money. Hardware around 10,000 and then at least 350 per month. That lead me to think that all consumer versions was useless but it seems that I am wrong.

What hardware did you decide to buy? Does it come in a package or do you pick out the dish, receiver etc? We do not need anything self pointing, just an old tripod mounted dish.

You needed to get licensed to use this system since it includes a transmitting part I understand, my wife is technical and from the US (have a captains license for a large ship and HAM radio license) and will do the test hope that is not to hard to pass.

Again, thanks for a relevant and fast answer. See if I can get hold of star band people tomorrow.

[almcc]

I just read this thread, I thought that I would make a few comments to expand on what Andy said in an earlier post.

I have a tripod mounted internet dish with Hughes as my provider through a Canadian re-seller, I've had it for about 10 years.I'll make some comments:

The good things about the system is that you always get internet wherever you are (except if the path to the sat is blocked by trees!), we've used the system from Alaska to the pacific coast of Mexico. For the extreme areas (Mexico and Alaska) you need to switch satellites, something that our re-seller does for us for a charge of $25 or so. When we travel beyond the cell ranges (as occurs in Canada outside populated area and in some locations in the US) we always can get internet. The other benefit is that we get more MB for relatively lower cost than cell based internet (425 MB/DAY with a period overnight with unlimited downloads for about $70/month). That daily number is actually more than 425 as Hughes refills the bucket on a continuous basis, I drain about 20 mb and the bucket is refilled in a short period. There are a few free "get out of jail" tokens supplied each month which restore your service if you download some monster files by accident.

There are downsides to the service, some of them are no VOIP capability because of the 1 second or so delay in getting the signal to the sat and back, skype video works but again the voice is delayed, something like being on a walkie talkie. The service is slow compared to DSL or better cell service, depending on the sat you are on it's about 1.2 meg download and much slower upload, faster than dial up but slow if you are used to a fast connection.

I plan to experiment this winter in the US with tethering a smart phone to my laptop and I will see how good cell based internet is, I'll keep the sat system going and compare.

One other thing, you can hang a LNB for sat tv off the side of your internet dish and receive tv and net off the same dish, that's probably what Dish does, you still have to subscribe to both services.

You can get lots more information at Datastormusers.com. By the way, Motosat is out of business, they supplied auto dishes but you can get used ones through the techs that are on the forum over there.

As a final "add" seeing the above post, you don't need a license to operate the transmitter, it's a 1 watt or 2 watt system and if you put your hand in front of the beam it shuts off, in Canada we get hit with a Transport Canada annual fee but there are no fees that I'm aware of in the US.

[Marilyn H]

Originally Posted by BasilFawlty

Dear Barton,

What hardware did you decide to buy? Does it come in a package or do you pick out the dish, receiver etc? We do not need anything self pointing, just an old tripod mounted dish.

You needed to get licensed to use this system since it includes a transmitting part I understand, my wife is technical and from the US (have a captains license for a large ship and HAM radio license) and will do the test hope that is not to hard to pass.

I recommend MobileInternetSatellite.com as my experience was very positive. I asked Barb Nolley <bjnolley@mobileinternetsatellite.com> to put together the shopping list for me using her recommendations which follow:


Qty Description Rate Amount
1 StarBand Nova 1500 200.00 200.00T
1 Shipping and Handling (StarBand) 45.00 45.00
1 Mobile Internet Satellite Services 350.00 350.00
1 Tripod Seco 5203-10-BLK with SK 195.00 195.00T
1 Adapter - Original 125.00 125.00T
1 Adapter Hardware Set without SK 22.00 22.00T
1 Satellite Ballast Strap 5.00 5.00T
1 Tool - 6" Torpedo Level 5.00 5.00T
1 SatShooter 125.00 125.00T
1 Satshooter Cover 10.00 10.00T
1 Meter-First Strike1-SE 275.00 275.00T
1 Meter Bag 10.00 10.00T
50 Cable RG6 Dual (with Connectors) 0.50 25.00T
1 Cable RG6 Dual (PigTail Cable) 5.00 5.00T
1 StarBand Nova Knob Set 15.00 15.00T
1 StarBand User Guide 15.00 15.00T
1 StarBand Laminated Card 5.00 5.00T
1 Shipping and Handling (Tucson) 122.40 122.40


Everything I received was new and necessary to setup the system - there were no "unneeded or unnecessary" parts though for cost savings some parts could have been exchanged for an alternative.

Barb provides a temporary account/password to enable you to initially setup the system before you've taken the test. She provides great training material and is available as part of her service to help. My system came in 5 boxes. The docs were very straight forward on assembling everything - there is a lot to learn initially but once the hands on part started, it was like assembling a piece of furniture.

Barb also provides training material for the test which I took after setting up the system using the temp account and got a 92%. It is 100 questions and 85% is the minimum score for passing.

Please note that initially the docs and training materials are a little overwhelming (you can download them here: http://www.mobileinternetsatellite.c...ification.html) as the material covers alternative ways of setting the system up which you have to understand to pass the test. Using the equipment Barb recommended, the setup was streamlined. The system came w/ a separate document that was focused on setting up the system step by step. So you have training materials for prep of the test and separate docs that are focused on setup.

Hope this helps.

-Barton

[BasilFawlty]

Another VERy relevant and great answer! So now I have two options - Starboard and Hughes.

Like the fact that they ALLOW you to travel, thats what I am trying to get Dish to answer. When calling their customer service they DO NOT allow you to leave your zip-code if not for a permanent move.

I will read up on star band and Hughes today and see if I can compare and understand! My Swedish brain does not understand all English technical terms but you all are very nice in explaining to me.
Thanks!

[BasilFawlty]

Barton,

I was in contact with barb last Friday, she was on her way to Seattle but will be back in the office tomorrow so hope she has more time then.

I am excessively happy for all your answers. I am right now at the Redwood Rally in Indiana and I feel very happy that we all share information. I got a lot of questions yesterday from other participants but was not able to answer them. Hopefully I will be a PRO in a few days from now!

[almcc]

Just another comment about Hughes. Not sure about Starband but Hughes offers two different sat types, the "spot beamed" service that was referred to elsewhere in this thread, it can't be moved without a tech coming to your location, and the other type (older technology) that I have. Hughes doesn't service mobile customers like myself, the re-sellers in the US and Canada do this service. Don Marr is also a good source for the equipment and info.

http://www.oregonrv.net/

The datastorm users website is at:

http://www.datastormusers.com/

[BasilFawlty]

Looked at the Oregon homepage, equipment there is several thousands and I am more looking for several hundreds.

Star band seems to use "normal" dishes and LNB:s Hughes seems to use professional dishes that costs more.

[almcc]

Originally Posted by BasilFawlty

Looked at the Oregon homepage, equipment there is several thousands and I am more looking for several hundreds.

Star band seems to use "normal" dishes and LNB:s Hughes seems to use professional dishes that costs more.

Talk to Don, he may be able to set you up with a tripod. As a check, my system cost about $1400 including a half day of training.

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by Marilyn H

Not sure who you are asking...

Sorry about those two posts from me above - evidently since I am new my posts had to be reviewed...

-Barton

Sorry..... I was at the Redwood rally and didn't spend much time on the forum. The reason your post had to be reviewed is because of the link you had posted. Spam messages usually have links as well so it was automatically tagged.