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Check out our selection for the BEST and FASTEST satellite internet services here:
https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/fastest-internet-from-your-satellite?kbid=123489
https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/best-satellite-internet-providers?kbid=123489
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HERE ARE SOME WAYS YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR SATELLITE INTERNET SPEED:
● There may be alternatives. Check to see if there is a DSL or cable line nearby that you can use. If you want to be sure, use the postcode finder on Reviews.org. And there are even alternatives, depending on your location, using 4G or mobile hotspotting.
– Link to the postcode finder on Reviews.org: https://www.reviews.org/internet-service/best-internet-service-providers/?kbid=123489
● Use Viasat instead of HughesNet. Or the other way around.
– This isn't meant to be a review, so I won't go into detail. In a nutshell: Viasat offers faster speeds for higher prices, Hughesnet's advertised speeds are slower, but it costs less.
– As for performance, it can vary by location, but generally speaking: Hughesnet gets high marks from the FCC for delivering the speeds they promise, although that FCC report is from 2017. Regardless, Viasat did well in that same report, and we now prefer their plans and pricing over Hughesnet's.
– If one isn't working and your contract is about to expire, you might consider switching.
● Optimize the placement of your router:
– In a central location or close to where most of the equipment is located.
– For example, in my home we spend more time upstairs, but we stream more intensively downstairs, where we have the TV and PC.
– Use a mesh wifi system, but be aware that this may not work as well as claimed on a satellite connection.
● Buy your own router:
– They may charge you to lease the equipment, but that doesn't mean you have to use the router they sent you.
– Check if it is compatible. And KEEP YOUR RECEIPT in case it doesn't work.
● Use Ethernet if possible:
– Wifi is pretty good these days. But it is never as reliable as a fixed connection.
– Even with a solid, fast connection, your signal loses some strength as it travels through walls and over distance. So if you're running at a MAX speed of, say, 25 Mbps to the router, you're going to lose some of that, just because of the way wireless signals work.
CONCLUSION:
In the end, it's all about patience. The reliability issue that is such a common complaint about satellite internet is a product of the technology itself. Yes, there are valid criticisms about plan structures or customer service or whatever. But when it comes to the speeds you get, I don't want to be the one to play devil's advocate, but there may be nothing you OR ViaSat or HughesNet can really do about it.
The good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel for satellite internet users. Amazon has filed an application with the FCC to send thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit to provide more universal, high-speed coverage. That may be a few years away, but! SpaceX has a similar plan and they have already started launching their satellites. OneWeb is expected to be available in 2021. So fingers crossed, maybe satellite internet as a concept and a reality will start improving soon.
– Link to OneWeb: https://www.oneweb.world
– Link to the 2021 HughesNet Satellites article: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/08/hughes-signs-deal-to-launch-100mbps-satellite-internet-service-in-2021/
For now, hang in there, try a few tricks to get the most speed and reliability out of your connection. Switch providers if you need to, buy your own router and put it in the best possible spot, and if possible, wire your devices to ethernet instead of relying on wifi.
If you have any tips or tricks that I missed, let me know in the comments and share your wisdom!
Please feel free to reach out and share this video with your friends and family if you found it helpful.
