Satellite Internet Connection
 

Is anyone using this connection?

I don't have DSL available, I'm too far off the road to get cable, and my dial-up connection sucks. I think this is my only option, but I wanted to see if anyone else is using this and how they like it. I called around and it's pretty expensive. I was told in bad weather you might not have connection and your bandwidth is limited. I don't do a whole lot online except just play poker.

Anyone have any experience to share or suggestions (outside of moving)?

Thanks.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

you are better off getting a partial T1 line. Satellite internet still sucks big time.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

satellite internet is terrible. you may consider getting wireless internet, if it is available in your area.

check this site out for internet availablitly, and then do some research.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

My brother has direcway satellite internet service. I have used it for about a total of 3 months while visiting him. I use a cable modem connection at home.

here's some comments on my experience:

There is noticable latentcy in the connection due to the round trip to geosynchronous orbit. This is noticable in web browsing when you click a link and nothing happens for a little while. After the web page starts loading, it loads at about DSL or cable modem speed. It is also noticable when playing poker--I try to make sure that I don't come close to timing out when using direcway.

I can use direcway with party/skins with no problem. Pokerroom.com will not work at all over the direcway connection. (I have not spent a lot of time working to get pokerroom fixed, so it may be possible.)

Your volume of downloaded stuff is capped at a fairly low level. When you exceed that level your service speed is slowed waaaaay down for a couple of hours or so. This will be a problem if you download a lot of software, music, pr0n, or whatever. I think you can get more info on this at direcway.com. I don't thing you will hit the cap just playing poker and browsing the web.

I prefer DSL/cable, but would use direcway if that was all I could get.

I have heard that heavy rain will disrupt the connection. I have never actually observed this. I did witness a mysterious interuption of service, but I see have that with cable modem, too. The connection quality is also sensitive to how well the dish is aimed.

VOIP things like skype don't work with direcway.

There are people who absolutely hate direcway. My experience is that it is OK (not great, just OK).

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

Thanks for the responses, I'll check out the T1 thing and also the wireless option.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

I had it for about a year. It was much better that dial up but compared to cable and DSL is was horrible. Loss of connection during a rain storm, terrible upload speeds and this gigantic dish on the side of your house. Then when I disconnected service to switch to DSL they charged me $800 for the equipment that they were suppose to come and pick up and never did.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

[ QUOTE ]
I had it for about a year. It was much better that dial up but compared to cable and DSL is was horrible. Loss of connection during a rain storm, terrible upload speeds and this gigantic dish on the side of your house. Then when I disconnected service to switch to DSL they charged me $800 for the equipment that they were suppose to come and pick up and never did.

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG!

I've heard about "repeaters" for cable service when you're more than 400 feet off the road. I called my phone company about this, but they had no idea (they totally SUCK! anyway). I'm going to call a cable service and ask them about this.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

[ QUOTE ]
I've heard about "repeaters" for cable service when you're more than 400 feet off the road.

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I now have earthlink and when I first subscribed I was the furthest house from the box. At first I had intermitten (sp?) signal problems but they came to my house and installed a booster, now everything works great, as a matter of fact I have not been down since they installed the booster.

Re: Satellite Internet Connection
 

I have Direcway and it does kick butt over dial-up, but sucks big time compared to DSL or cable. The only real problem I have is during thunderstorms you stand a real good chance of losing connection. A $ 100.00 plus pot went the other way just the other night for that very reason.

In saying all that, if it is the only game in town, I don't think there are a whole of options. I will add it is expensive in comparison to dial-up.