Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
beam.
The StarBand hardware normally consists of a 24-inch × 36-inch elliptical-shaped dish plus an
external satellite modem. The modem has a built-in router with an Ethernet connection. A larger
optional 1.2m (47-inch) round dish along with a higher performance radio is used for coverage in
Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. StarBand offers three plans with the
following download/upload speeds:
•
Nova 500
—.512Mbps/.1Mbps
•
Nova 1000
—1Mbps/0.128Mbps
•
Nova 1500
—1.5Mbps/0.256Mbps
Note
StarBand's FAP is based on a rolling 7-day period that does not apply to downloads between
midnight and 6:00 a.m. For details, see
www.starband.com/aup.html
.
There are equipment costs in addition to the monthly fees.
Satellite Performance Issues
Benchmark addicts will find that satellite Internet access performs poorly on ping tests. The complex
pathway the data must travel (ground to space and back again) results in pings taking at least 400ms-
600ms. Interactive benchmarks are also disappointing. The delays caused by communicating with a
geosynchronous satellite over 22,500 miles in space make satellite a poor choice for these
applications, although download speeds are significantly faster than dial-up modems. Although they
vary widely, speeds of 1,000Kbps are common, and some can reach download speeds of more than
2,000Kbps. To achieve results like this, use the tips available on the various forums and sites
covering satellite connections to adjust your system's configuration.
Weather can be a problem for satellite connections, but not in the way you might think. Clouds and
storms don't generally affect the signal, unless the storm is so severe you should probably be taking
shelter anyway. What can be a problem, however, is snow and ice accumulation on the dish. If you
live in an area where it snows, you can have signal problems even though the sky is clear; those
problems are invariably caused by snow and ice accumulation on the dish. With that in mind, try to
have the dish mounted in a location where you can access it to brush off any snow and ice
accumulation.
Because of the higher latency, slower overall speeds, limits on downloads and uploads, greater
equipment costs, and sensitivity to snow and ice, few would recommend satellite service when
alternatives are available. But when the only alternative is dial-up or an expensive T1 line, satellite
is the next best option. Although the costs are higher than cable modem or DSL access, satellite might
be the only even remotely cost-effective option for people outside urban areas. Many people have
creatively adapted the dishes for use on recreational vehicles when stationary or in various tripods
and platforms for use while camping.
Living Within Your FAP Budget
The fair access plan (FAP) features of all satellite services are a challenge to live within, especially
with frequent OS updates, streaming video, and other high-bandwidth uses for the Internet. Here are
some ways to avoid exceeding your download or upload budget:
