HughesNet is a form of broadband service that uses satellite connections, and it mainly targets those regions in the United States that are not sufficiently served by other forms of connection service. Here is an overview of what type of internet HughesNet is and how its satellite-powered service works:
What is Satellite Internet?
It is fundamentally different from traditional cable or DSL internet services which rely on physical cables to provide connection. Satellite internet is the process where internet data is transmitted through an orbiting satellite to a small dish installed at homes or any building. This dish links to a modem/router within to amplify the signal, to other rooms and areas.
Some key things to know about satellite internet:
- Unlike phone lines and cable, satellite internet receives signals from a satellite, which is orbiting in space. This is useful in accessing areas that cannot be accorded a wired broadband connection such as remote or rural regions.
- It is relatively faster than wireless internet services but may be slower than wired internet services because a satellite signal is limited, and it has to cover a long distance. However, the advancement in satellite technology has closed this gap, and thus the speeds are not as different as they used to be.
- There may be occasional interruptions in the signal-receiving process due to unfavorable weather conditions that affect the transmission between the satellite and the dish. Occasionally, if there is intense rainfall or snow, then the connection may be temporarily disrupted.
- Satellite dishes have a direct line of sight with the satellites to transmit signals to and from the orbiting vessels. Interference is always a big issue and will be influenced by factors such as trees and buildings.
- With satellite internet, throttling and usage policies are used to regulate traffic congestion on the satellite connection services offered. When the user overloads the bandwidth, it slows down to a very slow pace as per the package.
HughesNet Gen5 Satellite Internet
HughesNet is one of the biggest satellite Internet service providers in the Americas. Its Gen5 service began in 2017 and utilizes equipment and satellite orbit leased from EchoStar.
However, let’s first look at some basic information on HughesNet Gen5:
- Available in all U. S. states
- While the proposed EchoStar satellites’ top download speeds are 25 Mbps.
- A minimum of 3 Mbps upload speeds
- An average of 600mS + in round trip latency where latency is the amount of time taken by the data packets to reach the internet and back.
- Monthly data packages can be bought for as little as 10GB up to 50 GB.
It cannot compare with gigabit fiber connection download speeds of 25 Mbps. However, HughesNet Gen5 provides superior speed as compared to the initial satellite Internet technology. It can run web browsers and emails, stream movies, listen to music, and video calls, and even basic online gaming, although sometimes faster games may experience lags.
HughesNet utilizes geosynchronous satellites that orbit around the earth about 22,000 miles away. At this high orbit altitude, the satellites revolve around the Earth at the same angular rate as that of the Earth’s spin so they do not appear to move relative to the surface of the Earth. that three satellites provide coverage for the continental US, one each for the western, mid-western, and eastern regions.
How Satellite Internet Works
When a HughesNet customer opens a webpage or streams a video, here is the sequence for how data makes that internet connection happen:
- The customer submits a request from the device which is connected to the WiFi router and modem and from there, it goes to the satellite antenna.
- The antenna relays the signal more than 22,000 miles up to the orbiting satellite over that or some other region.
- The signal is then directed to the nearest HughesNet gateway facility on Earth from the satellite. These base stations have fiber connections and therefore are fast.
- At the gateway facility, the data enters the fiber network and it is transmitted over copper wires to the end point of a website say, to access the server of the website to load that particular page.
- How the return data is received is also in the same satellite path but in the opposite direction. The television signal response returns over the wired telephone lines to the gateway parabolic antenna dish, which transmits that signal back 22,000+ miles up to the satellite.
- The satellite beams it straight down to the customer’s home antennae dish.
- The dish helps in receiving the data by transferring it through the router and modem which enables the data to be accessed on the user’s device to complete the broadband internet connection.
Thus, it means that the orbiting satellites are intermediate centers in the terminal communication path in the sky. This provides internet access to the customers without the need for the miles of cables laid on the ground or the cellular towers that are erected every few miles. The satellites are merely high enough up in the sky to connect extremely distant homes and pieces of real estate to the world’s communication web.
Advantages of Satellite Internet
HughesNet and other satellite internet providers offer key benefits:
- Anywhere Access – Internet access through satellite is possible to any qualifying home or property location in the United States without being restricted to wired networks. Fear is not only felt in the remote areas or even in the rural setting.
- Fast connection – When it comes to cable or fiber internet, setting up a wired connection can take several weeks. As professional installation services, the installation of satellite equipment takes a relatively short time. Self-installation kits are also possible.
- Mobility - These satellite internet systems are physical structures that can be easily mobilized and relocated to a new home. Especially for properties with limited use during certain seasons, or for RVs. Additionally, no new physical lines and infrastructure are necessary to invest in every place where the organization is situated.
Such benefits help millions of Americans have broadband connections while they are outside the wired networks. In some cases, for those living in rural areas where cable or fiber services are unavailable, it is HughesNet that offers a reliable high-speed satellite connection.
