If you ask anyone which is better, dial up vs. cable internet service? The answer would obviously be the cable internet service. Everyone knows a dial up connection can’t compete with the speed of a cable connection, nor with the price. With high speed cable internet service, you’re paying $20-$30 per month for a dedicated connection that offers up to 20Mb, while with dial up, you’re paying at least $15 for the landline phone service, plus $9.95 per month, for 56Kb. And, with the cable internet service, you can make calls using Skype for free, or pick up a MagicJack with unlimited local and long distance phone service for $19.95 per year. If you pencil out the math, and factored in MagicJack as your phone carrier, and spend more than $10 per month in long distance phone service, then the cable internet service is not only up to 400 times faster, but it costs less.

If you want high speed Internet access, satellite Internet is a good option. Satellite Internet is 30-times faster than dial up, which means it competes with the speeds of DSL and cable. Satellite Internet is also always on, just like DSL and cable.

High speed Internet access comes at great relief for many rural residents, since DSL and cable are not available in most rural locations. As long as a business or residence has a clear view of the southern sky (where the orbiting satellite rests above the equator 22,000 miles in space), most everyone can take advantage of rural satellite Internet speed.

Explore all of the benefits of high speed Internet access.

As with most high speed Internet services, satellite Internet does have a drawback or two. Severe weather could interrupt service, and given the inherent nature of the technology there is latency. Satellite Internet does not support online gaming or VOIP.

Despite these limitations, overall Internet access is fast, and will be even faster if you do the following.

Your computer should run on a newer operating system.

Use the most recent version of the web browser.

Password protect a wireless network if you have one.

Check your anti-virus software to be sure the software has not expired.

Ask the satellite Internet provider if they have a software tool/optimizer to make your connection efficient.

Why use an optimizer to improve satellite Internet speed

An “optimizer” is essentially a proxy setting that ensures you have an ideal web surfing experience. The satellite Internet provider recommends you install the optimizer, though, they don’t require it. But it’s likely that you’ll be asked to install the optimizer if you ever call for troubleshooting.

First step in getting satellite Internet is having a satellite Internet dish mounted on or near your home that sends and receives data to and from an orbiting satellite. Generally speaking, broadband satellite Internet is safe as long as you have the dish professionally installed. Not only is it against regulation to install your own satellite dish, but it could be very unsafe.

Discover the many benefits of broadband high speed Internet.

What happens if lightning strikes the satellite

Obviously, lightning could be attracted to a satellite dish. If it’s installed on your roof, then it could be the highest point on your house. Combine the height with the fact that the dish is metal and you can see the risk.

Lightning cannot be stopped, but any danger to you and your home is minimized. Rest assured.

During satellite dish installation, the technician knows to ground the dish, which makes sure all excess electricity goes into the ground and not your home. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all satellite Internet installers to ground satellite Internet dishes. All electrical equipment in your home is most likely grounded in a similar way.

Protect your satellite Internet connection from wind and plant life.

At time of installation, the satellite technician will look for an area that is somewhat protected from wind and is clear of shrubs and trees. Do your best to prevent weather and plants from interfering with your satellite Internet connection. At time of installation and after, the southern line of sight must be clear. That means you must keep trees and plants trimmed and away from the satellite Internet dish.

The standard safety considerations for satellite Internet dishes.

At time of installation, be sure the dish is at least five feet above ground. You should never stand directly in front of a satellite dish. A satellite dish is never off. It’s always sending and receiving microwaves.

Get some extra info on satellite Internet cost.

A satellite dish has a lot of electricity running through it, so don’t touch any part of the dish. Even snow and ice is not a reason to touch your satellite Internet dish. You’re safer never touching the dish.

Many people who doubt the reliability of broadband satellite believe that you need a phone line to access the Internet by satellite. However, that’s not the case. Years ago you did need a land line to get satellite Internet, but today satellite Internet works a lot like DSL and cable Internet in that it’s always on.

See what expectations you should have for high speed Internet service.

Broadband satellite is a great alternative to dial-up Internet
Today, most residents and businesses in rural areas can get satellite Internet. Satellite Internet brings relief to many that are frustrated by slow dial up and non-existent cable and DSL Internet-the cost to bring cable and DSL Internet to rural areas is very high.

As the name implies, dial-up Internet requires a land line. This means that you can’t use your phone and surf the web at the same time.

Another benefit to satellite Internet (aside from not needing a phone line) is that you can get online at any time because it’s always on. Another great benefit is that satellite Internet is 30 times faster than dial up.

The way satellite Internet works
Satellite Internet requires three satellites to work: the mini-dish mounted on or near your home, the satellite that orbits 22,000 miles above the equator, and the satellite that resides at the satellite Internet provider’s location. These three satellites work together to send and receive the data (in the form of microwaves) that let you interact on the Internet.

Once the dish is set up at your home or business, the installer will connect the dish to a modem and then to your computer using the proper cables. An installer from the satellite Internet company will be the one to set everything up.

If you plan to use satellite Internet, then you need to understand all the terms that the satellite Internet industry uses.

Satellite broadband: One of several high-speed Internet options, which is made available from satellite technology. Satellite Internet is always on and doesn’t require that a user “connect,” unlike dial up Internet.

Bandwidth and satellite Internet: The amount of information that can be sent over the Internet at one time.

Broadband Initiatives Program: Also called the Broadband Recovery Act and the Internet Recovery Act Program, the U.S. Government established this special program to bring satellite broadband to underserved regions to help stimulate the economy.

Learn more about the Broadband Recovery Act.

Fair Access Policy (FAP): Instituted by each satellite Internet provider that limits the amount of uploading/downing for each individual subscriber. The policy makes sure all subscribers have the same bandwidth.

Rural Internet service: Many rural residents and businesses depend on dial-up because cable and DSL high-speed Internet is not available. Today, many rural Internet users can choose between wireless Internet and satellite Internet for faster Internet.

Satellite Internet dish: This small dish mounted on or near a building can receive and send information from an orbiting satellite. In order to get online from a computer, a modem must be connected to the satellite dish and the computer.

Satellite Internet ISP: Technically, ISP means Internet service provider. Businesses and residents would work with a satellite ISP to get broadband Internet by satellite.

Southern Line of Sight: There are satellites in space (above the equator) that the terrestrial satellites must communicate with in order to get you online.

Wireless satellite Internet: A router will let you create a wireless network from your satellite Internet connection.

A single satellite in space cannot meet the demands for rural satellite Internet. Twenty-one percent of the population lives in rural United States, which means the satellite Internet industry has to have the technology (satellites) to meet the growing satellite Internet demand. That means there is a need for multiple satellites in orbit at once.

Do you need fast satellite Internet?

How satellite broadband works, a brief overview
Fast satellite Internet starts at your house. A satellite Internet technician will install a satellite Internet dish on or near your home to begin the communication between one of the satellites in space. But these two satellites do not complete the satellite Internet communication cycle, the orbiting satellite must also send and receive data from the satellite located at the satellite Internet provider’s location. All three locations are required to make satellite Internet work.

The orbiting satellites rest about 22,000 miles above the equator. In order to get satellite Internet you must have a clear view of the southern sky near where the satellites reside. If the mini dish can’t communicate directly with the orbiting satellite, there will be disruptions in satellite broadband service.

Orbiting satellites
One satellite dish has enough power to give an entire U.S. region satellite Internet access. For example, the AMC-15 provides high speed internet in rural areas in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and Arkansas. And with each passing year, satellite technology continues to expand.

Take for example the ViaSat-1 launched by ViaSat, Inc. in October 2011. This is the highest capacity satellite dish ever. Once fully operational, the satellite will provide Ka-band spot beam high speed Internet in rural areas throughout North America and Hawaii.

Learn about getting high speed internet in rural areas.

Global demand for satellite Internet currently requires the use of more than 400 satellites in space. It seems like the number of space satellites will grow exponentially, but maybe not. Because satellite technology is advancing and one satellite today can provide more power than one satellite could years ago, it’s possible we won’t need as many satellites to do the job.

Sources:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census_issues/metropolitan_planning/cps2k.cfm
http://www.satsig.net/sslist.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/technology/16satellite.html?pagewanted=all

Wondering if rural satellite Internet is right for you? The following 15 reasons to sign up might help you make your decision.

1. If you’re waiting for DSL or cable broadband high speed Internet to come your way, you could be waiting a long time. These broadband companies cannot justify the cost to do so.

2. Satellite Internet is significantly faster than dial-up-about 30 times faster.

3. The Broadband Initiatives Program is a great opportunity. If you live in a rural area, you could get satellite Internet at a reduced price for many years to come.

Get some details on broadband high speed Internet.

4. Sign up with one of the rural satellite Internet providers that gives you extras such as email addresses, document storage, antivirus protection, free equipment leasing, and more.

5. These days satellite dishes are small. That means you can have the satellite Internet dish installed on or near you home very discreetly.

6. The price of cellular wireless Internet is something to prepare yourself for. Unlike cellular Internet, satellite Internet prices should be consistent each month.

7. Be on the phone and on the Internet at the same time.

8. You don’t have to “log on” to rural satellite Internet, because it is always on.

9. Benefit from working with a smaller broadband company (many of the cable and DSL Internet providers are much bigger). That means you’re more likely to get personal customer service with satellite Internet.

10. To get satellite Internet you really only need a clear view of the southern sky. It’s virtually everywhere now.

11. Set up a wireless network in your home and get online from a number of different computers or devices. A router lets you do this pretty easily.

Are you trying to find rural high speed Internet providers?

12. Service interruption is not what it once was. While severe weather could slow down your rural satellite Internet service, it’s less likely these days.

13. Get the most out of your iPad or other tablet by downloading apps, surfing the web, and more. Dial-up limits what you can do with your iPad.

14. Satellite Internet lets you send and get emails and instant messages much quicker than dial-up (which could take minutes).

15. With rural satellite Internet you can rely on the fast Internet connection to do work from home.

For rural residents, an investment in an iPad means an investment in satellite Internet, too. There’s no doubt you’ll enjoy the games and apps on your iPad that don’t require constant Internet access, but there’s also no doubt you’ll enjoy your iPad more if you get to take advantage of the full capability that comes with high speed Internet access.

Constant online access means surfing the web from anywhere in the house at any time.

Get some details on wireless satellite Internet.

A satellite Internet wireless network makes it easy to get online from your iPad

You’ll be half way there once you get rural satellite Internet. Next you’ll need to create a wireless network using a router.

With a wireless satellite Internet network set up, you can connect your iPad to the satellite Internet connection just as you would any other computer. When your iPad is connected to the Internet you will be able to utilize all of it’s features and functions.

As a side note, be sure to password protect the wireless satellite Internet network. This will keep your neighbors from accessing your connection, which could slow down your rural satellite Internet service. Your personal information will also be protected when you password protect your network.

You can’t get high-speed Internet on your iPad using dial-up or wireless Internet

iPads do not have a USB port for an air card or modem port for dial-up, which means you can’t get Internet access that way.

Rural residents have a hard time getting high speed Internet-that’s no secret. And that’s frustrating, because slow Internet is difficult to use. For those that want to know, here is why it’s difficult to get high speed Internet in rural areas.

There is rarely cable and DSL rural Internet access

Cable or DSL Internet requires actual cable or wires to run near every home or business that wants to subscribe to the broadband. This wiring and cable rests next to water, gas, and other utilities’ equipment beneath the ground.

Get more information on rural Internet access.

Because the wireline Internet companies cannot justify the cost to build the infrastructure for only a few that want rural Internet access, many rural residents and businesses have to go without cable Internet and DSL access.

Wireless Internet can cost a lot and be limiting

Cellular wireless Internet and radio-based wireless Internet are two different types of wireless Internet available to rural residents.

Cellular wireless Internet only works with a cell phone connection. You simply tether your computer to a phone or air card and get online access that way. With wireless Internet you must watch your minutes closely or you’ll pay more than expected.

If you have a cordless phone, then you understand how radio-based wireless Internet works. It’s very similar. You hook up a box outside your home that communicates with a radio tower up to six miles away. If you live more than six miles (or so) away from a radio tower, you might not get to use this type of high speed Internet.

If you want satellite Internet, you must be able to see the southern sky from your home

Because satellite Internet technology is in place and available most everywhere, the cost is low. Satellite Internet is most likely available to you if you have a spot on or near your home with a clear view of the southern sky.

Do you need information on satellite Internet cost?

Dial up just isn’t high speed

Anyone with a land-based phone line in rural areas can get dial-up Internet, but the reality is that it’s just not high speed Internet. Dial-up usually runs at a speed around 56 kbits.

Unfortunately, many rural residents don’t have broadband satellite in their homes. This is partly because DSL and cable Internet infrastructure hasn’t made its way to most rural areas, and because many rural residents still don’t take advantage of broadband satellite-even though it’s evident that satellite Internet services beat dial-up Internet any day.

Get more information on rural high speed Internet.

Despite this fact, rural residents can still get online at fast speeds if they visit a location that offers it for free. In fact, many businesses and public facilities will create a wi-fi network (wireless Internet connection) that users can access for free or for a small fee. This is often called a “hot spot,” or a wireless Internet connection that anyone can connect to from their own computer-sometimes with a password and sometimes without.

Assuming the business uses broadband satellite for its rural high-speed Internet, then it’s simple for them to create a wireless network using a router. Once they have the network set-up, it’s just a matter of promoting the wi-fi availability to its patrons.

These businesses and organizations often offer free Internet access.

Local libraries: If funds allow, many libraries give free Internet access to members. Even if you don’t have a library card you may be able to get online from some libraries.

The trendsetter in offering free Internet access, coffee shops usually offer a free connection. Starbucks set that trend.

Eateries and watering holes: Many quick food eateries like Panera Bread and McDonald’s offer free Internet access. And those aren’t the only types of restaurants that do. There’s a growing number of full-service restaurants and bars that offer free Internet, too. If you go this route, be sure to scout out electrical outlets before you buckle down for an afternoon of web surfing. Also be warned that the establishment may limit your access during busy times.

Trains, planes, and buses: Not many airports or other transit facilities offer free Internet, but occasionally you’ll find one that does. You may even get online from the plane, train, or bus, too.l Amtrak does give its passengers free online access.

Find a provider of satellite Internet services.

How to know if a place offers free Internet

1: Check out online review sites like Yelp to find a local spot that has free internet. 2 – Before walking into a restaurant, coffee shop, or other location, look at the door or window for a free wi-fi sign. 3: Buy a Hotspot Detector to find wi-fi networks in your vicinity.