Tips on using HughesNet Satellite Internet Systems in Mexico and Central America

Many Mexico residents are getting connected to the Internet with HughesNet Satellite Internet systems. When properly installed, HughesNet systems can provide satisfactory performance, equivalent to a DSL or high-speed broadband cable connection. However, many users complain of poor or intermittent performance with their HughesNet system. Here are a few tips and suggestions to try if you're not getting the most out of your HughesNet or DirecWay Satellite Internet System:

1. First and foremost, HughesNet does not guarantee its service levels. They advertise only that their service levels can provide "up to" the following speeds: Most likely, your actual speed will be 50% to 80% of the maximum at best, and can be much worse at times.

2. The standard 30" DirectWay or HughesNet dish systems owned by many users in Mexico only permit the first three service levels, Home, Pro, and ProPlus. These three levels are generally OK for use by one or two users, but they can be slow if you are sharing your system with more than that. It just depends on how and when everyone is using the shared system. You might think of sharing your HughesNet system's capacity like sharing a water pipe with your neighbors. If you have a small water pipe serving your neighborhood and no one uses a lot of water at the same time, then everything is fine. But if one or more of your neighbors are "power users" and wash their clothes a lot or leave the hose running all day, then that will affect everyone else's water supply. If they only water at night, you may not notice if you only use the water during the day.

3. In the same way you might be sharing a single HughesNet system with you neighbors, your Hughesnet system is sharing space on the satellite with other HughesNet system owners. When there are a lot of HughesNet users on the same satellite at the same time, usually in the afternoons, then the speed for all of the users on that satellite may slow down.

4. HughesNet has about a dozen satellites than can be seen from the US, and most subscribers are spread out among these satellites. To receive HughesNet service in southern Mexico, however, the .74 meter and .98 meter HughesNet dishes are limited to using just one of two satellites; SatMex 5 or 6. The traffic on these two satellites is very congested because they're the only two satellites being used for just about every HughesNet system throughout much of Mexico, parts of the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The 1.2 and 1.8 meter HughesNet dishes have more satellites to choose from, and also provide more margin to overcome rain fade.

5. Each HughesNet satellite has a number of channels, and users are assigned to a specific channel when their system is provisioned by HughesNet. These channels are shared with other users, and some of these channels are more congested than others. Also, as the satellites age, some of these channels may deliver degraded performance compared to others.

6. Certain uses and applications like Voice Over IP (VOIP), audio or video streaming, downloading large files, or receiving updates through the Internet can seriously slow down a HughesNet system. Modern operating systems and many applications are often running in the background and continuously downloading patches and updates. Other users may be receiving these updates at the same time as you, and all this activity can slow down the entire system.

7. HughesNet maintains a "Fair Access Policy" (also known as a FAP). This policy allows each user to download a certain amount of megabytes within a given period of time (For the Home Plan, it's 200 MB total within 24 hours). Once your downloads exceed your FAP threshold, your bandwidth will be throttled back to something around 56 Kbs, about the speed of a regular telephone dial up modem.

Again, using our water analogy, it might help you to think of your available FAP megabytes like the reserve of water in a tinaco. The tinaco may hold 200 gallons when full. But when you empty the tinaco, the available water coming out of the tinaco will be limited to no more than the dribble of water going in. Over time, your tinaco refills and you have more water. In the same way, your FAP allowance recovers over time until you are once again able to use full speed.

OK, so what can you do about any of this?

• If you're using a PC, download and install the LAN Client Configuration Utility (LCCU) from http://customercare.myhughesnet.com/downloads/lccu.html. The LCCU will help configure Windows-based computers to obtain optimal performance with the HughesNet system. Please read the LCCU Owner's Manual before using the LCCU. (NOTE: May not be compatible with Windows Vista!)
• Download and install HughesNet Tools. These tools may help you to solve some of the more common connection problems that might be plaguing your computer (not compatible with Apple Macintosh).
• Make sure your computer is absolutely free of hidden viruses and "spy ware." These nasty little programs skulk in the background robbing your computer's power, and they can bring everything to a halt as they send spam mail from your computer, record your passwords and credit card info, and do other creepy things to gum up the works. You are using a current and updated anti virus program, aren't you? AREN'T YOU???Check the coaxial connections. Many are installed very poorly, often with exposed connectors that were never intended for outside use. Water gets into the connectors and cables and impairs the signal.
• Check the feed horn in front of the dish. They have a little plastic window over the front. Be sure there is no water or fogging inside the plastic. If it has water inside, you have a leak that will impair performance.
• Check that the dish, mount and cables are properly grounded. This step is often omitted and can cause weird, intermittent connection problems.
• Cable runs should be no longer than 150' and they should use really good cable; not cheap stuff. Cheap cable has a higher loss, and can have an unacceptably high internal resistance.
• Expect slowdowns, especially during the afternoons and inclement weather. Also, if there is bad weather in Germantown, Maryland, where the HughesNet Network Operations Center is located, expect slowdowns. Try to pick other times to log on.
• There is not much you can do about exceeding your FAP except to wait until your HughesNet FAP allowance "refills." If you're a power down loader, or like to watch streaming video then you'll probably hit your FAP limit frequently. Higher HughesNet service levels have a larger FAP limit.
  
  To check your usage history, you will first need your Site ID. You can find your Site ID by clicking here to log into your HughesNet Modem: http://192.168.0.1 and click on the System Info button.
  
  Once you have your Site ID, you can check your usage history here: http://customercare.myhughesnet.com/frm_usage.cfm. Here, you can check you daily usage history and see when and if you're going over your FAP limit.
• Test your up and down speeds frequently. This will help you to track your system's performance over time so you can spot patterns or notice extended periods of impaired performance. Go to http://satspeedtest.hughesnet.com/cgi/launch2.cgi and start testing your speed. The web site will save a history of your tests so you can track your system over time.
• If you're trying to use Voice Over Internet (also known as VOIP), try using some of the less demanding VOIP applications like Skpye. Vonage, and some other VOIP services, tend to be more demanding and need greater speed, especially the UP speed. Inadequate UP speed will be evident when you can hear your caller but they cannot hear you. Avoid doing other things on your computer when using VOIP, like browsing the web or sending Email. Better yet, restart your computer and only launch your VOIP application. If you're using a router or other VOIP appliance, try unplugging it to reboot it and then reconnect.
  
  Note that HughesNet does not officially support using their systems for VOIP. If you really need good, reliable VOIP service over satellite, then consider using another system that is optimized for VOIP such as iDirect Satellite Internet. iDirect is a "business-class" system and uses a larger dish and more powerful transmitter. There are far fewer iDirect users so it is far less congested.
• Make sure your dish is pointed dead on the satellite, and the mount is absolutely tight. Also, the "skew," a very finicky adjustment on these dishes, must be dead on. We have seen many HughesNet systems where high winds pushed them off a bit, or the skew or other adjustments were incorrectly set in the first place.
• Get the most modern modem, the HughesNet HNS7000s. It works better than the older modems, even the DW7000s.
• Request a change of satellite or channel. Users with smaller systems may not have much choice when it comes to changing satellites but it is possible that changing channels could help. Changing satellites or channels must be approved by the HughesNet Network Operations Center. You will most likely need the assistance of an experienced dealer who can make this request with Hughesnet and reposition your dish. It's also likely your modem will need to be registered in order to switch to the new channel or satellite.
• Install a larger HughesNet dish and a 2 watt transmitter. Larger .98, 1.2 and 1.8 meter dishes are available. Most of the smaller systems use 1 watt transmitters. 2 watt transmitters are available, and you will usually have to replace the entire transmitter and receiver assembly if you replace the dish. With a larger antenna and transmitter, you can increase your Service Level and possibly get reassigned to other, less crowded satellites.