Starband or DirecWay or WildBlue ???

[21st Hermit]

I currently have flaky 900MHz terrestrial wireless. I had Starband up until 2-years ago. Dropped Starband because $70/mo -> $30/mo. Well my spastic wireless is just getting too unreliable. I'm off-the-grid so even dial-up is not an option. So too with EVDO, I don't expect EVDO here for 2 more years.

Been looking at 2-way satellite and prices have dropped, now $50/mo and $199 up front for both Starband and Wildblue. DirecWay is somewhat higher.

Whatever system I install, I want to go into my 802.11g wireless router, not into a PC server.

Any pearls of wisdom would be most appreciated.

Thanks
Hermit

 

[dbirdman]

All of the systems now are self-hosted modems, so its really a matter of "Pick your poison." All three are companies a high percentage of their customers love to hate, with user ratings from 55-65 at BBR. I think the early adopters of WildBlue had it pretty good, and that may be true again for awhile when they start using the WB1 satellite. Hughes's 7000 modem was the best to come along so far (speaking as someone who has used 4000/4020/6000/7000), but the 7000S is proving more problematical. Starband's new Nova Pro is getting good reviews from installers, but the much smaller user base at Starband means there isn't a lot of posting by actual users.

If you do decide to go with Hughes (Direcway as a company no longer exists), I would recommend an e-bay purchase of the 7000 and dish and then get it activated.

 

[animalhouse]

I have Starband and have had it for the last 3 years. I really don't have any complaints except that the download speeds, of late seem to be slow. Since they are changing modems (NOVA series) I thought I would shop around to see if there are any deals out there.

I too am looking to see if there is a service that will allow you to connect into a wireless router. Right now, Starband does not let you do that. Haven't heard or read any reviews on the Starband NOVA series, but will let you know if I do. I have been to the website (www.starband.com) and checked out the prices. NOVA Pro is $299 for equipment and $49.99/month. Speeds are: 512KB download and 256KB upload. The NOVA Ultimate is more, but the speeds are twice as fast.

 

[dirkleearm]

I've put many HN systems in with wireless routers and had no problems. I've been very pleased with "Buffalo WHR-HP-G54" routers in particular.

 

[RuralSatGuy]

Out here in the sticks, my friend and I both have WildBlue. He had StarBand before, and a long time ago, I had DirecPC (one-way sat down). We both like WB, but there are times when it slows down when too many people are downloading or surfing. I have DuMeter and it shows downloads peaking 1.6Mips, and Internet test sites show similar results - which thrills an old 28.8 modem guy. Hopefully, the new WB bird will have the capacity to handle all its customers at once without steep slowdowns. I have never found a need to call WB tech support.

I run my WB modem into a Belkin WiFi router. Ethernet cable to main computer and WiFi to laptop and Palm TX.

 

[tonyp56]

had no problems setting up wireless router for my Hughesnet system (7000 modem). Since the modem is self contained, you have to disable the normal router functions and go for simple wireless access point--or you could just buy a WAP instead of router. Don't plug CAT5 cable from modem into WAN port of router, and make sure router's ip address and sub-net mask are the same as modem.

After that, you just set-up your router/wireless access point wireless network portion and your done.

I use a Belkin router that costs $40 at Wal-Mart. And although I've deceided to do away with wireless portion of my network--I ran cat5 cable to my computers--the wireless network worked great. No lag, no noticable difference between wired computer and computer connected via wifi. The reason why I ended up going with wired instead of wifi is because my phone kept knocking my other computer off of the network.

 

[tonyp56]

Milage of course may vary with WB or Starband. But for sure, it isn't a problem with Hughesnet.

The reason why you have to disable the router functions and not plug cable into WAN port, the modem has DHCP with no way of disabling it. I couldn't ever get it to work plugged into the WAN port. I did get the network to work with the router acting like a router, but seemed slower, than just having a WAP. The Hughesnet/Direcway modem automatically gives all of my computers IP addresses.

 

[HCI]

had no problems setting up wireless router for my Hughesnet system (7000 modem). Since the modem is self contained, you have to disable the normal router functions and go for simple wireless access point--or you could just buy a WAP instead of router. Don't plug CAT5 cable from modem into WAN port of router, and make sure router's ip address and sub-net mask are the same as modem.

You can hook the modem into the WAN port. I have done plenty like that. Also if you set the router's ip as the same as the modem it will not work. You cannot have 2 of the same ip addresses on the same network. Please explain more on what you mean.

 

[tonyp56]

You can hook the modem into the WAN port. I have done plenty like that. Also if you set the router's ip as the same as the modem it will not work. You cannot have 2 of the same ip addresses on the same network. Please explain more on what you mean.

What I mean by same, i.e. 192.168.0.5 and 192.168.0.1. The first IP address being anything except .1 (modems address) at the end.

The modem address can't be changed, however, if routers address is 192.168.1.2 instead of 192.168.0.2 you can not access modem (192.168.0.1).

 

[HCI]

The modem address can't be changed, however, if routers address is 192.168.1.2 instead of 192.168.0.2 you can not access modem (192.168.0.1).

Wanna bet? I do it all the time I use Belkin and Linkseys routers right out of the box and they work fine.

By the way the modem being self contained has nothing to do with IP addressing, it only means the modem can opperate without a host unlike a 4000 modem which needs a host to tell it what it is.

 

[Spize]

I just wish I could sell or install the WB systems... BCK said they were going to sell them and have me install them... delay delay. Then I got certified in it, delay, then BCK crashes and burns, and noone in NE Ohio does WildBlue... any help? I have about 40-50 customers right now that are dying for sat internet and I can't help them.

 

[syi]

WB sales

I just wish I could sell or install the WB systems... BCK said they were going to sell them and have me install them... delay delay. Then I got certified in it, delay, then BCK crashes and burns, and noone in NE Ohio does WildBlue... any help? I have about 40-50 customers right now that are dying for sat internet and I can't help them.

Do you know what beam you are in? I am a WB dealer perhaps I could help, pm me.

 

[jjpicou]

I just recently took out a Dlink WAP I had and
replaced it with a Linksys BEFW11S4 router.
Runs perfectly with my 7000 Modem connected to the
WAN port

 

[WildBlue1977]

I signed up January 5, 2006 and the automatically took the money out of my account for the dish.
I have been waiting over a week for an installer. I contacted them on my installtion date which was set for the morning and they later changed
it to the afternoon. Then later that day I called in and they said they would not make it due to weather. So they rescheduled me for the
following Monday. If it takes this long to get an installer out here how long will it take if I have technical problems!? I later called them
and told them I wanted to cancel and they told me they would not refund me the money for the dish which they took out of my account the day I
signed up for $299.00 and I would still have to pay for a full year of service which is another $264.
I have a problem with a company that takes your money and takes there time installing and telling me that I broke the contact. They never
lived up to their end of the agreement.
WildBlue is another Directway HughesNet. Now I am stuck with a dish and no service since they will not refund me the money. I would never do
business with WildBlue or HughesNet again. I called in yesterday and they said someone would get back to me. I was never called!! I called
today January 16th, 2007 and they told me the same thing. I paid for this service and no I am obligated to pay for another 12 months when they
never lived up to their end of the deal. I am tired of the run around. They told me when I first signed up that if it is scheduled on a
certain date then the company they have doing the job will be out because they hired them to do so!!
Directway/Hughesnet never installed the thing correctly to begin with so I paid over $180 a month and still had to keep my dialup account.

 

[dirkleearm]

I think they are blowing smoke. You are not even active, nor have you signed anything showing you accept the service. If you really want to cancel, I believe you can. Also on a side note: This is another good reason to NOT deal with nationwide telemarketers............. deal with a local company.

 

[Jared Twomey]

I think they are blowing smoke. You are not even active, nor have you signed anything showing you accept the service. If you really want to cancel, I believe you can. Also on a side note: This is another good reason to NOT deal with nationwide telemarketers............. deal with a local company.

you haven't signed anything... there is no contract. If nothing else you could just call your credit card company and dispute the charges. Wildblue would have nothing showing that YOU set the thing up.

Also, I agree... go with a local dealer... you can find him if he screws around with you

 

[stenman]

Whoever you go with I would recommend buying service through a local dealer. With both Wildblue and HughesNet they contract with a company that is 170 miles from my home and so the company contracts out to a kid with almost zero PC skills who failed to ground the dish, and could not complete the WB install even with me loaning him tools and providing him with mounting hardware he did not have with him. Switched to HughesNet and they use the same dealer and were scheduling the same kid for the HugesNet install.

My actual HughesNet speeds download have averaged under 40% of the plan rate and upload rates are 10% of my plan rates unless I am online between midnight and 2 am

 

[HCI]

Switched to HughesNet and they use the same dealer and were scheduling the same kid for the HugesNet install.

Hughes contract issues keep distributor installation companies from installing Wildblue. We tried to get a Wildblue contract when they first started and found out we would lose our Hughes contract, so we did the smart thing and forgot about Wildblue.