Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about Broadband Internet by Satellite from HughesNet™
If you have a questions about HughesNet™ Broadband Internet service that isn't answered here, please call us at 800.214.2551
and we'll be happy to help.
What is HughesNet?
HughesNet broadband by satellite is a high-speed internet service that's now available to every household in the contiguous US with a clear view of the southern sky. Since HughesNet uses satellite technology, and not your phone or cable line, to give you a super-fast, always-on internet connection, you no longer have to wait for service to come to you. With HughesNet you'll be online instantly, and you'll be able to surf the web, open pages faster, and download files in a fraction of the time it takes with a traditional dial-up modem. HughesNet offers five service plans to suit everyone from the casual home user to the most advance business office. Click here to compare our plans.
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Is HughesNet service fast? Fast enough for my home? Fast enough for my business?
HughesNet service is FAST - it's a whole world apart from your old dial-up connection! HughesNet offers three service plans for home users and two business-oriented options. To see a complete breakdown of available plans, including upload and download speeds, click here. The HughesNet home-oriented service plans provides download speeds up to 1600 Kbps and upload speeds up to 250 Kbps. The HughesNet business-oriented service plans deliver download speeds up to 3000 Kbps and upload speeds up to 300 Kbps. All Internet technologies (satellite or land-based) share available network bandwidth in one way or another; therefore, actual speeds may vary.
Stated speeds are not guaranteed. Actual upload speed will likely be lower than speed indicated during peak hours. Download speeds may also be temporarily slowed in cases when patterns of system usage exceed the download threshold for an extended period of time. See the HughesNet Fair Access Policy for more information. If you choose to run VPN over satellite, your data speeds may be reduced by as much as 50-75%. Despite the high speeds available through HughesNet, time-sensitive applications, such as multi-player twitch games, are also not recommended over HughesNet.
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What are the typical connection speeds with HughesNet?
With the HughesNet Home service plan, you may enjoy download speeds up to 1000Kbps, with typical speeds of about 500Kbps to 600Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 128Kbps, are typically 70Kbps to 80Kbps during peak hours.
With the HughesNet Pro plan, you can expect maximum download speeds of up to 1.2Mbps, with typical speeds about 650Kbps to 750Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 200Kbps, are typically 100Kbps to 125Kbps during peak hours.
With the HughesNet ProPlus plan, connect to the Internet with maximum download speeds of up to 1.6 Mbps, with typical speeds about 750 Kbps to 800 Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 250 Kbps, are typically 100 Kbps to 125 Kbps during peak hours.
With the HughesNet Elite service plan, you may enjoy maximum download speeds of 2.0Mbps, with typical speeds of about 800Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 300Kbps, are typically about 185Kbps during peak hours.
With the HughesNet Elite Plus plan, connect your office to the Internet with maximum download speeds of 3.0Mbps, with typical speeds about 1.2Mbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 300Kbps, are typically slightly lower during peak hours.
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How do HughesNet Business service speeds compare with other high-speed services?
HughesNet provides download speed performance similar to other broadband services. The user experience is excellent when downloading Web pages, emails, or large data files. At the same time, satellite "upload" speeds (for sending data) are more appropriate for general Internet use, such as browsing the Internet, email, online ordering, etc. and not appropriate for higher speed demands of Website hosting, for example.
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How do I choose the right HughesNet service plan?
HughesNet offers a wide range of innovative and scalable solutions for both home users and small- to medium-sized businesses, and allows consumers and teleworkers everywhere to enjoy the excitement and convenience of high-speed Internet from home. For small home offices, HughesNet Professional service is generally recommended. For small businesses looking for connectivity at a commercial location for 5 to 10 concurrent users.
HughesNet offers five service plans:
To see a side-by-side comparison of plans, click here.
To determine if HughesNet (and satellite Internet service overall) is a good fit for you,
click here to request a consultation with one of our Satellite Internet Specialists
or call toll free 800.214.2551
.
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What are the differences between HughesNet business service plans and the home service plans?
The primary difference is SPEED! With the HughesNet Small Office and Business Internet service plans, you'll enjoy larger transmission resources than the Home, Pro or ProPlus plans. As such, business plans provide a higher level of overall performance for a multi-user, small business environment. Some of the key differences include: commercial installation of a slightly larger antenna for faster upload and download speeds and higher reliability; the ability to download larger files more frequently; a greater number of open TCP sessions; additional static IP addresses and on-site maintenance available.
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How do I purchase HughesNet service for my home or business?
Click here to request a consultation, or call our Satellite Internet Specialists now at
800.214.2551
.
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What are the system requirements for using HughesNet with my computer?
HughesNet is compatible with virtually any computer and is simple to use. You'll be able to connect your computer to the internet whether you are running a Windows or Macintosh operating system. In order to ensure you get the most out of your internet experience, your computer should have the following minimum properties: Windows 98SE or higher or Mac OS 10.1 or higher and Network capability (10/100 Ethernet pre-equipped)
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Will HughesNet service be compatible with my Mac?
Yes, HughesNet is compatible with Mac OS 10.1 or higher. 10/100 Ethernet connectivity is also required.
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Can I use HughesNet to run a small network?
Yes, you can connect multiple computers and laptops to a single HughesNet Internet connection. Additional networking equipment, not included in your HughesNet system, may be required. For network setup, support, and configuration contact your network hardware manufacturer and/or operating system software developer. DirectSat Broadband and HughesNet are not responsible for network configuration or management.
Please understand that all computers on your network will be sharing a single connection. Simultaneous use of high-bandwidth applications by multiple users may result in degradation of speed and is subject to the HughesNet Fair Access Policy.
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Can a HughesNet-certified installer help me set up my home network?
If you'd like, you can ask if this option is available through your installer when you arrange your installation appointment. However, home networks are not included or supported by HNS technical support. Multiple simultaneous users may degrade service. Uninterrupted service and stated speeds are not guaranteed for multiple user networks.
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If my computer did not come with a Network Interface Card (NIC), what can I do?
Even if your computer did not come with an NIC card, many computers can be upgraded with a 10/100 Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC). If you are comfortable with opening your computer and installing hardware, most Ethernet NICs can be self-installed. Check with your computer manufacturer for more information on the right Ethernet NIC for your system. Make sure your NIC is configured for "auto-negotiate."
Additionally, if you have an available USB port on your computer, you can purchase a USB Ethernet adapter. This may be easier to install than a PCI card, depending on your computer. For a laptop, you can purchase a standard PCMCIA card that provides an Ethernet connection, or you can purchase a USB Ethernet adapter as well. We recommend that you upgrade your computer to meet all of the requirements listed above to get the most out of your Internet experience.
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Can I use a PCMCIA card adapter for my laptop?
Yes. All you need to connect your computer to the HughesNet modem is either a 10/100 Ethernet Network Interface Card or a PCMCIA adapter with an Ethernet connector. The HughesNet system includes an Ethernet cable to connect your computer to the HughesNet modem.
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Will I still need a dial-up modem and telephone line with HughesNet?
You will no longer need to use your modem or telephone line with HughesNet service. HughesNet delivers high-speed Internet access via satellite, so you have instant access to the Internet without dialing-in. You do not need a phone line or dial-up data modem to access the Internet when you use your HughesNet service.
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I already have DIRECTV service, do I need to get a new dish for HughesNet?
Yes. The HughesNet system requires a unique dish and transmitter antenna in order to send and receive information via satellite. DIRECTV receivers and dishes can only receive Satellite Television transmissions and cannot send or receive a Satellite Internet transmission.
HughesNet and DIRECTV have a partnership through their marketing efforts but operate as separate companies each providing a different type of satellite service to their customers.
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I already have DIRECTV service, will HughesNet be on the same bill? Will I receive any special deals?
No, you will receive separate bills for each service. Hughes Network Systems, which delivers HughesNet services, is affiliated with The DIRECTV Group for marketing purposes only, and is operated as an independent company. There are no discounts for selecting both services. If you choose to receive both services, you will be billed separately for each.
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Why is it a requirement that my HughesNet system be professionally installed?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that trained professionals install any satellite system that both sends and receives signals.
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How fast will my service be up and running?
On average, most customers have their service installed within 2 weeks of their order. When you place your order today, your name will be provided to a certified HughesNet installer, who will contact you within 5 days. You and the installer will then work out a mutually agreeable date and time for your installation.
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What is transmission latency?
Transmission latency refers to the amount of time it takes a packet of data to travel across a network. With satellite service, that data must travel up to the satellite and back (about 45,000 miles). This round trip adds about a half-second delay to the total time your computer takes to communicate with a Website or host server. Therefore, time-sensitive applications that require fractions-of-a-second user inputs (such as multi-player "twitch" games or real-time equities trading) are not recommended with HughesNet.
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Can I run a VPN over HughesNet?
You will be able to, but running a VPN client over satellite is not an ideal configuration. If you choose to run VPN over satellite, your data speeds may be reduced by as much as 50-75%. You can restore your connection to full speed by simply disabling your VPN client when your session is over. HughesNet Small Office and HughesNet Business Internet service plans are best suited for VPN.
SSL-based VPN products have proven to work more efficiently over satellite than IPSEC-Based VPN products. For questions or recommendations on a VPN product that will work more effectively with your HughesNet system, please contact one of our Satellite Internet Specialists at 800.214.2551
.
Note: HughesNet Technical Support does not provide help with configuring or troubleshooting problems associated with VPN clients. For questions about your VPN product, please contact the manufacturer's tech support.
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Why does HughesNet service slow down when used in conjunction with a VPN?
HughesNet uses sophisticated acceleration techniques to enable high-speed performance over satellite. These acceleration techniques require access to data packet header information, which is blocked when IPSec-based VPNs are used. These VPNs encrypt the data and create a secure tunnel through the HughesNet network. The encrypted data cannot be processed by HughesNet's acceleration techniques, therefore resulting in slower performance.
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Can I use this system on a boat or in an RV?
HughesNet, provided by DirectSat Broadband is available for non-mobile (fixed) locations. To inquire about mobile high-speed Internet service, please call 800.214.2551
.
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I'm a home user of HughesNet service. How can I contact Customer Support when I have a question or problem?
For HughesNet Technical Support or Customer Service, please log on to www.myHughesNet.com where you can chat with HughesNet technical support staff, check your usage, test your satellite speed, or browse our online help files. This site will also enable you to view your account status, online invoices, and activity history. Telephone Customer Service and technical support is also available toll-free at 1-866-HughesNet (1-866-347-3292).
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Direct Sat Broadband is a HughesNet Authorized Dealer.
Order your broadband internet by satellite service today. Call 800.214.2551
Now!