How Satellite Internet Works

Internet service by satellite is not the way most people think of high-speed broadband Internet service. You should know that satellite Internet does not operate at all like dial up, making it much faster than your average dial up connection! The basic idea is that your home computer is hooked up to a dish installed at your home by the provider, which sends a signal to a satellite that is routed to your provider’s gateway, or operations center, which contacts the specific website you requested. The information from that website is then sent back through the same path to your computer. Satellite-powered Internet signals move much faster than dial up phone lines, so it all happens in just a second!

Here is a basic breakdown of how satellite Internet typically works for a home or small business subscriber. Business and RV subscribers have the same general satellite Internet set up. Usually, the only difference between home, small business subscribers, business, and RV customers is in bandwidth, download capacity and remote access. Each satellite Internet provider’s set up may vary slightly, but generally, each customer experiences a similar set up to this general outline.

Step 1: Your Home Computer When you get high-speed broadband satellite Internet, your home computer is hooked up to a modem through an Ethernet cable, and your modem is hooked up to your satellite dish. This satellite dish is usually pretty small (26”-28”) and placed outside on your home facing the southern sky. When you open your Internet browser, request a web page, or enter a search query, a signal is sent from your computer through your modem to a satellite dish or antenna on your roof.

Step 2: Communicating with the Satellite Your personal satellite dish then sends a signal to one of your provider’s satellites in space. These satellites provide coverage for the entire continental United States. These satellites use spot-beam technology and broadband communication to send signals to one of your provider’s gateway or operations center’s satellite dish, which are many times larger than your home dish, strategically placed throughout the country to provide maximum speed and connectivity.

Step 3: Retrieving Website Information These gateway or operation centers are hubs that retrieve information from the Internet and send it back to you along the same path the request was originally made. High broadband speeds make getting online and getting connected easier than it has ever been! Download music and movies, share photos, surf the web and so much more, faster than you ever thought you could with dial up.