Internet Satellite
Our RV came with a Winegard RTT-40B unit. We are looking to get Satellite TV and Internet. Any suggestions utilizing the Winegard system?
Forum Discussion
I work remotely, and HughesNet satellite internet is one of my connection methods. I also have a long-range WiFi booster and a cellular booster with yagi antenna. Satellite internet works much better than it used to and is my number two choice of the three connection options. WiFi is at the bottom of the list because RV park networks are always virtually unusable.
You can expect to pay about $1500 to get the equipment and service set up and have an ongoing charge of about $90/mo for the business rate. The business rate is the only one that allows you to change which spot beam you're in more than once or twice per year. If you'll be in the same location, you may be able to use a residential service, which is around $40/mo. It is a 24-month service contract with a $400 cancelation fee that is prorated as you use the service. If that's within your budget, read on.
HughesNet peaks around 25 Mbps down/3 Mbps up on the Gen5 satellite (Jupiter 2). You also have the option of connecting (and are sometimes required to connect to) the Gen4 satellite (Jupiter 1), which is slower. There is some mention of Gen4's bandwidth limits being upped to the same as Gen5 once they move enough people on to the newer satellite, though.
Jupiter 2 sits at about 97.1ºW and (here) 31º elevation. As long as you have an unobstructed view of that location in the sky, you should be able to connect (and as long as you're not in one of the dark areas that are serviced only by Jupiter 1). I have found that any obstruction typically degrades the signal enough to be unusable. Dialing the equipment in to get it connected typically takes me 10-15 minutes, and the first time was by far the hardest as I learned its nuances.
The actual connection is much like a home DSL connection but with higher latency. You're about 800ms minimum just to start receiving a reply, which I find is definitely noticeable but remains tolerable. I am able to successfully use VOIP with it.
Do not plan on watching much video stuff via the internet as you're severely constrained on allowed total bandwidth.
You can expect to pay about $1500 to get the equipment and service set up and have an ongoing charge of about $90/mo for the business rate. The business rate is the only one that allows you to change which spot beam you're in more than once or twice per year. If you'll be in the same location, you may be able to use a residential service, which is around $40/mo. It is a 24-month service contract with a $400 cancelation fee that is prorated as you use the service. If that's within your budget, read on.
HughesNet peaks around 25 Mbps down/3 Mbps up on the Gen5 satellite (Jupiter 2). You also have the option of connecting (and are sometimes required to connect to) the Gen4 satellite (Jupiter 1), which is slower. There is some mention of Gen4's bandwidth limits being upped to the same as Gen5 once they move enough people on to the newer satellite, though.
Jupiter 2 sits at about 97.1ºW and (here) 31º elevation. As long as you have an unobstructed view of that location in the sky, you should be able to connect (and as long as you're not in one of the dark areas that are serviced only by Jupiter 1). I have found that any obstruction typically degrades the signal enough to be unusable. Dialing the equipment in to get it connected typically takes me 10-15 minutes, and the first time was by far the hardest as I learned its nuances.
The actual connection is much like a home DSL connection but with higher latency. You're about 800ms minimum just to start receiving a reply, which I find is definitely noticeable but remains tolerable. I am able to successfully use VOIP with it.
Do not plan on watching much video stuff via the internet as you're severely constrained on allowed total bandwidth.
