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- HughesNet History -


Introduction to Satellite Internet Delivery


HughesNet, formerly DirecPC and DirecWay, offer high speed internet access via satellite. Broadband via satellite is mostly suited to rural areas and areas not serviced by regular high speed internet access, such as cable internet or DSL via the telephone company. Service is provided via Hughes Network systems. HughesNet minimum usual download speeds of approximate 400K/sec which is more than 7 times the speed of a 56K modem. It is not uncommon to see much greater download speeds, usually in off peak hours of up to 1Meg/sec or more. HughesNet 2 way systems advertise satellite uploads up to 128K, which is twice the speed of the 56K dialup return systems. 2 way systems have a higher equipment cost and the monthly service is approximate 2X that of regular high speed internet access. HughesNet systems also require a clear line of sight to the satellite, and residences with heavily treed or mountainous terrain may encounter difficulties. Severe weather conditions can affect the HughesNet service temporarily. In most cases, this can be solved by upgrading to a larger dish size, which will increase your satellite signal strength. Additionally, FCC and CRTC regulations require that HughesNet 2 way systems must be professionally installed to prevent interference from improperly installed systems. Because of these drawbacks, HughesNet is not for everyone and the majority of customers are rural home owners who do not have any alternate means of high speed internet access. HughesNet is available throughout the United States and also in Canada.

DirecPC :
DirecPC was the original high speed internet access via satellite product delivered by Hughes. DirecPC is a one-way satellite broadband system, delivering high speed satellite internet via downloads only. Dialup internet access is required for uploads. Older DirecPC systems used internal PCI modems. More recent models use an external USB modem. Although original DirecPC systems are no longer sold as a new product (Replaced by HughesNet), they can still be activated if you purchase one used. Hughes has been slowly phasing out its DirecPC users by offering incentives to switch to the more modern HughesNet 2-way system.

DirecDuo :
DirecDuo allows both high speed internet access via DirecPC and also satellite televisions service via Directv on one dish by using a special larger elliptical dish that is designed to receive signals from both satellites simultaneously.

HughesNet :
The HughesNet system was the first to offer a 2-way satellite return system. The 2 way system is designed for both high speed downloads and also uploads via satellite. This eliminated the need for a seperate dialup account and also increased the upload speed to approx 128K, as opposed to the 56K dialup barrier. HughesNet also offers 1 way dialup return systems identical to the old DirecPC setups.

SpaceWay :
Spaceway is Hughes next generation of satellite based internet delivery service, expected to begin service in 2004. Its novel mesh architecture will allow customers to communicate directly via satellite, without connecting through a central retransmission service or hub. Bandwidth-on-demand means customers will only pay for the bandwidth their applications require, whether it's for low data rate transactions, or multi-megabit, video-intensive, media-rich content delivery. It will seamlessly integrate with existing land-based local and wide-area networks and be fully compatible with a wide range of communications industry standards.




Classic Gray DirecPC Dish System



Newer White DirecWay Dish System



Frequently Asked Questions


What is the DirecWay FAP or "Fair Access Policy?"

High speed internet via satellite is a shared internet resource, meaning that there are many thousands of people using the same resources. This is similar to cable internet technology that uses neighborhood "hubs" that all neighbors within a certain radius use. Because satellite transponder bandwidth is finite, Hughes developed a policy called the FAP or Fair Access Policy, to ensure that all HughesNet customers receive equal access. Without such as policy, several high use customers could consume the bandwidth allocation reserved for many hundreds of customers.

The Fair Access Policy operates by allocating each customer a limit in terms of data that they can download in a given period of time. For example if your combined usage exceeds 169 MB in a relatively short period of time (1-4 hours) during peak hours (5am EST - 2am EST) the FAP may be triggered, which will automatically slow your download speed considerably (sometimes to less than 56K). Typically, the FAP restrictions will be lifted in 8-12 hours, provided that your consumption remains below the threshold. The off peak threshold (2am EST - 5am EST) is usually higher and around 225 MB.

Regular internet surfing and occasional software downloads will be far from the maximum threshold, however heavy software downloads or continuous downloads of large files such as Mp3 files will trigger the FAP if you are not careful.

The FAP threshold is variable and your particular limit will be dependant on which internet surfing package you are subscribed to. The majority of home users have an approximate 169 MB threshold. Higher cost office packages offer up to a 360 MB threshold. The FAP threshold is not a finite number, sometimes you will be able to download a much greater amount than your threshold if the overall use of the HughesNet resources are not at peak use. However as a rule, it is highly recommended that you avoid exceeding your FAP threshold.

There are a number of software programs available on the software downloads area of our Members Area which will closely monitor your usage and alert you when you are approaching the threshold to avoid triggering the FAP. This monitoring software is available on the downloads page and is an absolute must for those people who frequently download large amounts of files


What kind of speeds can I expect with my HughesNet system?

HughesNet advertises download speeds of up to 1.5 Meg/sec and upload speeds of up to 128 KB/sec, depending on the subscriber package. Because the HughesNet system is a shared resource, your upload and download speeds can vary greatly from day to day or even hour to hour. Certain peaks hours are usually the times that your speeds will be the slowest. Late evenings you will usually notice a significant jump in download speed and it is not uncommon for speeds to greatly exceed 700 KB/sec , sometimes reaching speeds up to 1MB/sec or more. Satellite uploads for 2-way customers are much slower, usually averaging 40-60 KB/sec. Uploads for 1 way users of course depends on your modem speed.


What operating systems is HughesNet compatible with?

The new HughesNet software is compatible with Windows 95/98/ME/NT/XP/2000/Vista. Older DirecPC software is compatible with Windows 95/98/ME and there is also a separate XP version.


I have heard the term "host" and "client" used. What is the difference?
The HughesNet system requires a computer "host" in order to run the software and modems. The host is the computer that the HughesNet modems are connected to and that runs the HughesNet software. The host computer must be operational at all times in order to retain internet access. "Client" computers are other computers that are networked to the host computer and share the HughesNet internet access. Client computers must be configured differently than host computers. They connect thru the host computer via a "gateway" which is a software or hardware portal which channels incoming and outgoing request to and from the host computer.


With HughesNet 1 Way or DirecPC do I need to be connected via dialup to download?

Yes. For 1 way users, the dialup connection is used for all uploads. While you are downloading, it is still necessary to have an active upload connection as your computer will periodically transmit data to the sender. Without the upload connection, the sender will terminate the download as it will interpret the lack of communication as a transmission error.


Does it take long for data to get to and from the satellite?

The satellites that Hughes uses for its DirecWay and DirecPC system are in geosynchronous orbit, 22 300 miles above the Earth. Because of the distance, it takes approximately 0.23923 seconds or 240ms for data to travel from Hughes network operations center and travel back down to you. This lag is referred to "Latency". Can I install the DirecWay system myself?

You can install the DirecPC and DirecWay 1-way systems yourself. Hughes will only activate 2-way systems that have been professionally installed. Both FCC and CRTC regulations require professional installation to prevent satellite interference due to improperly installed systems.


Does weather affect my DirecWay system?

Yes, weather can affect performance of the DirecWay system. Thick, moist cloud cover or heavy rain or snow can temporarily knock out signal or dramatically reduce signal strength. If you live in an area that receives frequent heavy rain or snow showers, you may want to look into upgrading the size of your DirecWay dish to compensate. The larger your DirecWay dish, the stronger your signal strength will be that will make you less prone to service interruptions.


Can I play online games with my DirecWay system?

You can, however it will not work exceptionally well due to the satellite latency. (Time data takes to travel to and from te satellite) This will make real time game play difficult.


Does DirecWay provide email and newsgroup services?

DirecWay does provide its users with email accounts and addresses, however it does not support newsgroup access. There are a number of quality free and low cost newsgroup providers that you can use in conjunction with your DireWay service however, such as Teranews


Our Members Area contains a great wealth of additional information relating to DirecWay and DirecPC, including software downloads, FAQ's, tips, tricks and tweaks to help you get the most out of your system.




Administrative Announcements
08/04/2008 11:20 AM
In order to give the website a better focus, we are phasing out the less popular areas of the site, including the high definition and digital video recorder areas and forums. This will leave the site focused on digital satellite television and satellite radio.

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