# Older 2 way Internet Satellite systems



## derkdiggler (Sep 20, 2010)

Is it worth using an older 2 way Direct TV Satellite dish and modem from 2003 or just getting totally new equipment from Wild Blue? Have things changed that much or has equipment gotten that much better?

By the way is Wild Blue internet any good? How much slower is it then standard DSL service?

Thanks


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

Here is a better place to ask: http://www.dslreports.com/forums/56

I have been off satellite since around 2003 and I remember they were just starting to come out with newer equipment. So it depends on what you have.


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## brant (Jul 6, 2008)

i would get new equipment. 

satellite internet stinks. 

you won't get the advertised speed, the latency is horrendous (nothing anyone can do about that), and when the equipment breaks it'll take at least a week to have it repaired. when it rains, you'll drop to the lowest carrier frequency and speeds will be comparable to dial-up. and you have a bandwidth cap. 


however, viasat (they bought wildblue) is launching a new bird, and much higher speeds will be available. should be over 10Mbps, and the bandwidth cap will be drastically increased. 

should be available sometime in 2011, if i remember correctly. that service may be worth having when it works properly. you'll still have the latency issue and weather interruptions.


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## lee635 (Apr 17, 2002)

I had satellite internet many years ago, and it wasn't all that bad. The latency is kind of strange. When you click enter, it seems to take a second before anything happens, which sux for anything interactive, like online banking or games. And there were times when things slowed down, especially around dinnertime (early evening must get really busy). 

But there were also times when the speed was super fast, like late at night on weeknights.

Anyway, it beats dial up.


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## chevyguy559 (Sep 19, 2008)

lee635 said:


> Anyway, it beats dial up.


That's the key.....I have it at my office (farming operation out in the country) and its our only option at this time. But I'm happy with it, I just save heavy downloading for when I'm at home at night with cable internet


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

> Is it worth using an older 2 way Direct TV Satellite


DirectTV never did internet.

HughesNet (formerly DirectWay) still does but will probably require new equipment.

WildBlue doesn't have a great reputation.

Look at StarBand.


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## Christopher Gould (Jan 14, 2007)

SayWhat? said:


> DirectTV never did internet.
> 
> HughesNet (formerly DirectWay) still does but will probably require new equipment.
> 
> ...


but there was a hughesnet dish that did DirecTV and internet on the same dish


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## txtommy (Dec 30, 2006)

Christopher Gould said:


> but there was a hughesnet dish that did DirecTV and internet on the same dish


I am still using my original Direcway/Directv dish installed in 2001 for Hughesnet. They have upgraded the modem but use the same dish. Directv had to be moved to a separate dish with the advent of HD TV.


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