All you need to know about satellite internet

So, what is the satellite internet? Satellite internet is a type of connection that, with far less complication, covers even those parts of the globe which other types of internet are unable to reach. It’s a capacity to transmit and receive information from a moderately little satellite dish on Earth and establish a connection with an orbiting geostationary satellite. This satellite transmits (and receives) its data to a location which is called NOC. This location is associated with the internet, so all transmission of information between a satellite dish and the orbiting satellite will course through the NOC before it actually reaches the web.

In order to learn more about this, let’s make a review of all the most relevant things that one should know before they consider opting for this service.

How did the satellite internet come about?

Despite the fact that the internet has emerged quite recently (it appeared in the 1080’s), the roots of satellite internet are hiding in the 1960s. They are linked to the creation and launch of the first satellite ever, better known as Sputnik 1. Shortly thereafter, just five years later, the first commercial communication satellite came into being. That’s when everything started. Satellites have become an extremely important means of communication and the subject of political bragging in many world countries during the last decades of the previous century. All this has led to an increase in their relevance in the eyes of technology and to the emergence of the first indications of satellite internet. Researchers were trying to build an approach to set up some kind of communication between the web and the satellites in space in such a way that it becomes accessible from any place. And we could say they managed to do it.

What do you need to get satellite internet and how does it work?

The thing is very simple. There are no thousands of cables, thousands of additional pieces of equipment, no complicated instructions or confusing processes. Only three elements to get connected to it. First of all, a proper satellite internet dish (which should be placed on your house – that’s a better option than having it somewhere else). Then, there should be a modem, an electronic piece of equipment that turns the satellite signal to the one which is discernible by your PC’s system connector. It’s what enables your computer to connect to the internet. And last, but not least, we need a router, which actually uses the signals that your modem transmits to provide your home with the internet connection. And nothing else. You got it!

What are the pros and cons of satellite internet?

Pros

So, why is it so special? It’s not the fastest internet in the world. It’s not the best one. Some people who are used to having cable internet or other, more progressive type of connection might never be able to imagine having to deal with such a slow connection. But it possesses some features that no other internet types or their providers have ever possessed. Or at least makes some crucial things easier.

1. It’s not dedicated only to thickly populated territories – it goes far beyond that, being open for everyone. Numerous families in villages, travelers and many more are able to use this modern era invention called “the internet” thanks to it. Also, if there are people who live in areas that are often hit by natural disasters or extreme climate events, this could be just perfect since satellite internet needs less time to recover from their consequences.
2. As we had the opportunity to see in the section dealing with setting up and establishing this type of connection, it’s absolutely not difficult to use. Unlike other types of internet connection that require a lot of patience and (often) time, satellite internet has only three elements that need to be covered so that one can enjoy it freely.
3. When compared to mobile hotspots, for example, or to other more successful and more frequent options – it can be significantly cheaper. Thankfully, nowadays there are so many affordable packages thanks to a considerable number of Internet service providers of good repute, like Viasat or HughesNet Internet.

Cons

Of course, not everything can be perfect. Even from what we have read so far we can understand that not all features of satellite internet are so desirable or impeccable. Of course, there are downsides, like in every other part of technology.

1. It’s much slower than many other types of internet connection. Except for dial-up. This is completely understandable bearing in mind that there are no visible links like cables or other things that would enhance the quality of the connection. It’s good enough for basic things, however, the ones who got used to high-speed response, fast download and similar benefits wouldn’t be so happy with it.
2. It doesn’t generally support VPN. In case this feature is important to you for some reason, sadly, in most cases you can just forget about it. We could call it some kind of “technical limitation”.
3. Some providers can also have a specific kind of policy which is called Fair Access Policy. This means that the access can be limited – you might not be able to use this type of connection if you exceed the usage limit. Things like data limits belong to this case since some providers sometimes tend to block access to the connection if you go overboard.

To some people, satellite internet might look like something much needed, especially if they are unable to afford or access any other internet service. On the other hand, for some of us, it might be quite frustrating using the connection that is limited and slower than what we got used to. Many people might think that in a couple of years some more serious internet forms might come and cast a shadow on all these existing shapes. What cannot be denied is that with its appearance, satellite internet has brought a whole new dimension to technology, enabling something that had never been possible before. We can love it, we can choose other alternatives – but that will always remain a fact.