Considering all the hinkiness in the satellite Internet field, it's worth keeping an eye on a company that's kept up with all the changes.

When Hughes came out with the DW4000 satellite modem, it worked, but it needed some tweaking. skycasters, a company with engineers in Virginia and sales operations in Ohio, put together an exclusive Satellite Network Server to fit right behind the DW4000, and it made satellite Internet life much more manageable.

Nowadays, the DW4020 is a bigger seller and for good reason. It's not PC-only, it's not USB, it's Ethernet. And while the DW4020 cleared up some messes, some remained, like the dismal performance of VPNs over satellite. Once again, Skycasters found a way to tweak things (building on Cisco firewalls in one case, building off V-One Smartguard technology in another).

We bring this up because Skycasters now has a new subsidiary, VSAT Systems, based in large part on the iDirect NetModem II+ satellite modem and broadband router. Unless you're a big company or have unbelievably deep pockets, the VSAT Systems product line is totally out of your league. Like VSAT says on its Web site, it may be three or four times more expensive, but it's ten times better.

The iDirect modem is the first product to use cellphone-style technology instead of the standard industry hack of putting IP packets into Digital Video Broadcast format, and then translating them back into IP packets after the space leg. The increase in efficiency is phenomenal, especially when it comes to uploads. There are VSAT Systems service plans that rival T1 connections on the download (2 Mbps) and swamp T1s on the upload (512K). The modem itself has tested out with uploads of more than 5 Mbps (and 11 Mbps downloads), so expect upgrades in the future.

So while we wait for the satellite Internet world to act like the PC world (higher speeds, lower prices) we close with one final thought.

The satellite Internet field is seriously split between personal, residential service and what's known as business edition service. And here's a tip. Don't be fooled by the term business edition. If you're reading this, you are probably an alpha geek, and alpha geeks need business edition levels of throughput.

Hughes has what it calls a Fair Access Policy, and after downloading 169 meg in a day, your firehose of a connection gets reduced to a soda straw. Imagine being in the middle of downloading a 320 meg demo version of Photoshop, and learning the hard way that the second half of the download will be conducted at essentially dial-up speeds, and will take nearly half a day. Considering it'll cost a bit over a grand to get set up with satellite Internet, spending an extra $20 or so bucks a month for the higher level of throughput seems to be no big deal.

If you're ambitious, you can find DiRECWAY equipment on eBay and search around for satelliteservice and a FCC certified installer. Considering Skycasters just cut the price of a DW4020 and a .74 meter dish to $999, and considering that company's track record of engineering and support, it might just be easier to pick up the phone and do it all with a single vendor. If you can live with a little less support, an outfit called net2dish has long touted itself on the Web as having the lowest price anywhere on DiRECWAY business edition service, and we are watching to see if that company will match the Skycasters price cuts in the near future.

On the Web:

• www.skycasters.com
• www.net2dish.com
• www.vsat-systems.com
• www.idirect.net

NOTE: (iDirect Technologies does not sell directly to the public)

Updates

There is a Linux driver written for DirecWay available at SourceForge. I was updated on the project by someone from Linux Voodoo (or so it seems) that this works on the one and two-way systems.

An alternative (hardware) satellite connection equipment solution is MagicSat. You should check it out and review it as an option - please report anything positive or negative about the company and services. See their service description at: their site.

Skycasters offers services powered by Hughes, which allow you to connect to the router via standard ethernet TCP/IP RJ45 connector. I am presently awaiting confirmation on the latest version of hardware they offer.

The update below was provided by Devin Hedge on 2004 02 17 He is a friend that relies on Satellite as his primary source of data at his SOHO workspace. He continues (as of 2004 02 17) to use this solution for his work environment, and continues to complain of rediculous download limitations that hamstring the real production of this pseudo-solution. I will solicit an update to post when prompted by readers.

Here's Devin's update from 2004 02 17

Update Provided by: Devin B. Hedge, in reply to an email I copied him I had written to a reader regarding the state of sat data availability.

Jason,
You are very much dead on with your message. There are more Satellite options that are available; however, they are still quite unresonable. The Satellite system I have is an "Earthlink powered by Direcway" 4020 Series Two-way (bidirectional) Satellite system. The components are:

• a "white dish"
• a transmitter
• a USB reciever

This package is referred to as the DW4000 system. There is a 169MB cap (called the Fair Access Policy or FAP) on downloads.

The DW4020 is an interesting piece. First of all...it is platform neutral. It has the following components:

• a "white dish"
• a transmitter
• a reciever
• a 4-port hub/controller

The 4-port hub/controller is actually a Motorola RISC processor that serves two purposes:

1. Routing
2. Control of the satellite equipment (remember... it is actually no different than a packet-switched HAM radio in some ways.

Bandwidth:
The DW4020 allows a business user (and yes you have to purchase a "Business" grade package) to connect up to five machines (to a four port hub ). You get a slightly higher download speeds and upload speeds with a larger CAP on bandwidth utilization per "whatever we feel like" time period. [NOTE: There is a bandwidth CAP on how much you can download in a given time period; however, unlike REAL ToS, there is NO time period given. It is actually a ratio. See copperhead.cc for details.]

The Helius MediaGate Router for DirecWAY ( on helius.com ):
"The Helius MediaGate Router for DirecWAY installs quickly and gives DirecWAY customers the ability to provide network connectivity to the Internet. By adding support for multiple desktops running diverse operating systems, the Helius MediaGate Router for DirecWAY enables the customer to provide simple, secure and reliable broadband access to their network. The Helius MediaGate Router for DirecWAY enables the DirecWAY customer to build secure connections between locations and partners. Built on a modular, open platform, the Helius MediaGate Router for DirecWAY can also provide networks services such as DHCP, DNS and Caching. The Helius MediaGate for DirecWAY is administered through the Helius Management Console."

Whatever. You still have the same cap on bandwidth.

ENTER the DW6000
The DW6000 is a replacement for the DW4000 and DW4020. Essentially, it is a one-piece unit (transmitter/receiver/router/controller). It comes with a Single Ethernet port and can be bridged to a home/SMB network. I would still suggest placing a FIREWALL/ROUTER between the unit and your network. There are a lot of "baddies" on Hughes network that scan my machine on a frequent basis. I've had to attempts at DCOM exploits. Of course my machine was patched and the software firewall/IDS system worked... so the bad guys went somewhere else (probably looking for an easy Win98 box with a quicken honeypot). For more infomation about the DW6000, go to copperhead.cc/DW6000.html.

I'm in a wait-and-see mode right now. I'm not in a position to shell out more moeny for the upgrade to a DW6000 since it would force me into another one-year contract (this time with Hughes). On the otherhand... the upgrade would allow me to start using Satellite VoIP (essitek.com)

Given the crappy service I have gotten from BellSouth for the last several years... maybe it would be worth converting over to Alpha-quality technology.

Devin.

International Satellite Data Links

• MyBlueDish Satellite Internet
• CBand seems to be based or powered by ISAT.
• DirecPC Linux Driver Project reports to have a DirectPC driver. Linux Voodoo has tested this driver and has a good report.
• Helius Router for DirecWay (DirecPC) specs to support Windows (TM), MacOS (TM), Linux (TM), other operating systems (including routing and network services like DHCP, local DNS, VPN, disk caching, etc.) There is no public pricing on their website - but I have received emails indicating the unit runs a little less than 1000.00 USD.
• IntelSat has global Internetwork services for commercial use (appears to be business and data resell).
• MagicSat seems to offer a Linux alternative connection option (AKA: standards based, not OS Based - like Microsoft/Direcway/Ecostar. You should read up on this company and service. However, a reader has updated me that this company's website doesn't have a functioning order page and that all (he) could find suggested it is not two-way.
• Optistreams which appears to just resell DirecWay.
• Starband not only limits daily downloads, but actually dropped your only hope of satellite free from Windoze. The rumored 180 Hack Around may have worked wonders for those Windows-Free Networks, until the 360 became the standard.
• DirecWAY by Hughes sounds like a nightmare to set up and get service. It seems to be basically Windozed, unless you spend mega bucks on hardware and the installation charges that come along with that hardware. WHY NO OPEN API!? Check out their "The Fair Access Policy" page. It will likely move around - companies like this seldom have a permanent web location policy (see the DRIIV iniative).
• Helius has a few solutions designed for Satellite Commiunications. Although they have a NAT product for LANs on DirecPC, this is not the bidirectional satellite data most are looking for. I have yet to hear that they sell a solution for low-cost broadband bidirectional satellite.
• GlobalStar is mostly developed in slower portable connections. It is cool technology though - sat-phones with data.
• NSSL Satellite Solutions claims a broadband solution. It is geared toward commercial markets.
• Iririum claims: "Speed of up to 10 Kbps" Wow! Not yet a broadband solution. But, again they are portable and targeting that market. But seriously, is there some rule obout companies attempting to appear hi-tech yet not really willing to invest in a real web presence team that requires them to load a bunch of heavy Java-Scripting junk on their front page?
• Optus: Optus' satellite footprint offers coverage in Australia and New Zealand. Any specs on their QOS or hardware would be appreciated and posted as soon as I receive it.
• Encybermedia has a lot of links to all kinds of satellite companies. Perhaps you will find a company that actually offers clean Satellite Data there. But, only check it out if you have time on your hands. Most of the links are unrelated to our discussion here.
• Broadband Satellite Magazine is related to industry talk about Broadband and Satellite.
• British Telecom BTOpenworld. Their box looks a lot like Starband's 360. Oh well, maybe they'll send me a hack from the UK!
• Telstra's Big Pond is one of Australias largest ISPs. They offer hard-line data as well as satellite in Australaia. I actually have a friend using them and he loves their service. He also says it's pricy by our standards.
• Gilat, an Israeli company, traded on the NASDAQ: GILTF has received a serious investment from Microsoft. I doubt we will see a option to use this powerful new satellite provider's services without buying and using Microsoft's Operating Systems. Check out their web site (those of you tuned into my rants regarding the Starband Services) and see if their "360" does not look familiar. Keep your eye on these guys. They are already sealing deals in the US, SouthAmerican and Eastern markets.
• EMS Technologies, Inc. trade on the NASDAQ: ELMG.
• SatNews Asia Online Magazine
• Space Newsfeed for Space Industry News from Around the World.