The Equipment Required for having Satellite Internet
If you’re looking for high-speed internet service in an area that cable and DSL don’t reach, then satellite internet is your solution. It is available almost anywhere in the world, and provides download speeds comparable to your average DSL connection. Unlike DSL and cable, though, satellite internet requires a little more hardware. Before you can start receiving a signal you need a dish antennae, a modem, and two coaxial cables. You may perhaps be concerned about the size of the dish antennae required to let your computer communicate with a satellite 22,000 miles above the surface of the earth. Rest assured, enormous dishes that attract undue attention are largely a thing of the past.
The actual size of your antennae will depend on the service provider you use, and could also depend on where you live and how fast of a broadband connection you need. The fact is that the larger the dish the stronger the signal, so if you live in a particularly remote location, or if you require the kind of high quality connection that will allow you to play complex games and watch live streaming videos, then you are going to want a larger dish. Larger dishes also help to avoid signal problems caused by bad weather. Smaller dishes provided for those who live within the contiguous United States should be less than a meter in width. Larger versions can grow up to a meter and half. It will have to be installed in a location that allows it clear access to the southern sky. Mountains, buildings and even trees can interfere with signal strength. In addition, you will need a modem similar to the one used with other kinds of high-speed internet, and two coaxial cables, one to carry the outgoing signals, and one to carry the incoming signals. Your service provider should send someone to professionally install all the equipment and check to be sure that the signal is working. Total cost of equipment and installation averages around $300, and can be higher for premium service. Look for a satellite internet company offering free installation of a discount on their equipment for new subscribers.
