Satellite FAQ's
What is HughesNet ™?
HughesNet ™ is the high-speed Internet solution that’s available to everyone in the contiguous US with a clear view of the southern sky. HughesNet uses
satellite technology, not your phone line, to give you a super-fast, always-on Internet connection. HughesNet gets you online instantly, lets you surf and open pages faster and
download files in a fraction of the time it takes on a dial-up modem.
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How fast are HughesNet services for your home?
The HughesNet ProPlus service plan provides download speeds up to 1.5 Mbps and upload speeds up to 200 kbps. The HughesNet Pro service plan provides download speeds up to 1 Mbps
and upload speeds up to 200 Kbps. The HughesNet Home service plan delivers download speeds up to 700 Kbps and upload speeds up to 128 Kbps. All Internet technologies (satellite
or land-based) share available network bandwidth in one way or another; therefore, actual speeds may vary.
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How fast are HughesNet Business services?
FAST—a world apart from your dial-up connection! HughesNet offers two service plans for business. HughesNet Business Internet provides maximum download speeds of 2.0Mbps, and
maximum upload speeds of 500Kbps. HughesNet Small Office service plan provides maximum download speeds of 1.5Mbps, and maximum upload speeds of 300Kbps. You’ll download files in
seconds, access email instantly, and share information easier and faster with customers, partners and suppliers.
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How fast are HughesNet Business services compared to other high-speed services?
HughesNet™ provides download speed performance similar to other broadband services. The user experience is excellent when downloading Web pages, emails, or
large data files. At the same time, satellite "upload" speeds (for sending data) are more appropriate for general Internet use, such as browsing the Internet, email, online
ordering, etc. and not appropriate for higher speed demands of Website hosting, as an example.
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Which HughesNet service is right for my business?
HughesNet™ delivers a wide range of innovative and scalable network solutions to enterprises and small-to-medium businesses, and allows consumers and
teleworkers everywhere to enjoy the excitement and convenience of high-speed Internet from home.
- For small home offices, HughesNet Professional service is generally recommended.
- For small businesses looking for connectivity at a commercial location, HughesNet offers two service plans:
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What connection speeds will I typically get with HughesNet?
With the HughesNet™ Home service plan, you may enjoy download speeds up to 700 Kbps, with typical speeds of about 500 Kbps to 600 Kbps during peak times. Upload speeds, which
are capable of reaching 128 Kbps, are typically 70 Kbps to 80 Kbps during peak hours.
With the HughesNet Professional plan, connect to the Internet with maximum download speeds of up to 1.0 Mbps, with typical speeds about 650 Kbps to 750 Kbps during peak times. Upload
speeds, which are capable of reaching 200 Kbps, are typically 100 Kbps to 125 Kbps during peak hours.
With the HughesNet ProPlus plan, connect to the Internet with maximum download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps, with typical speeds about 750 Kbps to 800 Kbps during peak times.
Upload speeds, which are capable of reaching 200 Kbps, are typically 100 Kbps to 125 Kbps during peak hours.
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What is the difference between HughesNet business service plans and the consumer service plans?
SPEED! HughesNet™ Small Office and HughesNet Business Internet service plans provide larger transmission resources than the Home and Professional plans. As
such, they provide a higher level of overall performance for a multi-user, small business environment. Some of the other key differences include: commercial installation of a
slightly larger antenna for faster upload and download speeds and higher reliability; the ability to download larger files more frequently; a greater number of open TCP sessions;
and additional static IP addresses.
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How can I/where can I purchase the HughesNet product?
You can order online from this site or you can speak with a Natiownide sales representative by calling 1.888.628.4669. Return to the Satellite page and select the blinking "Sign Up Now"
button in the middle of your screen (or link in left column) for more information on ordering Satellite service.
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What are my computer system requirements for HughesNet?
HughesNet ™ lets you connect your computer to the Internet whether you are running a Windows® or Macintosh® operating system. In order to ensure you get the
most out of your Internet experience, HughesNet has developed these minimum requirements:
- Windows 98SE or higher or Mac OS 10.1 or higher, and
- Network capability (10/100 Ethernet pre-equipped)
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Is HughesNet compatible with my Mac?
Yes, HughesNet ™ is compatible with Mac OS 10.1 or higher. 10/100 Ethernet connectivity is also required.
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Can I use HughesNet to run a small network? (Residential)
Yes, you can connect multiple home computers and laptops to a single HughesNet ™ Internet connection. Home networking equipment may be required and is not
included with your HughesNet system. For network setup, support, and configuration, contact your network hardware manufacturer and/or operating system software developer
(HUGHES® is not responsible for home network configuration or management).
Please understand that all computers on this network will be sharing a single connection. Simultaneous use of high-bandwidth applications by multiple users may result in
degradation of speed and is subject to the HughesNet Fair Access Policy.
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Can I use HughesNet to run a small network? (Business)
Yes, you can connect multiple computers and laptops to a single HughesNet™ Internet connection, so your staff can enjoy fast downloading and instant access
to the Internet. HughesNet Small Office is optimized to accommodate up to 5 concurrent users, while HughesNet Business Internet is optimized for up to 10 concurrent users.
Additional networking equipment, not included in your HughesNet system, may be required. For network setup, support, and configuration contact your network hardware manufacturer
and/or operating system software developer. HUGHES® is not responsible for network configuration or management.
All computers on this network will be sharing a single connection. Simultaneous use of high-bandwidth applications by multiple users may result in degradation of speed and is
subject to the HughesNet Fair Access Policy.
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Can the HughesNet certified installer hook up my home network?
If you’d like, you can inquire if this option is available through your installer when you set your installation appointment. However, home networks are not included or supported
by HUGHES® technical support. Multiple simultaneous users may degrade service. Uninterrupted service and stated speeds not guaranteed.
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If I order HughesNet today, will you bill my credit/debit card today?
No, you will not be billed until the day you are installed and your HughesNet service is activated. On that day, your first bill will likely include: HughesNet equipment
(satellite modem and dish) Standard installation by a professional installer* Monthly service fee (customers are forward or advanced billed for service) Optional services
(if selected at time of purchase) Any applicable taxes.
Initial orders must be made via a valid credit/debit card. After the initial order, you may elect to receive a monthly invoice for an additional fee of $5.
* Additional fees for non-standard installations will be charged and paid directly to the professional installer at time of installation.
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Can I use a PCMCIA card adapter for my laptop?
Yes. All you need to connect your computer to the HughesNet ™ modem is either a 10/100 Ethernet Network Interface Card or a PCMCIA adapter with an Ethernet connector. The
HughesNet system includes an Ethernet cable to connect your computer to the HughesNet modem.
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Is HughesNet compatible with PDA's to check emails?
HughesNet email is compatible with any email client that supports POP3 and SMTP protocols.
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Do I still need a dial-up modem and telephone line?
No. There is no phone line or dial-up data modem required to use your HughesNet ™ service.
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If I already have DIRECTV service, do I need to get a new dish for HughesNet?
Yes, the HughesNet ™ system requires a unique dish in order to send and receive information via satellite. You cannot use your DIRECTV dish for HughesNet
high-speed Internet service.
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I have DIRECTV already. Will this be on the same bill? Any special deals?
No, you will not be able to receive both services on the same bill. HUGHES®, which delivers HughesNet ™ services, is not affiliated with The DIRECTV
Group. At this time, there are no discounts for selecting both services.
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Why is there a requirement that the HughesNet system be professionally installed?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that trained professionals install any satellite system that both sends and receives signals.
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How quickly will I be up and running?
On average, most customers are installed within 2 weeks of their order. When you place your order today, your name will be provided to a certified HughesNet ™
installer, who will contact you within 5 days. You and the installer will then work out a mutually agreeable date and time for your installation. If less than 2 weeks is too soon
for you, just place your order when you're ready for HughesNet high-speed Internet service!
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What is transmission latency?
Latency refers to the amount of time it takes a packet of data to travel across a network. With satellite service, that data must travel up to the satellite and back
(about 45,000 miles). This round trip adds about a half-second delay to the total time your computer takes to communicate with a Website or host server. Therefore, time-sensitive
applications that require fractions-of-a-second user inputs (such as multi-player “twitch” games or real-time equities trading) are not recommended with HughesNet ™.
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Can I run a VPN over HughesNet? (Residential)
HughesNet ™Home Service plan is not compatible with VPNs.
You may use a VPN with HughesNet, but you will likely experience reduced speeds as much as 50-75%. You can restore your connection to full speed by simply disabling your VPN
client when your session is over.
Note: HughesNet Technical Support does not provide help with configuring or troubleshooting problems associated with VPN clients.
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Can I run a VPN using HughesNet for business? (Business)
Yes, but running a VPN client over satellite is not an ideal configuration. If you choose to run VPN over satellite, your data speeds may be reduced by as much as 50–75%. You can
restore your connection to full speed by simply disabling your VPN client when your session is over.
Note: HughesNet technical support does not provide help with configuring or troubleshooting problems associated with VPN clients.
*** HughesNet does offer an end-to-end VPN accelerator solution for large corporations and government agencies. This accelerator delivers higher connection speeds over VPN. Go
to vpn.HughesNet.com for more information.
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Why does the service slow down when used in conjunction with a VPN?
HughesNet ™ uses sophisticated acceleration techniques to enable high-speed performance over satellite. These acceleration techniques require access to data
packet header information, which is blocked when IPSec-based VPNs are used. These VPNs encrypt the data and create a secure tunnel through the HughesNet network. The encrypted
data cannot be processed by HughesNet's acceleration techniques, therefore resulting in slower performance.
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Can I put this system on a boat or in an RV?
HughesNet ™ Home and Professional service is available for non-mobile (fixed) locations. To receive mobile high-speed Internet service, please contact one of
the following Value Added Service providers:
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I’m a home user of the HughesNet service. How can I contact Customer Support when I have a question or problem?
Nationwide customer should contact Technical Support at 1.888.628.4669 or online via our trouble ticket form.
For HughesNet ™ Technical Support or Customer Service, please log on to www.myHughesNet.com where you can chat with
our technical support staff, check your usage, test your satellite speed, or browse our online help files. This site will also enable you to view your account status, online
invoices, and activity history. Telephone Customer Service and technical support is also available toll-free at 1-866-347-3292.
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How much does it cost?
HughesNet™ service plans begin as low as $59.99/month. Click here to review pricing for HughesNet
Residential Plans. Click here for HughesNet Business Plans.
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If you need more help with any of our products or services
please contact us at 1.888.Nationwide (628-4669)
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