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Beckiejo78's profile

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3 Messages

Sunday, May 29th, 2016 3:25 AM

Hughesnet and mcell

We recently went with hughesnet and our mcell stopped working. What can we do to fix this problem.

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ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

Hughesnet is satellite internet, correct? The MicroCell is designed for land-based internet service (cable, DSL). Satellite and/or wireless broadband is not supported by AT&T. In fact ,that is even mentioned in the setup instructions if I remember correctly. Some have had success with using satellite and wireless broadband with the MicroCell but if you have issues, there is nothing that AT&T, or us can do to help.

Employee

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3.5K Messages

8 years ago

You may get it working but it's not going to be stable and it will frequently disconnect. Satellite internet is not "always on" like DSL and cable. It's designed to work "on demand" when you need it. The other big issue is latency. Your average wired high speed connection is generally below 200ms with the best quality connections below 100ms. Off the bat with satellite due to the distance the data must travel it's a hit of around 300ms. Other factors drive that latency up between 800-1000ms. One-way data transmission is fine with this type of ping such as streaming video, web browsing and downloading files. For two-way transmissions like VOIP, video calling and gaming it is way too high. 

 

It's always a double edged sword in rural areas. Cell phone service is spotty because sparse population density and distance from the areas where towers are located, so MicroCell is a good solution if there is a decent wired internet connection. The problem is those are lacking in rural areas. DSL connections are highly dependent on proximity to the DSLAM. If you're further than 2.5 miles from the DSLAM a speed faster than 3MB/s is not possible. With POTS fading and less revenue for the local telcos the quality of your average copper telephone lines is awful these days. Some rural customers can't even get 1.5MB/s over DSL. Cable isn't limited in this regard but cable companies neglect rural areas because the potential subscriber base is not enough to balance out the overhead cost of running wire. Which is basically the same reason cell carriers don't have towers in rural areas either. Unless you're near a major interstate or highway there are not enough customers to justify the cost. 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

8 years ago

@David606 - we have covered all of this before with wireless broadband questions. For the record, I have DSL and get a consisent 17Mbps download speed on a line that is absolutely clean according to my VoIP tests. My AT&T copper line was taken over by my ISP who does an excellent job of maintaining. Granted my situation is the exception and not the rule but your broad, generalized statements regarding DSL are misleading, and we have seen cable connections that are extremely problematic for the MicroCell. In fact, most of the MicroCell issues that are determined to be on the ISP side of things are virtually all cable connections.

Professor

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2.2K Messages

8 years ago

Seems to me that DSL has the most problems here with the Mcell but I'm not counting.....

Professor

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2.2K Messages

8 years ago

Had a feeling of deja vu after reading David606's response....I wrote this about 3 years ago.

 

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Sep 3, 2013 9:26:13 AM
 
 
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ACE - Professor

Just to expound further on the use of femtocells on satellite internet connections, while AT&T says that they do not support this with their Mcell, it can be done with other femtocells.  Unfortunately, the universal problem with satellite internet latency would make any femtocell usage just about impossible to tolerate.

 

While dishNet (and others) can provide download and upload speeds that exceed the minimum requirements for a femtocell, the dirty little secret they don't talk about in their advertisements is the latency one experiences while using a satellite internet connection.  This may not be such a big deal when accessing email or web browsing but for any type of two-way usage (i.e. VOIP, gaming, etc.), it is essentially a deal breaker.

 

Consider the fact that the radio signal from a satellite modem to the ISP must travel 44,600 miles (up and back) just to start off with.  That equates to a latency of 238 ms.  Now add to that the additional latency of the rest of the provider's satellite internet infrastructure and then the internet itself.  To top it off, two-way satellite Internet connections must make the same round trip twice if  data is being sent as well as received.

 

The result is a latency that can be as much as 1,150 ms and averages 850 ms.  Trying to carry on a conversation with this kind of delay will result in two people talking over each other, making a simple phone call an exasperating experience.

 

The OP didn't say if he could get any signal at all on his cellphones at his home location, but there are cellphone signal booster/antenna solutions that can work in remote areas.  Wilson Electronics would be the place to start.

 

That was from the thread where the Excede troll came in and tried to convince us that they had solved the latency problem for Mcell users on their ISP.  Never would say what it was they did.

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Tutor

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8 Messages

7 years ago

What about gen. 5 hughesnet 35 Mbps

 

woul.d this help in any  att is sending me m cell for free have gen five

 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

@LanniSettles

I think you missed the point, Microcell specifically says it will only work with wired internet.  Either cable or DSL .....and specifically NOT with satellite internet.

 

ACE - Expert

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23.9K Messages

7 years ago

@LanniSettles - @lizdance40 is correct. The MicroCell can work with satellite but it is not reliable nor is it stable, and as such is not supported by AT&T and us. Hughes will tell you that it can work and blame AT&T but that is just not true. From the outside of the box of the DPH-154 MicroCell (the black model): "Fixed broadband service, such as DSL, fiber, or cable and a dedicated ethernet port available on your router or modem. Not compatible with satellite  or mobile broadband".

 

Speed is basically irrelevant as long as you can maintain at least a 3.0Mbps down and 512kbps up on a line that is clean enough for VoIP. "Clean enough for VoIP" is the operative word. Your line can be fine for internet service but if there is too much latency or lag, as @Avedis53 mentioned above, your connection and/or call quality will suffer.

 

If AT&T is sending you one for free you can try to set it up, and it may work for awhile, but if you have issues, you're on your own. If you do call Support, please tell them that you have satellite so you won't waste their time trying to troubleshoot. Hughes will be of no use at all. 

Professor

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2.2K Messages

7 years ago

Simply said, it doesn't matter how fast of a satellite internet connection you have, the excessive latency will always be there.  You can't get around the physical distance the signals have to travel and they are limited by the speed of light (radio waves) so the delay is unavoidable.

 

I am interested in what you experience after connecting a Mcell to your Hughesnet system.  Please report back with your findings.

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

7 years ago

I belong to a cord cutters group forum.  They say some unpleasant things about Hugh's and other satellite internet.   It isn't stable for streaming either.

 

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