TheSamba.com :: View topic - O/T Computer/internet question, Hughesnet

Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:39 pm

How much does the actual computer affect internet speed? I have Hughes net satellite internet. I live in the country, and it's about all I can get, other than dial up. My internet is so slow, it sucks. I started with their $59 service, then I tried their $69 setup, and now the wife has upgraded to the $79 one. That's a lot of money for a slow internet connection. My computer is about 5 years old, here's the specs, System, Widows XP home edition version 2002, Computer, Intel Celeron CPU, 1100MHz, 1.10 GHz, 512 MB of RAM, NVDIA GeForce FX 5200, NETGEAR FA312 fast Ethernet adapter, Sound blaster audigy sound card. I would by a new computer if I new it would help. This site is slow if I want to start a new topic, it takes about 5 minutes for the page to load, but browsing the forum is pretty fast. I also have a Photobucket account and loading photos into it takes forever. I loaded about 20 photos the other day and it took almost 45 minutes. I tried to load the same amount of photos tonight and after 20 minutes I closed it because it hadn't made any progress. I can't browse any other sites when it's loading pictures because it gets even slower. Thanks, Dean

Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:55 am

test your connection here:

http://www.speedtest.net/

see if your I/O speeds are what you are paying for...

Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:09 am

Let me tell ya - I had Hughes for about 9 months - Speed issues - (bet if you try a speed test at 4AM, it will be fairly good, but still slow.

I went through all the crap - hours and hours with support in India, escalated to Florida (3 times). Spent hours and hours with tech suport running tests, etc. Got down to "well, that's the best you will get." I even upgraded the PC - no difference.

Wild Blue claimed better speed and not overselling bandwidth. It was a little better - but in both cases, certain times of the day, dial up was faster - Also upgraded the package - very slight improvement. Thank God we finally got DSL. Will sell you a Wild Blue Dish cheap if you want it - Best thing that I can suggest is to get with your neighbors and try a letter/email campaign to get DSL. If you have Verizon, you can do it on your website. Thats what we did and I am out in the boonies. Also look into a possible wireless provider - there are line of site services in some areas and also air cards for Cell internet (This was better that satelite for me)

I am soooooooo disappointed in Hughes and Wild Blue - but they have you over a barrel.

Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:29 am

Mon Feb 18, 2008 9:34 am

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:00 pm

Wiggy and stevie what do you have for internet service and what do you pay!! I just have 256 cable and I got 260 download and 46 upload. I think we spend $30 for it.

To the OP internet service can suck depending on where you are located. It can be your computer but it is most likely your IP. If it took me 45 min to upload 20 pics i think i would have canceled along time ago and went to the local library or something.

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:08 pm

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:09 pm

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:20 pm

Comcast cable.....

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:23 pm

sat. internet sucks period..........I am using wild blue, only option other than dial-up........70 bucks a month for crap.......it is faster than dial-up but wtf, my neighbor across the stree has dsl, people 1/2 a mile up the road have cable........go to my camp in the middle of the swamp, have the choice of dsl or cable :roll:

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:36 pm

Check around. There may be a WiFi provider in your area. That is what I use. An antenna on the roof, pointed at an access point about 4 miles away. Cost me $69 a month and I have a business account with a fixed IP.
Just a couple months ago, another company installed an AP on the water tower just down the road from me. So if I need, I can switch providers.

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:38 pm

Dial-up, baby!

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:45 pm

Russ Wolfe wrote: Check around. There may be a WiFi provider in your area. That is what I use. An antenna on the roof, pointed at an access point about 4 miles away. Cost me $69 a month and I have a business account with a fixed IP.
Just a couple months ago, another company installed an AP on the water tower just down the road from me. So if I need, I can switch providers.

talked tp a WiFi provider the other day........still debating......post your speedtest results

Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:48 pm

Chicago link

Columbus Oh link

Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:48 pm

vrobb3 wrote:
talked tp a WiFi provider the other day........still debating......post your speedtest results

I get 786 Kbps down, and 256 Kbps up. Not bad for WiFi, when the only other choice is a 19.2 dial up. A lot better than Icy.

Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:50 pm

If I had dial-up I would throw myself out the window.

I'm rolling Fios now.

Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:48 pm

Its no so much that you need a new computer, even though yours has aged some. The main thing is the file system on your hard drive, if it was restored, your internet would be considerably faster. Provided that your provider isn't ripping you off. I think you are paying way to much. Right now I have xanadoo and pay 20 bucks, its wireless so I don't have to have a phone either. With your location though you probably don't have a choice of a cheaper provider.

With Windows Over time the file system on your hard drive gets jacked up and it takes forever to do simple things. In this state the resources it needs to run your internet browser are probably to much to display a page on it quickly.

Also nasty things live virus' and spyware slow down internet activity considerably.

If you were in my area I would fix it for you, for free.

Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:59 pm

:lol:

Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:28 pm

I love how everyone is putting their internet speed on the "Dyno"! I'll have to try it later and see how I clock in. I'm probably somewhere in the middle, but it's good enough for me. Same mindset as my bus, "It GETS me where I'm going".

Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:38 pm