The way to connect and access the Internet through a satellite dish is gaining momentum in our country. Many companies providing satellite television reception, as a related or additional service, offer Internet via satellite connection. Such popularity is understandable: this “variety” of the Internet has a number of advantages that we are increasingly beginning to appreciate.
What exactly is it about?
Considering the advantages of such an Internet, we first of all talk about its accessibility. Communication using a “plate” can be easily organized at any point related to the satellite coverage area. That is, you can even have satellite Internet at home where there is no way to carry a cable or telephone line.
Another significant advantage of this connection is the high speed at which data is transmitted in combination with a fairly reasonable price per unit of traffic.
The main problem here is only one - in order to transmit reverse data from the user, satellite Internet requires a separate channel - terrestrial (if we are not talking about a two-way option). As a rule, such a transfer is made using ADSL, GPRS or dial-up technologies.
Perhaps, the weather dependence and the possibility of signal delay should also be added to the disadvantages. But if there are no other options, the Internet through a satellite dish becomes indispensable. After all, today it is simply vital for many. Say, satellite Internet to a private house located "far from civilization" will have to be carried out one way or another, if you cannot imagine a full life without the Network.
What equipment do you need
If you decide to carry satellite Internet to a private home, you will need to purchase, in addition to the dish itself, also a cable for it, as well as a DVB receiver, a computer DVB card. And don't forget the converter and mounting bracket.
In addition, stock up on F-connectors - they connect cables to the converters. If you plan to completely independently install and connect the plate, do not forget about the heat shrinkage that is needed to insulate the cable with the F-connector, and also store the mounting anchors for the bracket.
Customize the connection
So, we begin to equip satellite Internet with our own hands. The DVB receiver needs a properly tuned satellite. First of all, you need to configure the terrestrial channel according to the requirements of the provider and the technical features of the connection. For insertion, you can use any of the free computer slots, after which the necessary drivers are installed, which are available on the installation disk that is sold in the kit.
You will learn how to properly configure the driver you installed from the disk from the attached instructions. Your task is only to carefully follow it step by step. After installing the drivers, we create a network connection. It is advisable to download the GlobaX program on the network. If this item causes you difficulty, contact the place where you bought satellite equipment.
It would seem that connecting and configuring satellite Internet with your own hands is very difficult. But in fact, following the instructions in the kit, you can do everything quite sensibly and quickly. In addition, many sellers of equipment for such an Internet now offer the service of installing and fully configuring it. This condition should be clarified when making a purchase.
Do-it-yourself satellite internet mounting: sequence of actions
Most individual users are familiar with only one-way access to the Internet through a satellite dish (it is also called asynchronous or asymmetric). In order to have full access, it is necessary to organize a “terrestrial” line (it is needed so that the outgoing signal can be transmitted), and for the incoming signal it will be necessary to establish communication between the dish and the satellite. And to connect satellite Internet with your own hands is a very real task.
Having gotten to the offset antenna, converter, cable and DVB network card , we get down to business. At the first stage, it will be necessary to achieve connection to the World Wide Web using any type of communication. This can be done using 3G, GPRS or Dial-up modems, as well as using a dedicated DSL line (if any).
Collecting data
Once on the network, find as much information as possible about providers who offer the Internet through a satellite dish. You will have to study and systematize for yourself the names and location of the satellites they use, make a comparison according to the parameters of the transponders and refine the maps of the terrain covered by the signal. Be sure to check if your address is in the area where the signal is being caught.
As a result of these information surveys, you have on hand a list of providers suitable for living specifically in your area, with all conditions and technical characteristics. From here you can already choose one.
Do not forget that for high-quality reception of a satellite signal, the antenna should not be blocked by any obstacles in the form of houses or trees.
Determined finally
To find out if it is possible specifically for you to receive a signal from the selected satellite, install the program Satellite Antenna Alignment (it's free). The coordinates of the satellite itself are entered into it, then yours - at home and the village. The program will calculate the location of the satellite relative to your point - the elevation angle, azimuth, etc. Based on these data, once again check for the presence or absence of obstacles.
If you have the ability to receive signals from different suppliers, the final choice is to make by comparing their tariffs.
In addition, the required diameter of the antenna is important - this parameter is contained in the coverage maps, as well as the type of convector (ranges C or Ku), it depends on the signal frequency. When buying a network card, do not be too lazy to compare the characteristics of all the commercially available options for choosing the most suitable.
We put the antenna and check the signal
At the next stage, we proceed to the installation of equipment. Having dealt with this, we insert the network card into the computer slot and are engaged in the installation of its software. Having picked a suitable place (so that the selected satellite is accessible), we install the antenna there. Then we mount the convector on it and connect it to the network card through a cable.
The next point should be checking the satellite signal. The network card tuner program provides input of its parameters - frequency, speed, polarization and FEC (information redundancy coefficient). The antenna should be oriented exactly in the direction of the satellite, this is done using the same free program.
If everything is done correctly, the satellite signal should be fixed by the tuner of the network card. How to work with a particular tuner program is indicated in the user manual for the network card.
Completion of the procedure
After receiving the signal, you can go to the site of the provider of this satellite, register as a client and subscribe. At your disposal will be a personal account with all the necessary technical information - IP addresses, connection types, payment methods, etc. Having chosen the option that suits you and paid for the service, you can enjoy access to the World Wide Web via satellite.
Practical note: when deciding on the choice of satellite, see what it broadcasts from television broadcasts. The best choice would be to get the Internet and TV "in one bottle."
About Tricolor antennas
A lot of people are wondering if it is now possible to connect satellite Internet via Tricolor and how to do it. Unfortunately, at the moment this is not possible. Services provided under the Tricolor-Internet brand name are no longer being conducted - since March 2012 their provision has been suspended.
The company's management explained this by the small number of subscribers using this service (only about 0.1% of the total).
Perhaps in the future this decision will be canceled, as the company announced its intention to completely review the strategy. The option of two-way Internet via satellite is possible. Previously used equipment was distributed to ensure the services demanded by customers.
We organize two-way satellite Internet
If you want to do away with telephone lines and optical fiber forever, then you need to get down to providing a two-way type of satellite communications (two-way). Such a connection is symmetrical and is based on direct and reverse signal transmission exclusively via satellite.
In this case, the antenna should be acquired Ku-band and having a diameter of 1.2-1.8 meters, while with the receiving unit LNB and transmitting BUC. There are no other equipment restrictions.
It may seem to someone that to equip two-way satellite Internet with their own hands is too difficult a task. In fact, it is quite simple.
We fix and orient the antenna
The antenna is assembled strictly according to the attached instructions. The mounting location must be prepared in advance. It is important to determine which antenna position will be correct. It depends on the angle of the terrain, the direction in which the satellite is located, the distance to existing obstacles and the load created by the wind on its mirror.
To do this before mounting, use some other satellite system (such as a television).
With the smwlink program installed by you, the antenna is oriented south. After fixing the plate vertically, we connect the speaker to the sound card.
The program that allows you to determine the signal level - Fast Sat Finder. Using it, rotating the antenna, find and fix its maximum level.
Setup and testing
Then connect the computer (laptop) and install the necessary programs and drivers.
If you intend to connect to the satellite using a stationary computer, you will need to buy and put a DVB-card. For a laptop, you should get an external DVB device.
When setting up the antenna, test it with a computer. This process is quite long and laborious. Even if there is no interference on the screen, this is not a guarantee of high-quality data transfer. Achieving stability in your network is not so simple.
After setting up the antenna, get connected to the provider. The procedure in this case is completely similar to that described above - we go to the site of the selected provider, submit an application, pay.
Summary
Thus, we see that it is not much more difficult to connect two-way satellite Internet from the point of view of equipment than the so-called one-way - one-way (using an amplifier-converter). But the disadvantage of the latter is a lower speed compared to a symmetrical connection.
Of course, it is quite possible to install and configure any equipment by professionals, but here there are some disadvantages. We are not talking about additional costs. But sometimes you can’t always figure out the quality of the services provided, and many of these tuners work with just a household receiver that does not guarantee almost anything.
Many people, not at all experts, quite successfully set up two-way satellite Internet with their own hands and never later regret it. So the choice is yours.