Satellite internet for SHTF? (Read 3920 times)

passivekinetic

Satellite internet for SHTF?
« on: January 11, 2019, 10:01:02 AM »
Aloha, does anyone here have any info or experience with satellite internet service?

Specifically, for island-wide power outage lasting 1 or more days.

I need it for my work (need to check emails, etc.).

It seems like there's the Inmarsat service (Iridium seems not to have good coverage for our specific location on the planet, the latitude) and then there's "exede" (?) service which maybe people use for their regular internet instead of cable/DSL?
"The sheep fear sheepdogs, because they fail to see the wolves."
- Anonymous

RSN172

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #1 on: January 11, 2019, 10:41:31 AM »
Exede internet is slow and can be spotty.  I had it for 3 years until HawTelCom started putting in fiber optic in my area.

passivekinetic

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #2 on: January 11, 2019, 12:17:35 PM »
Exede internet is slow and can be spotty.  I had it for 3 years until HawTelCom started putting in fiber optic in my area.

Thanks. I am probably going to go with Inmarsat anyway. Expensive but I need a backup solution.
"The sheep fear sheepdogs, because they fail to see the wolves."
- Anonymous

drck1000

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2019, 12:29:34 PM »
I'd have to check with SAT(s), but I believe our contingency/disaster response teams have a mobile hot spot that is served by satellite.  I believe we have coverage on all HI islands, Guam and Japan. 

Jl808

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2019, 09:56:52 PM »
Used satellite Internet in Molokai.   Lots of latency (> 500ms). 
I think, therefore I am armed.
NRA Life Patron member, HRA Life member, HiFiCo Life Member, HDF member

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.

passivekinetic

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #5 on: January 15, 2019, 12:47:02 PM »
Used satellite Internet in Molokai.   Lots of latency (> 500ms).

Not looking for super fast experience, just enough to send and receive emails.

What system did you try out?
"The sheep fear sheepdogs, because they fail to see the wolves."
- Anonymous

Jl808

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #6 on: January 15, 2019, 10:31:34 PM »
It used to be called Exede.  Now it’s called ViaSat.

Speeds were around 670ms latency, 14Mbps down, 3Mbps up.
I think, therefore I am armed.
NRA Life Patron member, HRA Life member, HiFiCo Life Member, HDF member

The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.

passivekinetic

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2019, 09:19:47 AM »
It used to be called Exede.  Now it’s called ViaSat.

Speeds were around 670ms latency, 14Mbps down, 3Mbps up.

What was the service fee like? Monthly?
Did the equipment (satellite transceiver) require a lot of power?
"The sheep fear sheepdogs, because they fail to see the wolves."
- Anonymous

6716J

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2019, 12:52:08 PM »
We are using Excede/ViaSat for our project internet. It's not bad but not great. What sucks is fiber/cable is less than 1/4 mile away but would cost lots to have it run the rest of the way here. That's not including the red tape involved.

But so far not too bad on the service. Sometimes it goes down for a couple of minutes then back on again. Speeds aren't the greatest and latency is a big issue but if you don't do online gaming, it's not a problem.

We pay $175/mo for the 35Mbs Unlimited plan

See my screen shot for the last 3 speed tests
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy.

groveler

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2019, 01:53:07 PM »
I have Dish internet.
The local phone company suddenly said It was
electrically impossible to provide
service to me after having provided me with
DSL internet service for 14 years.
Typical Hawaiian politics BS.
Ping time is long because it has to go ~44,000 miles.
My speeds are ~17.5 mb down and ~5 mb up over house Wifi.
Service is pretty solid unless it is raining really, really hard and
then you can lose it very temporarily.
Water attenuates RF energy is why you can  lose connection.
I am data limited to 50 gb per month during the hours of 0800 to 0200.
Data unlimited from  0200 to 0800.
$85 per month.
Keep in mind if SHTF some if not all of the mainland servers may be
down. My satellite bounces around several servers in the mainland
southern states.

tillamook

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2019, 02:45:33 PM »
How about just having a cellular service as backup for data?  When they had a planned 12 hour power downtime here on the Big Island to replace a major electrical component even the county water was not working.  Cellular still was up and running though.  During the ~8 hours of power loss for the recent winter storm cellular was still working.  I have a giant brick of a backup battery when that happens and can get internet over the phone. 

Or are you talking about enough of a disaster to wipe out cellular as well? 

groveler

Re: Satellite internet for SHTF?
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2019, 05:09:25 PM »
How about just having a cellular service as backup for data?  When they had a planned 12 hour power downtime here on the Big Island to replace a major electrical component even the county water was not working.  Cellular still was up and running though.  During the ~8 hours of power loss for the recent winter storm cellular was still working.  I have a giant brick of a backup battery when that happens and can get internet over the phone. 

Or are you talking about enough of a disaster to wipe out cellular as well?
You and I live on the same island, but since you have county water you are in a
more urban part of it.  The real problem is mainland servers sites.
our cell towers will work for about 48 hrs on battery and then are gone,
but if the mainland servers are down the system is down no matter what.
Phones included.
At least of all the islands ours is the most self sufficient!