CHAPTER 1
c. Basics on Satellite Internet - PAGE 2
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Direcway Service Plans
There are hundreds of thousands of consumer Direcway dishes that are in use
today that use "Consumer Direcway Services". However, for the mobile
systems, the DirecWay service is a special "Business" level service provided
by Ground Control.
Business Class Direcway comes in multiple flavors. Below is a chart that you
should study for a time until you are clear in what it is saying. (please refer
to the explanations below this chart if you do not understand).
The Business Basic package is the most common Mobile service for the
.74 Meter dish. Plus and Premium require larger dishes to operate at
consistent speeds.
Static IP Address vs Dynamic IP address
When you connect to the Internet, your computer is issued an IP address.
(IP stands for Internet Protocol). IP addresses look like 122.077.025.004
(four sets of numbers separated by a period). These IP addresses are how
the Internet knows where anything is located anywhere...and the reason
your computer will need an IP address as well if you want to communicate
with the rest of the Internet.
The difference between a Static IP address and a Dynamic one is that a Static
IP address NEVER changes when you log into the Internet. It is ALWAYS
the same number you had the last time you logged in.
Dynamic IP addresses always change each time you log into the Internet.
Many Internet users who dial-up into the Internet are given a dynamic (an
address that changes) each time they log in.
You will want to ask the customer if they wish to have a Static or Dynamic
IP address. If they don't know what they want, then issue them a dynamic
IP address. Only more experienced users will want a static IP address,
normally for accessing company services via VPN.
DOWNSTREAM - THE DOWNLOAD SPEEDS
Business Basic = 400 Kbps (normally sees between 400 and 1500 Kbsp).
Business Plus = 750 Kbps
Business Premium = 1000 Kbps
UPLOAD SPEEDS
Upload speeds on any DirecWay system is about 30 to 60 Kilobits per second.
This is about twice as fast as a standard 56K modem.
The major differences between the three business class packages are:
NUMBER OF OPEN TCP-IP CONNECTIONS
This is the number of OPEN connections you can have while surfing the Internet.
For example, when you surf CNN.COM, you will need to open 15 to 20 TCP-IP connections
for downloading the graphics and one HTML file that make up the CNN home page. If you
have two people accessing CNN at the same time on a Business Basic package, some of
the images take longer to load.
If you are networking your Direcway connection, having available open connections may
be quite desirable.
Business Basic = 30 open connections
Business Plus = 45 open connections
Business Premium = 80 open connections
THROUGHPUT - FAP RATE (Fair Access Policy)
This number refers to the maximum amount of MegaBytes you can download in a 24
hour period before the account is slowed down to the "Recovery Rate" (noted below).
This is in use to prevent abuse of high bandwidth users of DirecWay system. Note the
larger packages have larger Throughputs and Recovery Rates.
Business Basic = 500 MegaBytes
Business Plus = 750 MegaBytes
Business Premium = 1000 MegaBytes
RECOVERY RATE - SPEED YOU'RE SQUEEZED DOWN TO
If you download more than the maximum allowed Throughput for your account type
in a 24 hour period, your account will slow down to this speed. The Business Basis
recovery rate is the same as a 56K modem... not bad!
Business Basic = 56 Kbps
Business Plus = 100 Kbps
Business Premium = also 100 Kbps
- Download speeds
- Number of Open TCP-IP connections (for multiple users online).
- THROUGHPUT FAP (Limit of how much may be downloaded in a 24 hour period).
- FAP Recover Rate (How fast the connection is if you are FAPed).
Bandwidth is a measure of the amount of information that is to be
carried through a communications channel. In other words, bandwidth
is a capacity for rate of transfer, usually expressed in bits per second.
(A "bit" is the smallest piece of data that may be transferred... 0 or 1).
The Direcway system is a high-speed (large bandwidth) service
capable of broadband speeds. These speeds enable you to download
quicker, surf the internet faster. If you are new to satellite as an Internet
connection, it is not much different than plugging your modem into a dial
-up phone line... except satellite Internet can be about 30 times faster
than a dial-up connection.
What is Bandwidth?
