Satellite Internet Dictionary

Satellite Internet is a fast and secure way to connect to the Internet when you live or work out of reach of cable and DSL Internet service. Satellite Internet is similar to other high-speed Internet services, but delivered in a different way. When you’re comparing Internet service providers, you will see a lot of terms used to describe the options. Our helpful dictionary is designed to define what those terms and how they affect your Internet connection.

Satellite Internet

Satellite Internet is literally rocket science. Your computer or mobile device requests a web page by sending a signal to our satellite 22,000 miles away. Our satellite then contacts the Hughes Network Operations Center (NOC) to locate the specific webpage requested. Finally, the website beams the information back to the NOC and then to your HughesNet^® dish and modem. The modem sends that information to your device. 

High-speed Internet

High-speed Internet is also called broadband Internet. It refers to any Internet service not delivered through a dial-up modem. Satellite Internet, cable Internet, DSL, and FiOS are all broadband Internet services, but not all options are available in every region. HughesNet is available in the contiguous United States, Alaska, and Puerto Rico.

Upload Speeds

Upload speeds refer to the time required for the information, or data, to travel from your computer to the its destination on the Internet. For example, the amount of time it takes to send an email with a photo attached. Upload speeds can be influenced by several factors in addition to the speed of your Internet connection, such as your computer processor and the number of other devices accessing your connection.

Download Speeds

Download speeds refer to the time required for the information to travel from the original destination, such as a website, to your computer. Download speeds can also be affected the number of other devices accessing your connection. It is also measured in Mbps, or megabytes per second.

Wi-Fi Connection

Wi-Fi is the signal that allows devices in your home or business to access your Internet service without a physical connection to the modem or router. It also allows devices like your mobile phone to connect to the Internet without using mobile data. Wi-Fi allows you to access the Internet anywhere in your home or business the signal will reach.

Rural Internet Service

Rural Internet services allows people who live and work beyond the reach of typical terrestrial Internet connections like DSL, cable, or fiber, to access the Internet via a satellite. It is often more cost-effective to set up satellite Internet service in these areas than it is to build new distribution hubs and lay new cable lines, so Hughes can provide you with Internet service where other providers can’t.

Data Management

Data management is a set of tools that help you manage your data allowance by monitoring your usage, shrinking incoming data to reduce the amount of plan data used, and helping you to quickly purchase data tokens.

Satellite Internet Installation

Before you can access your high-speed satellite Internet, our installers will need to visit your home or business to install the satellite dish and modem/router in your home.

Data Tokens

HughesNet will not cut off your service if you exceed your data allowance in a given month. However, during high-traffic periods, you may experience reduced speeds. If you would like to restore your satellite Internet service to full speed before the start of your next plan month, you can purchase additional data tokens that add more data to your subscription for the month.