A Step-by-Step Guide to Strengthening Your Satellite Internet Signal

People who use satellite television may expect satellite Internet to use essentially the same technology and equipment. However, this is not quite true. The biggest difference between the two types of technology is that television requires only a downlink connection, whereas Internet requires both a downlink and an uplink. Think about it – when you are using your television service you are basically just receiving information, but when you are connected to the Internet you are sending data in addition to receiving signals. While satellite service has been aggressively marketed as a broadband, or high-speed, Internet service in recent years, the fact of the matter is that it is not always as fast as the providers would have you believe. The main reason why you satellite connection may not be as fast as you would expect or would like it to be has much to do with the two-way transmission that distinguishes it from television service.





Luckily, if your satellite Internet connection is performing below par, you do have some options for speeding it up. These tweaks can involve anything from purchasing new equipment (like an amplifier) to switching service providers. Here are some steps that you can take to maximize the speed of your connection:





1. The first thing that you should do is check the alignment of your satellite dish. This is something that you will probably not want to do yourself. Contact your service provider to have them send a technician to your house to do it for you. The speed of your satellite Internet connection greatly depends on the precision of your dish’s alignment with satellite. You may find out that your dish has been pointing at the wrong satellite and needs to be repositioned.





2. If possible, lessen the distance between your satellite dish and your system’s modem. These two devices are connected by a cable, and if that cable is longer than 100 feet, this can cause a significant reduction in data transfer rate. The shorter the cable, the less distance there is for your data to travel. This, generally speaking, means they get where they are going faster. Unfortunately, for some people, moving your satellite dish closer to your modem will not be an option because it will mean blocking your dish’s "view" of the satellite (maybe there will be a tree or a tall building in the way). If this is the case for you, you will have to pursue other means of acquiring faster satellite Internet.





3. Upgrade your satellite Internet equipment. There are a variety of ways in which you can do this. One thing you might want to try is installing a signal amplifier in the cable between the dish and modem. Another option is ordering a bigger and more powerful satellite dish.





4. If none of these things work, your satellite provider may be at fault. If so, you should look into what other companies offer service where you live, and think about singing a contract with someone else.





To get the fastest satellite Internet speeds available, go to Get.Wildblue.com.