The speeds and signal strength of your internet connection can make or break your online experience. When it comes to the best internet providers, there is no doubt that HughesNet is known as “America’s #1 Choice for Satellite Internet!” It is not just fast enough to cater to your everyday online activities but also provides various other benefits to its users, which makes it stand out from the other internet providers. While there are a few limitations that should be considered before taking a decision, you can make use of a few methods to troubleshoot your connection without seeking any professional technician’s help. So, if you are skeptical about switching to HughesNet, then continue reading this article till the end to find out if it’s right for you or not.
If you consider yourself non-tech savvy, then we will provide you with every little detail you need to know more about HughesNet satellite internet. So, let’s begin!
First Things First: What Is Satellite Internet?
Satellite internet is a form of wireless internet connection that receives signals from satellites orbiting in space to establish an internet connection with your device. These signals are taken in through dish receivers that are often situated on the rooftop of your home or office or a nearby spot. It is easily available in most urban as well as remote areas across the US.
What are the Benefits of Using HughesNet for Satellite Internet?
If you are looking for a satellite internet provider in your local area, then here are some of the benefits of signing up for a HughesNet internet connection:
Widely Available
The best thing about HughesNet internet is that it is easily accessible in many states across the US. It doesn’t matter whether you are currently residing in an urban area or moving to a remote area. Here is the list of states where you can find HughesNet internet connection for your home or office network:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
If you are wondering whether HughesNet provides coverage to your specific city, town, or your local area, then you’ll have to confirm this using its website. All you need to do is, enter your street address, followed by city, state, and ZIP code. Then, choose a distance, ranging from 25 miles to 50 miles to find a local dealer in your area and hit ‘Apply’.
High-Speed Internet
HughesNet provides download speeds up to 25 Mbps, which makes it much faster than the rest of the satellite internet providers in the US. Besides, it offers upload speeds of 3 Mbps. This allows you to check your emails, carry out office-related tasks, stream music and movies, and share media files, including images, audio clips, and videos. You can even use the same network for watching movies and TV shows in 4K (UHD) and playing video games.
Free Installation
If you are a new lease subscriber, then you will get the standard installation done free of cost. Yes, you heard it right! HughesNet will save you from paying additional costs that come with the installation of a new internet connection. Moreover, it does not apply to those who are using the Purchase option. This is a limited-time offer, so grab this opportunity before it’s gone!
High Data Allowance
With HughesNet, you get the advantage to choose any data plan that fits your needs. Even if your data needs may change over time, you can easily upgrade to another plan that works well for you. In addition, you will get a bonus zone to make use of additional data during off-peak hours (2 am to 8 am). This makes it ideal for those who prefer staying awake over the night to stream video content or download large files on their devices. Besides, you can use this as an opportunity to update your software without worrying about network throttling issues.
Another thing that makes HughesNet stand out from the other satellite connections is that it does not impose any hard data limits. This way, you don’t need to worry about paying hefty charges, such as overage fees in your monthly internet bills for exceeding your data limits. Moreover, your internet connection will not disrupt despite going over your data caps. However, you may encounter throttled speeds until the next billing cycle, which can be increased using Data Token.
Built-In Wi-Fi
Unlike other satellite internet connections, HughesNet provides a built-in Wi-Fi feature for its users to connect multiple devices without using any wires. Hence, your HughesNet internet connection will provide you with the latest Wi-Fi technology standards, making it easier for you to adjust your internet settings according to your preferences. For instance, if you want faster speeds, you can set your router to a 5 GHz frequency band. However, if higher coverage is what you need to connect multiple devices that are distant to the router, then you should go for the 2.4 GHz frequency band. This way, you can have the best of both worlds—a stable satellite internet connection that provides the convenience of a Wi-Fi connection.
Issues Associated with HughesNet Internet
While HughesNet offers so many benefits to its users, it comes with a set of downsides, which can affect your online work in many ways.
Latency
Since HughesNet makes use of satellite internet infrastructure to establish an internet connection with your device, it can be susceptible to latency issues. The term ‘latency’ refers to the time it takes for data to travel from its source to its destination. At times, sending data to space and back can be a slow process, resulting in higher ping rates, compared to other connection types. This further leads to poor latency, delaying the responses to your commands. Therefore, you may encounter latency issues with your HughesNet internet connection, which can be a deal-breaker for those who like to play video games online or perform any bandwidth-intensive activities over the internet.
External Factors
Certain factors, such as changing weather conditions, extreme temperatures, and moisture can affect the signal strength of your internet connection. For instance, if there is a storm, rainfall, or even strong winds in your local area, then it can have a negative effect on your internet, disrupting your online tasks and making it hard for you to complete your work on time. In addition, these external factors can be quite damaging for the dish receiver that is situated on your rooftop or nearby. Since these conditions are beyond your control, it can be challenging for you to stay connected to the internet in case something goes wrong.
Physical Obstructions
Apart from weather and temperature changes, even physical obstructions can interfere with the signals from the satellite. It may include trees and buildings that are coming in the way of the dish receiver that carries signals to your home or office network. Since these factors act as a barrier to your HughesNet internet connection, you must ensure that the dish receiver is located in an area that enables signals to receive and flow from it. Besides, its antennas should be positioned the right way for a seamless connection to the internet.
Troubleshooting HughesNet Internet
Here are a few tips for you to restore the quality of your HughesNet internet connection:
Reboot Your Network Equipment
The simplest and easiest way to improve your internet speeds and signal strength is to reboot your equipment. As you restart your router or modem, it will clear all the caches stored on your network connection, which will instantly speed up your internet connection. All you need to do is, switch off your equipment and unplug it from the power supply. Wait for 1-2 minutes and plug it back into the power supply. Let the router or modem restart completely as it can take 1-2 minutes. Once it starts working, you need to check the quality of your internet signals and speeds by visiting a website or running an app on your device. You will notice a significant difference in the performance of your internet connection.
Check and Reconnect All the Wires
Another way to improve your speeds and signal quality is to reconnect the cords running between your device and router or modem. Unplug them for 1-2 minutes and then plug them back in. This tip can resolve your internet problems that are related to the wiring setup.
With time, there is a chance that all the wires that are used to set up your internet connection may undergo damage or become worn out, which can take a toll on your connection quality. For instance, if you have a pet at home, then it may nibble on your cord. Or, if you are moving furniture from one room to another, then your wiring may disrupt, resulting in connectivity issues. If you notice that the condition of your wires has deteriorated over time, then you need to dial HughesNet phone number at 1-855-349-9309 for a repair or replacement of cords.
Stop Using VPN
If you are connected to a VPN for browsing the web or running apps that are not supported by your ISP or the government, then it will have adverse effects on your internet connection. In such situations, your best bet is to switch it off to restore your internet speeds. If you can’t turn it off for some reason, then you should consider switching it off while performing tasks that require high speeds, like streaming video content on Netflix or sharing files over the internet.
Final Thoughts: Should I Go for HughesNet Internet?
Well, it depends. HughesNet internet is great for those who are residing in remote areas with a few options available for an internet connection. It is much faster than the rest of the rural internet connection types, such as dial-up and DSL internet. Besides, it allows its users to consume a high amount of data, which is a basic requirement for various online activities, including office-related tasks and entertainment purposes.
However, if you are living in a big metropolitan city or town in the US, then you will find plenty of other options that are easily accessible in your local area. So, we recommend you go for other connection types, like fiber or cable internet, as they deliver ultrafast speeds with little to no latency, which is ideal for online gaming and streaming activities.