Directway

[prairieguy]

I'm told by Hughes the wireless home networking can be done with Directway but they won't tell what equipment or how since they don't support it.

What is needed to put together a wireless network in my house?

 

Did you find out anything regardng this?

 

no, I keep hearing it can be done but no one's come forth

 

[Kenneth]

Take a look at

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,2897597~root=sat~mode=flat

You might try searching or posting at this site (

http://www.dslreports.com)

 

I was told the directway model 4020 (comming this summer)will include a 4 port ethernet hub.

 

Whatever happened to DIRECTPC? Did DIRECTWAY actually take over it's market share and drive it out of business? Does anyone have a more economical alternative to DIRECTWAY? D-WAY seems a bit pricy.

 

[deepdisc]

I'm looking into getting Directway. What's the lastest on this service? Haven't seen anything good. Have no choice but to go satellite.

 

[emauss]

I just got off the phone with Earthlink in re NAT and ICS for DirecWay. I have been trying to enable NAT or ICS on my Win2K Server box for this connection for about a year. NAT gets blown away (*really* strange info gets pushed into IPCONFIG!) and ICS hangs the machine totally with no log entries to see! (I have a 35port ethernet network on another card on the machine along with the USB Satellite modem).
Anway, I was told that neither NAT nor ICS will work well in this case because of the spoofing that is going on. Basically, the way I have it set up, with SYGATE OFFICE NETWORK as a front end is one of the only ways it will work at this point.
Also, the ethernet modem will be available sometime AFTER hughs has it (and why not switch to HUGHS at that point, since my contract is up??), and then one can use a hardware router and all will be right with the world.

Yeah, right!

Eric Mauss

 

[DBSinstall]

DirecPC changed their name to DirecWay. Hughes Networks will be launching a new series of satellites and calling the network Spaceway. They wanted to change from DirecPC to Direcway to more closely mirror the Spaceway name. It was all marketing.

To network any satellite internet connection, you install a NIC in the computer couplied to the satellite modems (not really modems but that is what they are called). You can use ICS or a third party program like Satserve.

http://www.getsatserv.com/SatServ_Features/satserv_features.html

Our site at

http://www.dbsinstall.com

has basic information about DW and a dealer locater.

 

[emauss]

Up to a point that is correct. Where it misses the boat is that Directway *only* has a USB "modem" availble. Thus, the USB port becomes the second "nic" in the computer. Using WIn2K Server, no one has been able to use NAT at all. This has been confirmed by HUGHES and everyone else.
The problem with ICS is that DHCP is an auto-launch. I cannot use a DNS server, and I cannot use standard DHCP. That is, I cannot specify any scope nor can I have *any* static ip addresses on my network (unless I just use high numbers and hope they are not "hit&quot. (Alternately, it might be possible to "bridge" two networks, but this is really getting a lot more complicated than it should be.)
The two possible answers I have come up with are:
1. Use third (Skycaster)Win2K Server with their software (similar, I think, to Sygate Office Network that I am currently using with all the inherent latency).
2. The new DW4020 ethernet "modem" three "chicklet" set with a standard router. This is not available from Hughes at this point, but is being offered by their VARs. You must be pointed to the G4R satellite, and the cost is not insignificant(though not a bank-breaker), and they promise 400Kbps throughput downstream for 2 concurrent users.

Option (2) is what I just purchased (with 1 static IP address). It will be installed in a day or two.

Eric Mauss

 

[ReelyStrugglin]

emauss,
I HAVE been able to use NAT on win2k server. I don't think that NAT is the problem as the transmitter lights on the modems will go out randomly whether NAT is running or not. I don't know why this happens any more than anyone else it would seem. But NAT, for me at least, isn't the problem. it's somewhere else. I even get messages saying that the usb device has been unplugged! Sometimes thirty of them over a weekend.

 

[emauss]

Well, now I have a 4020 through Skycasters. Thought this would solve all my problems. Not quite!
Connection keeps coming and going, yet sigbnal strength is well over minimum.
Took the router out of the mix...using a win2K server box with NAT.
Skycasters tier 2 couldn't solve it.
Hughes level 1 and 2...no answer.

Finally, I am told now (1 month after install and repointing to G4R satellite) that the dish was not "peaked" properly and I have no stable signal. Too little "isolation".

The local sub-contractor used by skycasters is *terrible*.
He came back and did nothing!
Skycasters will be in touch with me on Monday and have someone else come out and re-point and re-peak the dish.


Boy, do I wish DSL or Cable were available!

In the middle of Brooklyn, NY no less!!!!!

(e)

 

[ReelyStrugglin]

Ahhh, I have had the isolation fail several times. The first version of software would pretty much make numbers up. I could have a 9 and it would say it was OK and then a 50 and it would fail. The latest version fixed the random numbers but iso still fails way too often.
My installer, get this... when I first reported trouble(the day after install) he sent me to a local sub and told me to deal with him from that point. I did (for 11 months) until the sub quit and now the seller says "well you are way out of warranty and I haven't heard you were having any problems, so my rate to fix this will be..." I think if he was in front of me I would have put him down. But he wasn't so I have to deal with DW directly. It just stinks all the way around. I long for DSL as well.
But on the bright side, you may have just given me my answer!! If it works I'll have a win2k server running NAT on a satellite. I'll probably be the first!

 

[emauss]

I had 2 linksys 24-port hubs and a non-managed 24 port switch. The router provided was a linksys router w/firewall and DCHP. I run DHCP on another server, and eventually disable the firewall. When I started having problems, I looked to linksys. They basically said "duh".

Anyway, the problem *does* seem to be in the isolation. The topoligy of my network has been simplified to a single hub (and now, instead of the hub, I am using the switch). There is no cascading at all. The old DW4000 worked fine with Sygate office network, but (silly me) I wanted a static IP...hence the switch from Earthlink to Skycasters and the stepup to the DW4020.

It *should* work better. Ethernet should be faster than USB. Less software should be better than more software.

Does anyone have two tin cans and a string?

(e)

 

[ReelyStrugglin]

I have the cans but the string is no longer supported with my version of can.
Please let me know what you had to say to DW to get them to admit there was a iso error. I would like to shave hours off the tech support queue

 

[emauss]

The problem went from Tech sepport at Skycasters to tier 2. It was there for about a week. No real answers, but we tried a bunch of stuff. Finally went to tech at Hughes. Went from there two levels up. No answers until my tier two guy hit me with this email:
..and I quote:

(original message from Todd Grey [todd@skycasters.com])

I just got off the phone with Joe from TSC, he checked the isolation with the cross-pol center, it was sitting at 26-27, way too low for a solid connection. He recommened a truck roll to re-peak the dish for a solid, not fluctuating, isolation. I have submitted and RMA for the service call and will let you know when everything has been arranged. Either the install coordinator or the install company will call you to solidify the time and date for the service call. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to assist you in this matter.

Thank you in advance,

Todd Grey
Lead Engineer
Network Operations Center
Skycasters, LLC

...end quote


...well, the "truck rolled" and all the installer did was a smoke and mirrors thing at the RTU unit. Never went to the roof! Skcasters will send someone else out, they say.

...more on Monday.

....BTW, someone offered me STING Version 2.25 Beta. I don't know if it's any good, but there tout it as a SUPER STRING working in 26 dimensions. Have you heard of this one?

 

[ReelyStrugglin]

Ah yes, the rumored "Quantum String". It's only available in fragments however. and I'm pretty sure it would fry my can anyway.

 

[emauss]

Hey! I think my problems are resolved!
Seems that the receive and transmit unit were not "cross-polorized" properly at the initial install, and they needed to be "re-cross-polled".
This seemed like smoke and mirrors to me, but lo and behold, the system worked like a charm for three days!

When it was installed, I was told not to "unplug" it for al least 48 hours while it "settles in". Well, when I called tech support, they told me that "ain't so" and I should "reset the units" by unplugging them.

The installer came back last friday and re-cross polorized the units, and now all seems okay!

Dunno what that all means, but if it works, I can sell you some string real soon!

Eric

 

[iraengineer]

I was interested in using Satellite Internet for corporate
and industrial WAN and was looking at using DIRECWAY ro
STARBAND.

Has anywone had a DW4020 working consistent and reliably
straigth out of the box?

Would anyone recommend DIRECWAY and Starband based on their
experiences.

Any differences between BUSINESS option compared to RESIDENTIAL services.

Any comments on 1.2m dish versus 0.74m dish.


Emauss,

Are you still having success with the DW4020 System? Are
all problems resolved or are you still having problems?

Regards IRA Engineer

 

[emauss]

I switched form a DW4000 with Earthlink to a 4020 with Skycasters. I wanted the stactic IP, ethernet connection and accelerated upload speeds.

After three months of *HELL* I switched back to earthlink and their slower but useable system.

Litigation to follow.

Eric