Sharing a Satellite Connection

[Hyperluminal]

OK guys, here's a question. I'm thinking about getting a satellite broadband connection, to replace the dial-up connection I have now. I can't get DSL or Cable, because there's no DSL service here, and cable installation would be too expensive out here in the 'burbs. ;)

So we're thinking of satellite. There is a problem, and that's sharing the connection. On all of the websites of satellite ISPs that I've seen, they just mention, for equipment, PCI or USB satellite modems. They say that to share the connection, you need a PC to connect to it, and then the other PCs can share from it. First of all, is this true? There's no way to have a satellite router, or to connect their modem to a router? My current router has a serial port to connect to dial-up modems.. could that help?

Also, this would be one-way satellite, meaning that it uses phone lines to upload data, and thus would have to connect and disconnect like dial-up. Now I imagine anyone who wants go online would rather not walk to a "sharing" PC every time they wanted to go on, to tell it to connect. So would there be any way to tell it to connect from remote?

Thanks :)

[DustyLBottoms]

I helped my cousins on Ohio set up pretty much the same thing.

The only way to use the Sat was through USB.....but they wanted to share it with a PC that was upstairs. I ended up getting two Linksys wireless cards and creating an Ad Hoc connectionc between the two, with Microsoft internet connection sharing running on the Host PC. I believe there are options for allowing the client to be able to dial up the conection remotely.

I dunno, it was over a year ago....hard to remember.

hope it helps!

[[email protected]]

dusty has the right idea. use two wireless cards to creat an adhoc network. some satalites modems use ethernet output, and if yours does, then you just need a wireless router to distribute the connection. check with the manufacturer of your satalite. try to get a two way connection if you can, because the speeds of uploading on a one way suck. my .02$

[Hyperluminal]

Thanks. Though as it turns out, we're not going to be doing satellite after all, because of problems we'd have with getting it installed.

Thanks anyway though :)