Streaming Workouts with Satellite Internet - Page 2

Demeris · 05-06-21, 03:55 PM

I just got off NextDoor where there was a long discussion about the different internet companies available out here in the vast desert wastelands (not really wastelands, but you know what I mean). I read some VERY GOOD THINGS about T-Mobile. I switched my phone service over to T-Mobile about a year ago. I checked with the T-Mobile website, and it claims my address if eligible for their WiFi service.

On NextDoor, one person wrote that she had internet from T-Mobile through a device, and it was unlimited GBs for 50$. Another person wrote that she used her phone as a hotspot all the time, and it was something like 45 dollars a month.

I'm going to investigate because I'm paying 110$ a month to Exede/Viasat, with limited GB use. If I can drop my bill AND get unlimited GBs, I'm switching.

IceQueen07 · 05-06-21, 05:06 PM

I did hear about Viast, but figured it would be like Hughesnet. The first question I ask when we see a house we like is if they have internet - who would have thought.

BigBadBetty · 05-07-21, 09:06 AM

When you look at cell phone plans, unlimited may not be unlimited. You need to read the fine print. Some with slow your speed down after a certain limit. Here is an article that explains more: https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/31/2...thering-limits

IceQueen07 · 05-07-21, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBadBetty

When you look at cell phone plans, unlimited may not be unlimited. You need to read the fine print. Some with slow your speed down after a certain limit. Here is an article that explains more: https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/31/2...thering-limits

Thanks

sheepla · 05-11-21, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IceQueen07

Thanks. Not looking too good. Add in that I am working remotely now and would be on the internet during the day for work. We found a really nice house on acreage that would have been perfect, but internet seems to be a deal breaker. Never thought that would be an issue.

I could talk about this subject forever. We live in a very rural area in a VALLEY which added a whole other level of challenge (some areas have cellular internet service that is pretty good but we couldn't use that because of our elevation). I too work full time from home so viable internet was a requirement for me before we bought this farm. Luckily my husband has previously worked in IT and was able to do some things that make it workable.

We don't use Hughes net (my husband absolutely refuses!) but we do use another satellite internet provider. It generally works fine for streaming (we stream Disney Plus and Netflix) but once you reach your monthly GB limit, it crams down the speed. And the limit is fairly low so you will reach it each month and then streaming becomes a problem. My husband, as an example, waits to download xbox games until after we reached our limit...he does it overnight and it takes forever but it is not using up our allocated fast GBs at the point. So there are things you do to adjust.

For work, we bought a separate Verizon internet hotspot and my husband paid $200 for a cell signal booster and I use that exclusively for my work computer so I am not competing with any house internet use. That has worked very well. It also has a limit before it crams down the speed but I can get through most of the month without exceeding that limit. If I do reach the limit on that, I just use my phone hotspot to get through the last few days before it resets. I can work on the lower speed but if I'm sending emails with lots of pdf attachments, it can freeze up my computer, plus my video calls don't work great once the limit is reached.

In addition to my dvds, I do a lot of workouts from YouTube. Most of the month, when we are below our GB limit, they stream fine. Once we hit our limit, I switch to streaming on my IPAD using 4G/LTE.

Our electric coop has been sending out notices that we'll all have fiber within five years and my husband is counting down the months already! But overall, we've made this work much better than I thought we would, with some work arounds, so don't give up!

IceQueen07 · 05-11-21, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepla

I could talk about this subject forever. We live in a very rural area in a VALLEY which added a whole other level of challenge (some areas have cellular internet service that is pretty good but we couldn't use that because of our elevation). I too work full time from home so viable internet was a requirement for me before we bought this farm. Luckily my husband has previously worked in IT and was able to do some things that make it workable.

We don't use Hughes net (my husband absolutely refuses!) but we do use another satellite internet provider. It generally works fine for streaming (we stream Disney Plus and Netflix) but once you reach your monthly GB limit, it crams down the speed. And the limit is fairly low so you will reach it each month and then streaming becomes a problem. My husband, as an example, waits to download xbox games until after we reached our limit...he does it overnight and it takes forever but it is not using up our allocated fast GBs at the point. So there are things you do to adjust.

For work, we bought a separate Verizon internet hotspot and my husband paid $200 for a cell signal booster and I use that exclusively for my work computer so I am not competing with any house internet use. That has worked very well. It also has a limit before it crams down the speed but I can get through most of the month without exceeding that limit. If I do reach the limit on that, I just use my phone hotspot to get through the last few days before it resets. I can work on the lower speed but if I'm sending emails with lots of pdf attachments, it can freeze up my computer, plus my video calls don't work great once the limit is reached.

In addition to my dvds, I do a lot of workouts from YouTube. Most of the month, when we are below our GB limit, they stream fine. Once we hit our limit, I switch to streaming on my IPAD using 4G/LTE.

Our electric coop has been sending out notices that we'll all have fiber within five years and my husband is counting down the months already! But overall, we've made this work much better than I thought we would, with some work arounds, so don't give up!

Thank you so much. That gives me some kind of hope that we may be able to do this at some point.

frogribbit · 05-12-21, 10:07 AM

Something to keep in mind is if you work remotely using a VPN to access your company network it won't work well if you have to hotspot. Anyway that has been my experience. VPN's don't like any packet loss which you will sometimes get with hotspotting (aka small interruptions in data transmission).

I was finally able to get AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet (uses an outside antenna + inside router) and it's been heaven.

Vintage VFer · 05-12-21, 10:33 AM

We live in the sticks and have had Hughes.net for years. Streaming doesn't go very well. It stops and starts or just doesn't even load.

I usually download any workouts or movies, put them on my iPad/iPhone and then hook that device up to my TV.

I am able to stream fairly well on my iPhone (AT&T) or my iPad (Verizon). But even that can be problematic sometimes...

IceQueen07 · 05-12-21, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogribbit

Something to keep in mind is if you work remotely using a VPN to access your company network it won't work well if you have to hotspot. Anyway that has been my experience. VPN's don't like any packet loss which you will sometimes get with hotspotting (aka small interruptions in data transmission).

I was finally able to get AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet (uses an outside antenna + inside router) and it's been heaven.

Thanks for that information, yes I have to access using a VPN.

Demeris · 05-12-21, 03:01 PM

OK, so I went with T-Mobile's Gateway, which is an internet device. I don't know what to call it, maybe modem/router thingy.

It's about the size of a liter of coffee beans, a brushed-silver canister. It took about five minutes to set it up, and I've had no trouble with it, since then. It streams movies just fine. I've been using it to stream spotify almost non-stop since Saturday (It took them less than two days to get the device to me).

It beats Exede/Viasat hands down, and only 50$ a month, as opposed to the $110 I had been paying. So now my phone bill and my internet are still less than my former internet bill had been.

I do have to send some components back to Exede, which means I have to climb up on the roof with a wrench. Wish me luck.

Anyway, this is better than a hotspot and better than satellite internet.

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05-06-21, 03:55 PM
Demeris Join Date: Dec 2006	I just got off NextDoor where there was a long discussion about the different internet companies available out here in the vast desert wastelands (not really wastelands, but you know what I mean). I read some VERY GOOD THINGS about T-Mobile. I switched my phone service over to T-Mobile about a year ago. I checked with the T-Mobile website, and it claims my address if eligible for their WiFi service. On NextDoor, one person wrote that she had internet from T-Mobile through a device, and it was unlimited GBs for 50$. Another person wrote that she used her phone as a hotspot all the time, and it was something like 45 dollars a month. I'm going to investigate because I'm paying 110$ a month to Exede/Viasat, with limited GB use. If I can drop my bill AND get unlimited GBs, I'm switching.

05-06-21, 05:06 PM
IceQueen07 Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Texas	I did hear about Viast, but figured it would be like Hughesnet. The first question I ask when we see a house we like is if they have internet - who would have thought. __________________ Candice

05-07-21, 09:06 AM
BigBadBetty Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Madison, WI, USA	When you look at cell phone plans, unlimited may not be unlimited. You need to read the fine print. Some with slow your speed down after a certain limit. Here is an article that explains more: https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/31/2...thering-limits

05-12-21, 10:07 AM
frogribbit VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kansas	Something to keep in mind is if you work remotely using a VPN to access your company network it won't work well if you have to hotspot. Anyway that has been my experience. VPN's don't like any packet loss which you will sometimes get with hotspotting (aka small interruptions in data transmission). I was finally able to get AT&T Fixed Wireless Internet (uses an outside antenna + inside router) and it's been heaven.

05-12-21, 10:33 AM
Vintage VFer VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001	We live in the sticks and have had Hughes.net for years. Streaming doesn't go very well. It stops and starts or just doesn't even load. I usually download any workouts or movies, put them on my iPad/iPhone and then hook that device up to my TV. I am able to stream fairly well on my iPhone (AT&T) or my iPad (Verizon). But even that can be problematic sometimes... __________________ Goal:250 / Done:91 POSTURE CHECK!

05-12-21, 03:01 PM
Demeris Join Date: Dec 2006	OK, so I went with T-Mobile's Gateway, which is an internet device. I don't know what to call it, maybe modem/router thingy. It's about the size of a liter of coffee beans, a brushed-silver canister. It took about five minutes to set it up, and I've had no trouble with it, since then. It streams movies just fine. I've been using it to stream spotify almost non-stop since Saturday (It took them less than two days to get the device to me). It beats Exede/Viasat hands down, and only 50$ a month, as opposed to the $110 I had been paying. So now my phone bill and my internet are still less than my former internet bill had been. I do have to send some components back to Exede, which means I have to climb up on the roof with a wrench. Wish me luck. Anyway, this is better than a hotspot and better than satellite internet.