I don't think it really matters which way the device itself faces, similar to it not really mattering in which direction a router faces for the WiFi signal.
Just as long as it's placed halfway between the HughesNet modem and the dead or weak spot you're trying to extend the WiFi signal toward.
Ryzen 5 3400G | MSI B450M Pro-M2 MAX | 16GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4 3000 | XPG SX8200 Pro 512GB NVMe | Windows 10 Pro
