HughesNet is a HUGE ripoff

[billmiller]

Extreamly disappointed in HughesNet.  Run through data in very short time even when devices are turned off.  Now we just unplug our modem when not in use.  Netflix buffered as many as 19 times in an hour further using up data.  Even tried viewing at 2 am but still buffered.  Have been away from home and out of state with devices turned off and still used data.  Made multiple tech support phone calls and even had technician come to our house and gave no helpful advice as to what to do to improve service.  Do not think we will be keeping HughesNet much longer and will advise all our friends and family not to try this service.

[maratsade]

If data is being lost, then something's still eating data. You may want to see what that is, so you can plug the hole.

You can leave Hughesnet at any time, but if you're still under contract, you will have to pay an early termination fee.

[GabeU]

@billmiller

The problem isn't with HughesNet.  The problem is that one or more of your devices is using data without you being aware of it.  Dropping HughesNet for another ISP isn't going to fix your issue, unless the new ISP is unlimited, or has a significantly higher data cap, though if that were available you most likely wouldn't have HughesNet in the first place.  

Many devices can still use data while they're off, because they're not really off, but in standby, and still connected.  Satellite TV receivers, whose connection to HughesNet is advised against, is a perfect example.  

Glasswire can help with monitoring data usage on Windows based devices, and it can tell you just what is using data on said devices, as well.  It only monitors the device it is installed on.  It's free.  

The following two threads may also help....

https://community.hughesnet.com/t5/Tech-Support/Understanding-data-usage-data-loss-and-connection-pa...

https://community.hughesnet.com/t5/Tech-Support/HughesNet-Data-Management-Tips-n-Tricks-How-To-Elimi...

As for buffering with Netflix, if you were trying to stream in HD make sure to turn off, or pause, the Video Data Saver.  Keep in mind that HD streaming with Netflix can use around 3GB per hour.  Changing the definition to SD, or even LD, may very well help, as well as saving you a lot of data.  

Lastly, right at 2:00AM is not a very good time to try to do anything data intensive, generally, as everyone else is trying to do the same thing at 2:00AM, slowing the system.  It's about the only time in the entire 24 hour day that you can bank on there being a slowdown at that exact time.  

Edit:  There seems to be an issue with the Video Data Saver info page at present.  The info is missing.  To give a quick idea, when the VDS is on, which is the default setting, the system throttles the speed of any streaming in order to save data.  It throttles the speed to such that is amenable to SD streaming, but it will most likely be too slow for HD streaming, which will cause buffering.  You can turn it off, or pause it for four hours, so that the service is no longer throttling the speed while streaming.  I usually choose the latter so that I don't have to remember to turn it back on after I finish watching an HD video, as I normally watch videos in SD (480p) to save data.  

[BirdDog]

@billmiller please go here and set to low definition or at least medium. You may be surprised, low setting looks bad for the first couple minutes but then turns pretty decent after.

https://www.netflix.com/HdToggle