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Intermittent upload speed woes

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Shadowed
Freshman

Intermittent upload speed woes

Been using Hughes Net satellite internet for about 14 months now. I use the 10GB data plan. I mainly use it for uploading files and streaming my screen to someone. I use my DSL for everything else.

 

For the past week, my satellite upload speed has deteriorated significantly. Sharing my screen is now impossible even at 360p. I used to do 720p20fps and even with the 10gb data cap used up, it worked fine at 1500kbps.

The issue seems to be where my upload rate suddenly drops to 0. It will then pick back up to 1.5mbps, but struggle before dropping back to 0. If my upload hits 0, my download is also at 0. I have tried 2 different PC's. Windows and MacOS. Both on ethernet and wireless.

 

Even sharing at 360p10fps at 600kbps is not possible anymore. I currently have ample data in my data plan and it still isn't possible. I have around an 80% signal strength on sunny days.

 

I called tech support and they are not seeing any issues on my end. Since my download rate is good, they are not able to send a technician out. I have already replaced the modem. I am not sure what to do. They said the maximum file limit for upload is 10MB and since I want to use more than that, I am OOL. I have been streaming my screen, remoting into PC's (and remoting into this PC) on satellite for over a year now. It always worked great and the satellite bitrate was very stable capped at 1500kbps. For the past week it has been doing this.

 

Edit: Solution below. TLDR: Dish was on a roof of a small shed. Moved to a pole with a cement base. Problem solved!

13 REPLIES 13
MarkJFine
Professor

Are you sure the problem isn't somewhere in the path between you and where you're sharing your screen.

For example, it could be a slowdown at their server?


* Disclaimer: I am a HughesNet customer and not a HughesNet employee. All of my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent HughesNet in any way.

I am getting this problem on everything upload related. Even uploading a video/archive I am seeing 0 kbps for up to 30s-60s before it starts to pick back up. This causes internet drop outs every few seconds. I am trying to figure out how to word this properly so I can get some help. They are adamant that I need download issues for a tech to come.

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@Shadowed 

 

When the reps are back I'm sure they'll start the process of helping to figure out what may be going on.  They're on M-F from approximately 9AM to 5PM EST.  Though it can take them a day or two to do so, they'll likely reply on Monday. 

Hello @Shadowed,

 

 

Thank you for posting and welcome to the community. After running diagnostics, it does appear that your equipment is fully operational and your speeds are adequate for your plan. Since there were no apparent equipment issues to troubleshoot, it was recommended by our advance technical department that you call back in between the hours of 9 AM to 5 PM EST, to speak with our HTS department. I am confident they will be able to determine the issue and provide information. 

 

-Damian 

I sure hope they can help. I spent $70 on their Home Tech Support as well and the tech got to see my problem by remoting into my PC. Since they don't actually work for Hughes Net they couldn't helpm

 

Well jeez. Going on week 2 of not having satellite. Getting really worried this is not getting resolved. Every tech at Hughes Net says I don't have an issue yet I obvously do.

 

Satellite loses download and upload entirely for 30 seconds every 1m of uploading.

 

Gonna call again later today but I am really losing patience. Have spent nearly 12 hours on the phone now going in circles.

EDIT: Satellite working for nearly 1 hour so far! Looks like I may be wrong about this not getting resolved! Will update after 12 hours of use.

Edit 2: Satellite died again right after posting. worked for an hour nearly. It worked flawlessly for about 50 minutes. Then it started to degrade, then it hits 0 kbps and internet dies for about 30 seconds. Cycle will repeat until any form of upload use stops. Upload tests that are small file sizes do not reveal any problems. Problem begins once uploading data at any bitrate for prolonged time. I wanna share my screen and start uploading my files again. Hughes Net was the only way I could do that.

 

@Shadowed,

 

I'm sorry to hear the issue is still continuing. I see our representatives have now issued out a technician to check the equipment for any underlying issues. The dish shows a not so great alignment that could be causing this problem. In very rare cases, an issue may arise that cannot necessarily be determined by remote diagnostics. If this is your case, the technician should be able to resolve or improve this, especially since it was able to work before.  

 

-Damian 

 

 

 

 

First technician visit replaced the radio reciever. No resolution. The second visit replaced the dish entirely(today). Seeing sustained upload speeds again!  Uploading at a sustained 1.1-1.3mbps on a cloudy day with 91% signal strength. Zero drops, just smooth constant speed!

 

Very happy this is fixed! Am sharing my screen on Discord with a friend right now for testing.

 

 

GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@Shadowed 

 

Though it doesn't really matter at this point, and I only ask out of curiosity, are there trees or any other woody type foliage nearby where a branch or something could have come off of a tree during a storm and hit the dish to knock it out of shape?  I know that a warped or dented dish, even when it's only a slight amount, can play havoc with things.

The original dish was placed on top of a shed roof. House is on top of a hill, so trees are below horizon.

 

They were thinking the dish may have been moving out of position on the roof.

 

New dish is on a cemented pole in my yard.

Second person I've heard today who has been moved from a roof mount to a pole mount with a lot of success.

 

Can't emphasize enough that anything mounted to a structure other than a pole in cement is bound to shift out of alignment: Houses constantly settle and shift, wooden sheds constantly heat up and warp. The alignment for two-way satellite is extremely critical.

 

Pole mounts are generally the best, most stable option as long as no one backs into it or some silly thing happens like a tree falls on it. Plus, you can walk outside and wipe the snow off it in the winter.

 

It may make you look like you're part of the deep state's intel operations, but it's well worth it. <- that may have needed a tin hat/sarcasm/raised eyebrow font.


* Disclaimer: I am a HughesNet customer and not a HughesNet employee. All of my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent HughesNet in any way.
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@MarkJFine 

 

I just had my DirecTV dish moved from my roof to a pole mount due to having a metal roof put on.  I never really had any problems with the roof mount, and the service didn't go out any more often during bad weather than my HughesNet did/does, but I did notice that my signal strength for just about all transponders got better.  Many 100s, whereas the highest prior to that was in the lower to mid 90s.  

 

Still, unlike HughesNet, DirecTV now uses an EZ Dig auger and expanding foam rather than the traditional post hole digger and concrete.  Or at least the tech did here.  It was very fast.  It's fairly sturdy, and it's in the ground at least four feet, but it's still nowhere near as sturdy as what a cement mounted pole would be, and which my 14+ year old HughesNet install still is.  I couldn't get that HughesNet installed pole to move if my life depended on it.  Well... maybe if I ran into it with the lawn tractor at full speed.  😛

Think HN is starting to use the foam now as well. At least they did in the most recent thing I saw. Might be something that's phasing by installers in as existing concrete stock depletes. Seems like something they would buy in bulk. That said, like most technical things I'm starting to get long in the tooth about, I literally know nothing about the foam.


* Disclaimer: I am a HughesNet customer and not a HughesNet employee. All of my comments are my own and do not necessarily represent HughesNet in any way.
GabeU
Distinguished Professor IV

@MarkJFine 

 

I have a feeling that they may be transitioning to it because it's quicker and easier, overall.  From the time my DTV tech started drilling the hole to the time he was able to start mounting the dish to the pole was about 25 - 30 minutes.  The foam was impressive, but it was pretty much like the expanding foam you can buy in the can, though in a bag with a hard piece of plastic down the middle, creating two pockets, each of which contained a liquid.  He removed the plastic piece to allow the two halves to mix, then poured it into the hole and around the pole.  It took about three minutes before it started expanding out of the hole, creating a blob about the size of a basketball, which I broke away about an hour later.  

 

The drilling was the neatest part, though.  Perhaps five minutes to go four feet deep.  He used this and this.  I have no doubt that an HN install would use the same, though maybe a little larger auger if they still use the larger diameter poles in comparison.  

 

Again, I think it's just for speed.  I know the DTV guys don't get paid much per job, so this probably helps to make up for it, at least a little.  Not sure about HN.  

 

_________________________________________________________________________________

 

@Shadowed 

 

Sorry for taking your thread a bit off topic.