Satellite Wifi Hotspot

JMSOG · July 21, 2019

This is probably a stupid question, but I am very unfamiliar.

I am my family's tech guy, and they normally turn to me to find the best version of X item for anything they need (keyboards, screens, laptops, etc).

They have asked me to find what they call a "satellite wifi hotspot". Something which connects "to a satellite", "not a phone network", and generates wifi that can handle two devices.

I have no idea what they are talking about, but they are describing this device like they have seen it before. I am not sure what to call this device, and don't know what to look for. Asking y'all seems easier.

What is this device? does it work the way it's being described to me? is there a brand that makes the "best" one? What price am I looking at here?

Thanks!

Lurick · July 21, 2019

Are they sure they aren't talking about a 4G mobile hotspot?

There are satellite based hotspots, that connect to the satellites in the sky (obviously), but you're looking at anywhere from $500+ and data rates somewhere in the mid-tens to low hundred kbps.

JMSOG · July 21, 2019

It sounded a lot like a 4g hotspot, which was what I initially thought. It took a while, but I confirmed that that is not the case: They've been in places where there is no network coverage for their phone, which is i think why they are looking for this thing.

And that's about what I expected as well. the performance is not going to be super great, which i will probably need to communicate to them. Is there a particular model or brand that you're aware of that tends to be more reliable?

Lurick · July 21, 2019

Just now, JMSOG said:

It sounded a lot like a 4g hotspot, which was what I initially thought. It took a while, but I confirmed that that is not the case: They've been in places where there is no network coverage for their phone, which is i think why they are looking for this thing.

And that's about what I expected as well. the performance is not going to be super great, which i will probably need to communicate to them. Is there a particular model or brand that you're aware of that tends to be more reliable?

Not really, I haven't dealt with that stuff at all myself. I did find this site:

https://satellitephonestore.com/catalog/sale/wifi-satellite-hotspot

I'm not sure, but I assume, that you'll also need a plan of some sort as well to go with these, so that's an added cost and I'm not even sure where to look to get an idea of those.

Donut417 · July 21, 2019

2 hours ago, JMSOG said:

This is probably a stupid question, but I am very unfamiliar.

I am my family's tech guy, and they normally turn to me to find the best version of X item for anything they need (keyboards, screens, laptops, etc).

They have asked me to find what they call a "satellite wifi hotspot". Something which connects "to a satellite", "not a phone network", and generates wifi that can handle two devices.

I have no idea what they are talking about, but they are describing this device like they have seen it before. I am not sure what to call this device, and don't know what to look for. Asking y'all seems easier.

What is this device? does it work the way it's being described to me? is there a brand that makes the "best" one? What price am I looking at here?

Thanks!

I have very limited knowledge of Satellite internet. HOWEVER most of what I have read and seen, its a fixed service. Meaning you get a dish that is professionally installed and pointed at a point in the sky where the Satellite(s) should be located. Then a cable from that dish is connected to a gateway(modem/WiFi router). I look at the link that @Lurick posted, the speeds are not great. Im guessing due to the small ass antenna's these devices use.

What are you using this service for? That will help determine what you need.