How Does Satellite Internet Work?

Companies and individual households will often turn to satellite internet services because:

• It is available in places where mobile networks are patchy.
• It is a fail-safe option that backs up a fixed-line connection to ensure continuity of service.
• It works just as well in rural locations miles from a telephone exchange as it does in city centres.

How does it do this? Well, the simplest answer is that it bypasses the telephone network entirely. Unlike fixed-line broadband services, which rely on a physical connection, satellite internet beams data from homes and business premises up into space. A geostationary satellite then receives the communication and relays it back to Earth, from where it can be sent to its intended recipient. This means you can get satellite internet in all types of locations in the UK, even in some of the remotest places of the British Isles. Although adverse weather can affect satellite internet, all that will happen is that the signal strength is weakened temporarily. Secure connectivity is still maintained. Compare that to your phone line coming down or your fibre-optic connection being damaged by water!

Note that satellite broadband only began in Europe in 2012 when Eutelsat became the first satellite provider in Europe to provide this sort of connectivity. This satellite has since proven itself in 15 countries, including the UK, where the entire country is covered by its scope. This satellite might be 24,000 miles above us in the sky but it provides high-speed internet services day and night!

The following three pieces of equipment are needed for satellite internet to work:

• A broadband-enabled satellite orbiting the Earth.
• A satellite internet dish with transceiver located at the property that will be connected.
• A satellite internet router, preferably Wi-Fi enabled so conventional devices can communicate with the dish.

Let's take a more detailed look at the two pieces of equipment that you'll need in your home or place of work.

The Satellite Internet Dish

Anyone who has ever watched satellite TV will understand what a satellite internet dish is doing. It is effectively a transceiver that relays information back and forth from the satellite it is pointing towards. This way, both uploaded and downloaded data can be sent to and from the satellite just like a conventional, fixed-line connection would.

The Satellite Internet WiFi Router

The other piece of equipment you will need to be installed at your property is a satellite internet router. Just like a router that connects to a phone line, this piece of equipment ensures that data is encrypted before it is sent out and means the signal from the dish cannot be scanned or read in some way. What's more, the satellite internet router will provide you with a WiFi service so your wireless devices can connect to it. Again, security is crucial here because only devices with the correct password stored in them are afforded access. Those without are not.

There are plenty more questions you might have about the way satellite internet works. A common one is whether satellite internet is secure and another is what sort of speeds you can expect from it. At Konnect, we try to make it as easy as possible for everyone. That's one reason why we provide a professional installation of the dish and WiFi router to all new clients free of charge.

Want to know how to connect to satellite internet once your equipment has been fitted? If so, check out our FAQ section or give us a call! We'll walk you through the process.