How Does Satellite Broadband 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 the continuity of service.
• It works just as well in rural areas far away from a telephone exchange as 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 gets sent to the intended recipient. That means you can get satellite internet throughout Ireland, even in some of the most remote communities. Although adverse weather can affect satellite internet, all that happens is that the signal strength temporarily weakens. Secure connectivity remains unaffected. Compare that to your phone line crashing or your fibre-optic connection becoming 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 Ireland, where it covers the entire scope of the country. Although the satellite signals travel 70,000 kilometres to provide you with coverage, it still offers high-speed internet access day and night!

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

• A broadband-enabled satellite in orbit around Earth that transmits signals.
• A satellite internet dish with a transceiver installed on-site at the property location.
• A satellite internet router, preferably a Wi-Fi-enabled unit, so conventional devices can communicate with the satellite dish.

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

A Satellite Internet Dish

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

A Satellite Internet Wi-Fi Router

Another item you will need to install on your property is a satellite internet router. 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 somehow. What's more, the satellite internet router will provide you with a Wi-Fi signal so that your wireless devices can connect to it. Again, security is crucial because only devices with the correct password can access the network. Those lacking proper credentials will not have access.

There are plenty more questions you might have about how satellite internet works. A common one is whether satellite internet is secure, and another is what sort of speed you can expect from it. At Konnect, we try to make it easy for everyone to use. That's one of the reasons why we offer professional dish installation and a Wi-Fi router to all new clients at no charge.

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