| Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay away Warning, do not waste your money on Direcway Satellite Internet Service. It is absolutely pitifully slow and the service is horrible. The Satellite Service is not as fast as Dial Up. It can easily be shown to be much slower than almost any dialup service.
We have made several calls to Direcway, and have gotten no help over the past year. We signed a contract (massive mistake)with Direcway Satellite internet service and it is about half as fast as our old dial up. We cannot get anyone to help and we are paying $100 a month, which is now going to stop. Direcway takes about 45 seconds to one minute to send a 5 line email. I think others should be protected from the false ads and super poor service. Lest it be thought that we don’t understand computers or connections, we have an online company with several computer techs and we are not computer illiterate but we know what we are doing. We have T-1 service at the office but at home all we have is Dial Up which is faster than the Direcway mess. After they got my money, no one a Direcway cares whether my service works or not. Please if you can go any other way, do not waste your time and money on this joke for internet service. Please feel free to email me at BroBobbyB@aol.com to verify these problems but don't let them have your money.
Thanks,
Dr Bob |
|
| Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay I can understand your frustration but your "facts" are not really correct. First, you mention sending emails. That is certainly not a forte for satellite internet. Upload speeds are not very good on the normal satellite internet and the latency caused by the signal having to travel 22,000 miles up to the satellite and then back to earth make it feel very sluggish.
Downloads are a different issue. Your dialup connection is limited to 54kbps. DirecWay download speeds vary based on many factors but it is very unusual to not be able to download at speeds in excess of 150-200kbps, more typically 300-400kbps, and at times 1,000kbps. Again there is a latency issue but a large file download will come down at 3-20+ times as fast as dialup. I have had dialup connections drop out after hours of trying to download Microsoft updates. Those same updates take minutes with my DirecWay.
It depends on your use whether it is SIMILAR to dialup (emails) or FASTER than dialup (basic surfing) or MUCH MUCH FASTER than dialup (large file downloads). Unrealistic expectations (frequently caused by DirecWay advertising and dealers) are the biggest problem. If you have true broadband options, take them. If your choice is dialup or DirecWay, DirecWay wins hands down.
--
SRS, DataStorm mobile, 117, 1050MHz, .18 gateway, 4.2.1.10 SP A10, XP Home Host, Clients XP Home and Win98SE |
|
| warning , you shouldn't assume its direcway's fault . Direcway is WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYyy faster than dial-up my friend , if you are even close to dial-up speed , something is very wrong . no way would I give up my dish for dial
:::.. Download Stats ..:::
Connection is:: 1003 Kbps about 1 Mbps (tested with 579 KB)
Download Speed is:: 122 KB/s
Tested From:: »www.testmy.net/
Test Time:: Fri Feb 25 2005 06:15:26 GMT-0600 (Central Standard Time)
Bottom Line:: 18X faster than 56K 1MB download in 8.39 sec
Diagnosis: Awesome! 20% + : 23.67 % faster than the average for host (direcpc.com)
Validation Link:: »testmy.net/id-RTXQ238ZE
--
Windows ME;DW6000 into D-link DSS-5+ switch; Satmex 5 ;117 west;1130MHZ Have you hugged your horse today |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay away I'm thinking you have been FAPped for a year!
compared to my 21,600 dial-up, Direcway is GREAT! |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay Hey, Unhappybuyer. I'll presume to answer for the mods and say welcome to the forum.
I'd have to say that I'm very happy with my DirecWay. Had it for almost 8 months now. My downloads range in the 700-900kbps range and my uploads are in the 70kbps range pretty consistently.
This is a help forum, and I don't recall in the past few months seeing your name appear, though it may have.
Let all of the good people of the forum see if we can help. Since you've already sunk the investment, what do you have to lose? MOST people's problems are related to poor/incorrect installations.
Give us some specifics. What DirecWay plan are you on? Sounds like the "SOHO", or Small Office, Home Office plan.
Who is your provider? DirecWay or what's called a VAR (value-added retailer)
You do have the round, 0.98 dish, correct?
Is your dish pole mounted or roof, wall mounted?
Is your system properly grounded?
Do you have the DW6000 (blue) modem, or a DW4000?
What part of the country do you live in?
What satellite and transponder are you on?
What is your receive signal strength?
What is your cross-pol strength?
Have you logged onto mydirecway.com and checked your usage page? If you have a virus or trojan or a "dialer" you could actually be FAP'd and not know it. Checking your usage can help.
The answers to these questions will be a good start in helping the folks on this forum help you. Give us a shot.
--
DW6000, DirecWay Small Business, Galaxy 4R 99W, trans 1202, 3PC network, WinXP/2000/98, LinkSys WRT54GS |
|
| I think he is on that CE deal, paying 99 a month for service and equipment |
|
 grohgregDunno. Ask The Chief
join:2001-07-05
Dawson Springs, KY
1 edit | reply to UnHappyBuyer
Well Dr Bob,
It's too bad you didn't come to this forum for your "help over the last year". We probably could have changed your entire attitude about the service, by offering the simple suggestion to have your antenna angles optimized. What you describe is very very common; and is very very likely to be occurring as a result of poor transmitter isolation. If so, your problem could easily have been fixed in one visit from a competent installer.
Edit: Unless that's a throwaway, you might want to consider removing the email address from your opening post. Spam bots are everywhere.
//greg// |
|
|
|
| reply to adams_aj
Good morning,
I have had direct since December 2004, since that time I have had little or no service most of the time...and when I did have service it was poor to say the least... I have the D-6000 easy as pie to set up...I even disconnected my router to see if that was the problem.
I have made many phone calls to service..I have a list of ticket numbers. the folks from India are very polite and takes you each time through their test procedures.
but when I call customer service for compensation..because Direcway bills your credit card with no problems. the very rude woman tells me there was nothing she could do until the service was restored...well guess what the service is still broken...the folks are rude to say the least..frankly I just got feed-up. I have called so many time I was just plain tied..I canceled the service..they took $300.00 of of my account and ...mind you this wasn't even according to their billing cycle.
Yesterday, I get a UPS package telling use to pack uop everything and at our cost send it back.
I am on a letter writing campaign..to NY state attorney general, Direct Way Home Office and anywhere else I can get some attention.
"TELL ME DIRECT WAY HAS RECEIVED THEIR OVER $500.00 FROM ME AND I HAVE MAYBE HAD 40 HOURS OF ACTUALLY INTERNET SERVICE" |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Sorry you had problems, Ruby. The fact that the DW6000 is easy to setup, shouldn't be confused with the installation and setup of the dish itself. Most peoples' problems relate to incorrect/poor installation. It is a sad fact of life that you have to know more than the installer themselves, as fact that many of us only find out AFTER they've left.
Hope you were able to get as much back as you could, and that at least give you some satisfaction.
Have you tried using this forum to help you check and tune your installation in the past? I also don't recall seeing your name on a post, but it may have been there.
--
DW6000, DirecWay Small Business, Galaxy 4R 99W, trans 1202, 3PC network, WinXP/2000/98, LinkSys WRT54GS |
|
| Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Disco Adam,
I closed my account with direcway internet....most likely you are right ..the installation could have been the problem. When I first called for service we even had problems with the installers...
Let me add this..to date this company has taken their money each month, I have yet to receive any written information or contract.
I asked to have an installer return that was over 2 weeks ago..last Friday I called once again because had not heard from the anyone. I have called this company 6 times about lack of service since Dec 28...Last Fri...I reached my limit..you would think that being a new customer and having called their service department that many times..a red flag would go up and someone from Hughes would follow-up, nope didn't happen. I could even get to a supervisor..I am still livid..
As far as I'm concerned Hughes is in breach of their contract with me and my husband and I want all my money back. Further I even called their corporate office and left a voice mail with the so called customer service manager (I did not get this information from direcway internet) to date I have not received a call back.
I live in the Adirondack area..this company has cornered a market .and seems to have no regard for their customers..its all about the money.
I am writing to the FCC, The attorney general's office and Hughes, and the better business bureau.
In closing we are long time direct TV customers..great service...and our experience with customer service is positive.
I need high speed broad band connection...I work at home a lot.. I thought my problems were solved..the nightmare seems now to be ongoing.
Thanks. |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay away Brobobby- Yes direcway sucks. Most of the people here just wont admit it. Some of them actually work for dway, that is why they can actually defend a company with business practices like they have. Wait until you see their better business file! Just call your credit card co. and get ALL your money back! All of it! Tell them you will see them in court. Copy all the cases you can find here and at other sites. They do not stand a chance!
1 KB is not broadband! Start there! |
|
 dbirdmanPremium,MVM
join:2003-07-07
usa
kudos:5 | reply to UnHappyBuyer
As powerhog said on the other thread: "C'mon, would anyone who "knows what they are doing" actually use AOL?"
I had similar thoughts. Has anyone here ever had to trouble-shoot satellite connection problems on a computer infected with AOL? It can be mind-twisting, at best.
--
XP Pro | G11 | 1350 | 6000 Small Office | Datastorm Mobile |
|
 wolfridgePremium
join:2003-03-01
Manson Creek, BC | reply to UnHappyBuyer
I would think that this qualifies as a rant since no one is asking for help. |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay I was trying up above, to elicit some information from the original post creator, in an effort to help them. Since they have provided no information with which we can help them, I can only assume that this is indeed a rant and should be locked, unless unhappybuyer kicks back with something we can use to help them.
--
DW6000, DirecWay Small Business, Galaxy 4R 99W, trans 1202, 3PC network, WinXP/2000/98, LinkSys WRT54GS |
|
 vobguyA fool with a tool is still a foolPremium
join:2003-01-21
Mineral, VA | reply to wolfridge
Yes.. one almost wonders if they work for wildblue or something.. the best time to ask questions about and research a service like Direcway is BEFORE you sign on the dotted line.
Information similar to what he claims to have experienced is posted on this site every day. Except with actual technical details.
Using an AOL email address is not a great way to bolster a claim of being highly tech-savvy. However it might be a way to harvest a few email addresses for potential customers of whatever "service" they provide.
And what is with the plural "we" that "Dr" Bob uses to refer to himself? Don't most people refer to themselves as "I"? Just a ranting troll, most likely.
--
Sun Ultra-5 Solaris 2.7; Dell Inspiron 2.66 GHz 512M RAM 32M Video 4x bus Windows XP Pro; IBM Thinkpad T20 700 MHz 384M RAM Windows 2000 Pro; ICS Host 500 MHz Gateway 128M Ram Windows 98SE; SMC barricade router (DHCP off), Orinoco gold cards for laptops |
|
Max48Former Gatekeeper Developer
join:2004-11-15
Ottawa, ON | reply to UnHappyBuyer
The only way to get a good service from Direcway is to be important to them. Which means you pretty much need Small Office / Home Office to be considered a human being. |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay away Hi, folks,
Any tips on installing Direcway Satellite Broadband? We are moving to Malibu, California's most rural area, with a big south-facing horizon from our mountain deck, about a mile up from the ocean. I have heard horrible things about satellite broadband, but we have no choice -- there's no DSL or cable up there. (We aren't complaining.) We are going from a three mbkps cable line, CHARTER, here in south Malibu, that it blazingly fast, so I am fully prepared to commit ritual seppuku over the slower speed == but I feel it's going to be better than dial up.
I will be using the satellite to send and recieve lots of e-mail attachments and files -- and from what I hear in this forum that's gonna really suck. I also teach an interactive class on line -- I gues that's gonna suck, too, huh?
I'd love to hear from anybody about any of the above topics.
I'm even worried that being so close to the Pacific means that the satellite 'beam down' will be partly, since we're clearly on a border.
Thanks, guys! |
|
dbirdmanPremium,MVM
join:2003-07-07
usa
kudos:5 | Peter67, the way to be a (reasonably) satisfied Direcway customer is to have a) no real broadband choice and b) not have overly high expectations. Sounds like you are on the right track in both cases.
For those times when I'm in my office I have a T-1, but I spend about 50% of my time out-and-about seeing this country in a motorhome, and mobile satellite is the only thing that can connect anywhere that a tree doesn't block it.
I oversee a business where I don't handle day-to-day stuff anymore, but I maintain all the software, maintain the servers, and handle all website issues. I spend a lot of time on remote desktops.
I spent a year on regular Direcway service and when enhanced upload services became available in mid-2003 I jumped on them even with a cost of $200 per month. A year later, the same service is $100 month, which doesn't make me unhappy. You sound like a possible candidate for such service, which will require a .98 meter dish (round, .98 meters in diameter) rather than a standard .74 meter (oblong 1 meter by 2/3 meter) dish. Look into the Small Office service, as it is called, before you jump.
--
XP Pro | G11 | 1350 | 6000 Small Office | Datastorm Mobile |
|
| reply to UnHappyBuyer
Re: Direcway Satelitte Internet is Horrible! Stay 1. It sounds to me like the OP has not availed himself of "help" questions here on BBR.
2. If you don't like DWay, try Starband.net, a friend of mine is quite pleased with their service after a year.
3. If it's slower than dialup, get dialup. It'll be faster!  |
|
Rob850
join:2003-04-11
Mary Esther, FL | Ruby.. Also try to report them to here:
»www.badbusinessbureau.com/
I can't believe you spoke with a rude operator! I hope you took her name or number down and reported her sorry little ass.
Rob
»www.robfwb.com - the chat room IS open (come on down and join us) |
|
