Upload speed/Proxy issues with Starband

[scotpgot]

First to give some background - I will to be as brief and accurate as possible.

The installers here are basically fly-by-night. The guy that "installed" our system really just sells them, and drags along a tech with him to point the dish. I don't know where he got the settings from or if he called CVACS or not. I had a problem a little while ago with a Java chatroom which in the end was fixed when I told my browser to go through the proxy server (which the "installer" did not know about).

For the current problem, we had a different tech out who changed the cables, the connectors, checked the signal strength, then called a buddy of his to charge $65/hr. to give us "tech support" over the phone. After an hour he said we would have to send him the modem because it had to be "reconfigured" (reformatted? rebooted? reprogrammed?...something) for the Caribbean and it was currently a "U.S. modem". Somebody ELSE I talked to who does installations for a living said they had never HEARD of a "Caribbean" or "U.S." modem.

So here is my problem: I intermittently receive the error message (in Firefox) "The Proxy Server is Refusing Connections". Also, upload speed is EXTREMELY slow or non-existent. (For instance, I go to various forums such as this one and when I try to post, about 80% of the time it simply does not go through.) I have gone to speedtest.net and the speakeasy speedtest site and if the test can be completed at all, it shows a max. upload speed of 30 kbps. Resetting the modem through the SkyManage page seems to help, but only temporarily. It does not help AT ALL with the upload speed, only with the proxy error message.

The download speed is excellent (near 1500 kbps). The signal strength remains around 8.5-8.6 consistently. Others who have the same modem (a Gilat, I'm sorry I don't remember the model, but I can find out) are having no problems in the same area.

I was told by the tech that was here that I am on AMC9 (but I don't know how he found out that information or if it is accurate).

I have a feeling that the config on the "Installation" page from within SkyManage is not correct.

Any advice or a link to where I can find the correct config for my area (North coast of the Dominican Republic) and satellite, would be GREATLY appreciated, as I am getting rather frustrated.

Thanks.

[Robert]

Why are you going via a proxy server? What are the proxy details? Maybe we could test using your proxy info.

[scotpgot]

Starband always uses a proxy. It's part of the set up procedure.

The proxy info. is as follow: 148.78.135.93 on port 9877.

Thanks.

I have also read through THIS but didn't find anything useful (maybe someone else would).

[Chip]

If I understand the upload speed is advertised as 128k, correct? This is already bordeline acceptable imo, and degradation caused by whatever factor could easily drop it below 100.

When satellite offers more that 500 up and down I will consider it, until then, no.

[scotpgot]

With the current package, upload speed is supposed to have a max of 256 (download 1500).

[Chris]

scotpgot, we've raised an enquiry with Starband. We should be able to give you technically correct information in the next 24 hours or so. They are working on your issue. It is not an easy one as I explained to you. There could be three problems and most of them have to do with inexperienced and monkey-see-monkey-do type installations.

Chip, satellite easily offers above 500 up and down .. it is expensive bandwidth compared with terrestrial. But correctly installed and pointed, very reliable (depending on the bandwidth provider - we've had our fun and games in this business with providers going black overnight and costing everyone a wack of money).

[scotpgot]

Thanks, Chris.

From what I've been reading trying to research this, Starband does appear to be very reliable (including lower latency/ping times, which is impressive for a sat system).

[Chris]

Yes, but something is wrong in your corner of the world. We'll find out what it is.