What is VSAT Technology?

A number of conventional Internet service providers are known to use cables to distribute their bandwidth to their clients within areas that already have the existing cable infrastructure. As much as the cable technology has proved very convenient for many situations, there are situations however that may not be very conducive for the use of these common Internet connections through cables. It is in such settings that the use of VSAT technology comes in handy.

VSAT – Very Small Aperture Terminal:

The VSAT technology simply translates into (Very Small Aperture Terminal) in which a small earth terminal and an antenna are configured to transmit signals from the earth to the satellite. The entire process and management of signals from the earth to the satellite is managed and commandeered from an established point known as the master earth station. To make a long story short, VSAT technology can transmit packets from the satellite to any location on earth where the master earth station can exchange signals successfully. This technology should therefore come in very handy in secluded areas such as open deserts and country sides where there are no cable lines to provide DSL or cable Internet connections.

How does VSAT connect small offices and homes to the Internet?

The process of connecting small offices and homes using VSAT technology is not as complicated as many may think, the first step is to get the relevant equipment which include the 1.8 meter outdoor unit also commonly referred to as a satellite dish, the indoor unit or IDU from where the link can be connected to a PBX, a terminal controller or LAN switch which will enable connections to other smaller gadgets such as fax machines, computers among other appliances.

Once the equipment is put in place and duly configured to communicate to the master earth station from where all maintenance and management will be carried out, all it takes for the engineers at the master earth station to activate your link and give you an IP address and you should be up and running.

Advantages of VSAT:

Looking at the technology through which VSAT enable satellite Internet connections, it would be accurate to state that VSAT technology gives an easier to maintain means of Internet connectivity in addition to its ability to connect in the remotest of places. Trouble shooting of network problems has never been any simpler in all the other forms of Internet connections thanks to the direct link between the satellite and the master earth station which reduces the intermediaries as are common with other terrestrial cable connections.