DW6000 - ANSWERS PAGE 2

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What is Direcway broadband by satellite?

DIRECWAY is the new solution for everyone who is ready for high-speed Internet access. DIRECWAY satellite technology makes high-speed Internet available everywhere, as long as you have a clear view of the southern sky.

Is DIRECWAY a one-way or two-way system?

Today's DIRECWAY consumer service uses the DW6000 System. The DW6000 System is a two-way satellite system that allows you to send and receive information via satellite. So, there's no need for the expense of a second phone line or hassles with logging in when you want to get onto the Internet.

How fast is the DIRECWAY System?

The experience with DIRECWAY high-speed Internet is astonishing. When comparing typical activities with a dial-up service based on standard dial-up connection at 28.8Kbps, the difference in the amount of time you'll be waiting for what you want is night and day. DIRECWAY speeds are based on download speeds of up to 500Kbps, but not guaranteed.

You can download software upgrades in just minutes, versus up to an hour. There's no more waiting for Web pages to fully finish loading; they are typically done within a couple of seconds. Getting your favorite song can be done in less than the song's length rather than three times as long. As you can see this is a huge improvement.

How fast is DIRECWAY compared to other high-speed services? Aren't they faster?

Everyone's Internet technology is based on shared bandwidth, so sometimes one option will allow you to do things in less time than others. But because everyone uses shared bandwidth there's truly no definitive answer.

What is transmission latency?

Latency refers to the time it takes for signals to travel to and from the satellite. This typically creates a sub-second lag. For this reason, DIRECWAY may not be ideal for playing some "twitch-games" and time sensitive "online" trading.

Why is there a requirement that the DIRECWAY system be professionally installed?

Hughes and Industry Canada require that trained professionals install any two-way satellite system.

Can I put this system on a boat or in an RV?

See Mobile DW6000 for information on our Mobile Internet Solutions.

A DirecTV bracket can be attached to the radio arm of the Internet dish. It is easy to install.  We only sell the DirecTV bracket ($75.00), not the service. [Cabling is not supplied for the TV option.]

- DirecTV transmits from a different satellite than the Internet service.

- DirecTV service is NOT included with your Internet service but billed separately. The extra service charge for DirecTV depends on the programming you select.

Combining DirecWay & DirecTV

DirecWay and DirecTV can share the same physical dish as long as it is the DirecWay dish.  A DirecTV dish will not work for DirecWay operation.

DIRECWAY broadband and DIRECTV® television services, hardware, and installation are sold separately.  They are both products of Hughes Network Systems, however, because they are separate entities, billing cannot be combined.

Because many people want just one satellite dish, option kits are available to add DirecTV services to your DirecWay dish.  These vary by dealer or distributor but generally cost $60 to $100 each.  Separate installation charges may also exist.  Based on your geographic location, you may need more than one kit (up to 3) to access high-definition and/or local channels.

We highly recommend you keep the two products on separate dishes, as ugly or undesired as it may appear to be.  Should DirecWay or DirecTV ever need to repoint you to a different satellite at some future date, you may have to buy new option kits.  Further, DirecWay dishes must be peaked to DirecWay settings and as such you may see a slight loss of signal strength on the DirecTV side.  Rain fade may be reduced if both DirecTV and DirecWay dishes are kept separate and peaked on their respective satellites.

What are my computer system requirements for the DW6000?

The DIRECWAY^® Modem (model number DW6000) lets you connect your computer to the Internet whether you are running a Windows^® or Macintosh^® based system. In order to ensure you get the most out of your Internet experience, DIRECWAY has developed these minimum requirements:

What operating systems are compatible with the new DIRECWAY System?

The DIRECWAY Modem is operating system agnostic, meaning you can connect your computer to the Internet whether you are running a Windows^®  ,Macintosh^® or Linux based system. The DW6000 is computer independent. You can network 3 computers (Windows, Apple, and Linux operating systems) on the Residential service plan without degrading the speed. Business service plans are available for larger networking applications.

Is DIRECWAY compatible with my Mac?

Yes. Please review our Minimum Requirements list above for Macintosh systems.

Why is Mac OS 10.0 not supported?

Because the Mac OS 10.0 release is not supported by Apple, we do not develop products around non-supported OS systems. We recommend you upgrade your Mac OS to 10.1 or higher, which is supported by DIRECWAY.

What if my computer did not come with a Network Interface Card (NIC)? What can I do?

Many computers can be upgraded with a 10/100 Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC). If you are comfortable with opening your computer and installing hardware, most Ethernet NICs can be self-installed. Check with your computer manufacturer for more information on the right Ethernet NIC for your system. Make sure your NIC is configured for "auto-negotiate".

Also, if you have an available USB port on your computer, you can purchase a USB Ethernet adapter. This may be easier to install than a PCI card in your computer. For a laptop, you can purchase a standard PCMCIA card that provides an Ethernet connection, or you can purchase a USB Ethernet adapter, as well. We recommend that you upgrade your computer to meet all of the requirements listed above to get the most out of your Internet experience.

Can I use a PCMCIA card adapter for my laptop?
Yes. All you need to connect your computer to the DIRECWAY Modem is either a 10/100 Ethernet Network Interface Card or PCMCIA adapter with an Ethernet connector. The DIRECWAY System includes an Ethernet cable to connect your computer to the DIRECWAY modem.

Do I still need a dial-up modem and telephone line?
No, there is no phone line requirement for normal operation, therefore, a modem is not required to use your DIRECWAY service with the DIRECWAY modem (model number: DW6000).

A look inside the DW6000 :

   Curious about what it looks like inside the DW6000 satellite modem ?  Here's a quick look under the hood. :-) Click
on an area within the pic. that you want to magnify. Many thanks to site member Sundancer87 for taking the pics.!

Special Note to DW6000 Users :

On the back of the DW6000 next to the LAN port is a small 'reset' button. Note that this button should not be pressed.
Pressing is can reset your DW6000 modem back to factory default settings. That would erase all your personal settings, and would require you to have the modem recommissioned before it would work again.

Using the DirecWay DW6000

Accessing the DW6000 User Interface : The functions and features of the DW6000 are accessable through the
"DW6000 System Control Center".  To access the control center you need to open your web browser (I.E. : Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.) and type the following into the address bar : "http://192.168.0.1" or "www.direcwaysupport.com" (Both without the " " quotes.) Doing that should bring up the System Control Center main screen. 

(Pictured above : DW6000 System Control Center)

   In most cases you'll have no problem accessing the Control Center, but if it doesn't come up in your browser it's likely from one of two reasons.  If you're using the DW6000 proxy, then you would need to list www.direcwaysupport.com and 192.168.0.1 as 'exceptions'.

Here's how it's done : In Internet Explorer go to Tools/Internet Options/Connections/LAN Settings. If you see the box marked "Use a Proxy Server for your LAN" checked, then press the "Advanced" button and enter 192.168.0.1;www.direcwaysupport.com in the 'Exceptions' box. Click the 'OK' button three times. You're done !
If the process sounds confusing, don't worry .. it's all pictured step-by-step below.

Step 1: Click on the 'Tools' menu in Internet Explorer, and select 'Internet Options'

Step 2 : From the 'Internet Options' / 'Connections' menu, click on the button marked 'LAN Settings'

Step 3 : If the 'Use proxy server for your LAN' box is checked, click on the 'Advanced' button.

  Step 4 : In the 'Exceptions' box enter : 192.168.0.1;www.direcwaysupport.com, then click 'OK' 3 Times. DONE !

The other possible reason for not being able to access the System Control Center would be if you subscribe to the Professional service package for the DW6000 and you're using a router with it. (The 'Professional' service among other things gives you a Static IP address.)  Sometimes routers won't allow local IP addresses to pass through it. If this happens you can still access the Control Center, but instead of using 192.168.0.1 , you would use the IP address of your DW6000 . You can determine the IP address to use by finding out the static IP address of your network/router and subtracting one from it. (Example : If your router IP is 65.101.25.65 then you would use http://65.101.25.64 in your browser.) You should enter that IP address in the 'exceptions' box as listed above too.

What is the difference between the DW6000 modem and the DW4000 modem?

The DW6000 is the next generation DIRECWAY System modem with a sleek new design. It makes connecting to the Internet easier by incorporating DIRECWAY software inside the DW6000 unit. So, there's no DIRECWAY software to load on your computer, or upgrades to download. The DW6000 automatically updates itself via the satellite. Also, the DW6000 modem houses both the transmit and receive components in one compact unit, unlike the DW4000 that has a separate transmit and receive modem stacked together and linked by a 24-pin serial cord.

It also uses a simple Ethernet connection to connect your computer to your DIRECWAY Service. Once your satellite dish is installed and connected to the DW6000; all you need to do is connect your computer by using the provided Ethernet cable and you're high-speed surfing (see 'Can I run DIRECWAY on a small network?' for networking capability requirements).

Is the DW6000 faster than the DW4000?

No. Both the DW6000 and the DW4000 modems deliver the same DIRECWAY high-speed service experience. The DW6000 modem allows you to connect to Windows and Macintosh based operating systems, has no software to load on your computer and makes networking your DIRECWAY high-speed connection to multiple home computers easier (See 'Can I run DIRECWAY on a small network?' for more information on home networking).

Do I need to get a new dish for the DW6000?

No. The DW6000 upgrade kit requires no modifications to your outdoor DIRECWAY equipment.

Should I upgrade to the DW6000 from my current DW4000?

Upgrading from a DW4000 modem to the next generation DW6000 modem is a good idea if you would like to network more than one home computer or laptop to your DIRECWAY high-speed connection. By networking more than one computer, your family will be able to access your DIRECWAY high-speed Internet connection from any computer on the network and not have to wait in line in order to get online.

Please understand that all computers on this network will be sharing a single connection. Simultaneous use of high bandwidth applications by multiple users may result in degradation of speed and are subject to the Fair Access Policy. Actual speeds may vary. Speed and uninterrupted use of service are not guaranteed.

Will my DW4000 modem still work now that DIRECWAY has launched its next generation modem?

 Yes. If you choose to not upgrade your DIRECWAY modem to the DW6000, your DW4000 transmit and receive modems will still function and are supported by DIRECWAY.

Who can upgrade to the DW6000?

 At this time, only Two-way users can upgrade to the DW6000.

Can I install the upgrade myself?

Yes. Upgrading from a DIRECWAY Two-way system is simple and includes step by step instructions.

Do software updates to the DW6000 count towards my FAP limits?

No. DW6000 units are updated automatically by DIRECWAY and do not count towards your download capacity or towards your FAP threshold.

Can the speed 'tweaks' be applied to the DW6000 to improve its speed?

While technically programs like SatSpeed can be run on the DW6000, it's not recommended. (Use at your own risk.) Some DW6000 users have reported increased speeds after applying 'tweaks', but others have actually reported speed loss. So again, 'tweaking' the DW6000 is not currently recommended. You should however run the Hughes LCCU utility by clicking here. 

Is there a cost difference between the DW6000 and the DW4000?

Yes, only for the DIRECWAY System hardware. The DIRECWAY System with the DW6000 modem retails for $500 (Includes dish, modem and standard installation), and you pay the regular service monthly rate (currently $59.99 per month). If you choose the $99/$99 Plan, you will be charged a $99.99 up-front fee, with a 15 month contract at $99.99 per month (Includes dish, modem and standard installation). At the end of 15 months the monthly fee reverts back to the regular rate (currently $59.99).

Yes! There is a 15-month warranty on the equipment. At the end of your commitment, DiRECWAY usually offers an extended warranty for a renewed contract.

Can I run DIRECWAY on a small network?

Yes, you can connect multiple home computers and laptops to a single DIRECWAY Internet connection at no additional cost. Home networking equipment may be required and is not included with your DIRECWAY System. For network setup, support and configuration, contact your network hardware manufacturer and/or operating system software developer (HUGHES is not responsible for home network configuration or management).

Please understand that all computers on this network will be sharing a single connection. Simultaneous use of high bandwidth applications by multiple users may result in degradation of speed and are subject to the Fair Access Policy. Actual speeds may vary. Speed and uninterrupted use of service are not guaranteed.

Consumer Service Plan with a Wired Network

With a wired network, you will have no concerns about signal strength like with a wireless network.  However, the tradeoff is you'll have to run wires to every computer you want to share your DIRECWAY connection with.  You'll need a hub or a switch (one port per computer), which you'll connect to your DW6000 with an Ethernet cable.  Then you'll connect each computer to the hub using an Ethernet cable.  Each computer needs an Ethernet port.  Almost all newer computers come equipped with a Network Interface Card (NIC), but if yours does not have one, you'll have to install one.


Consumer Service Plan and Wireless Networking Basics

Wireless networking is the easiest way to get started because you don't have to run wires throughout your house.  You'll need a Wireless Access Point (WAP), which will allow you to share your DIRECWAY connection.  The Ethernet output on your DW 6000 will plug directly into the WAP.  Then you'll need a wireless device for each computer you want to share your connection with.  Laptops use PC cards, which can easily be installed and removed.  Desktop computers can use either a PCI or USB adapter.  To install the PCI adapter, you'd need to open your computer whereas the USB adapter can be plugged into any open USB port.  Even if you're not comfortable opening up your computer, wireless networking is not difficult to install or use.

The key to a good wireless network is placement of your wireless access point and your computers. The wireless access point will be the link between your networked computers and your DIRECWAY service, so it is important to establish a strong signal between the wireless access point and your computers. A poor wireless signal will negatively impact your Internet performance over the network. Finding the best placement of your access point for maximum range is a trial and error process.

Yes! You can set up a WiFi system to connect several computers together. Keep in mind that WiFi is not very secure. The use of encryption software is high recommended. Please research this area before deciding which technology to use.

What is a NAT?

Answer: If you use the consumer version of a DirecWay product, the IP address of your satellite adapter is not routable on the internet. It can only be used on private networks. Hughes uses a method of translating your IP address to a routable address called Network Address Translation. This is where "NAT" comes from. In a typical NAT configuration, your computer appears to every other computer on the internet to have the IP address of the machine that is performing the NAT services. All your traffic goes through that machine. It keeps a table (a NAT table, strangely enough)of entries of everything you have requested from the Internet so that when the response comes back, it knows who requested it and where the response should be sent.

NAT is used as a way to conserve IP addresses, as Internet routable IP addresses are neither free or readily available in huge quantities. It also provides a good level of initial security, as unless your computer requested it, it is very hard for an external computer to send you anything. It can cause issues for some applications that insist on knowing the exact IP address of the computer they are talking to. This can make being a VPN client difficult, and can make it impossible to connect to your machine as an FTP or PcAnywhere server.

Now the odd thing about the Hughes NAT is that sometimes it seems to work like every other NAT in that your public, routable IP address is shared with every other user going through the same NAT device. Other times, the translated address is unique to you alone. This is the phenomenon we around here call being "un-nated". It really is a misnomer, because your address is always a result of NAT. Even the unique one you get during the "un-nated" phases is still not the address of your adapter and has been translated for use on the Net. The difference is if your NAT'd public IP address is unique to you, then any security benefit of NAT is lost, and those applications that require you to have a unique public, routable IP start magically working.

It has been the experience of DirecWay users that when they are NOT using the proxy AND they have a public IP address ending in a single digit, they are "nated" or are sharing the address with many other users. If that address when not using the proxy ends in some other multi digit octet, they are "un-nated" and have a unique IP. During these times you will see many hits on your firewall as your computer is completely exposed to the Internet, and all the port scanning traffic.

Setting Up A Wired or Wireless Network With The DW6000 (Consumer Edition)

The easiest way to set up a network with DirecWay is to use the DW6000 and a Wireless Access Point (WAP). All you have to do is connect the Wireless Access Point to your DW6000 Ethernet port (use a standard Cat5 cable .. one is often included free with a WAP) , and then connect matching wireless networking cards to your computers ! It doesn't get much easier than that. :)  Different models of Wireless Access Points have slightly different directions for use .. follow the instruction included with your Wireless Access Point to configure the network for use.

     Yes, you could use a 'Wireless Router' instead of a 'Wireless Access Point', but it's not preferred. A router has functions in it which already exist in the DW6000, and the redundancy of those features doesn't improve anything. Disabling those featires is often the best/easiest option. If you haven't purchased your wireless device yet, definitely buy a Wireless Access Point. If you already have a Wireless Router and wish to make use of it, follow the directions below :

     Similar to using a Wireless Router on any other DirecWay system, the best method is to disable the 'router' functions of the unit, and use it simply as a switch. To do this, follow the instructions included with your router to disable the DHCP feature. Next, connect the DW6000 via a Cat5 cable to one of the LAN ports (NOT the WAN port) or the router. Connect the computers to the router lan ports with Cat5 cable, or wireless with wireless network cards.  Most routers have a user control screen you can log into to change functions and features. You'll probably want to change the Loacl Area Network IP Address of your router so that it's on the same sub-net of your DW6000. Doing this will allow you to log into the configuration screen of your router at a later time, should you ever need to. Select an IP address that isn't in use currently, and not likely to be in the future.  The DW6000 itself is at 192.168.0.1 , so to be on the same subnet you'll need an IP in the same range. Choosing one at the highest end of the range, like 192.168.0.254, should ensure both proper function and make it highly unlikely you'll have future conflicts with the IP address.  

     Another method you can use is leave the router functions enabled. There's nothing really 'wrong' with doing this other than the redundancy of the NAT. ( NAT : A program or piece of hardware that converts the IP address from a private address to a public address real time. This allows multiple users to share a single public IP address.This feature is found in the DW6000 and in routers.)  To use the DW6000 and a router in this way, connect the DW6000 via Cat5 cable (often supplied with a router) to the WAN port on the router.  Connect your computers to the LAN ports either 'wired' with Cat5 cable, or with wireless networking cards that match your router.  You'll still want to give your router an IP address that's on the same sub-net as the DW6000, but since we're connecting to the WAN port it's best to assign it a static WAN IP address closer to the DW6000 instead of furthest away like when using the router as a switch (see above if you're curious). Since your DW6000 is at 192.168.0.1 , you should go into your router configuration screen and give it an address like 192.168.0.2 .  Most routers have a default 'subnet mask' of 255.255.255.0 , which is fine. If your router subnet mask isn't set to 255.255.255.0 you should make it so for maximum flexibility. (A 'subnet mask' is a local bit mask (set of flags) that specifies which bits of the IP address specify a particular IP network or a host within a subnetwork. An IP address of 192.168.0.1 with a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 specifies host 1 on subnet 192.168.0.0. The subnet mask determines the maximum number of hosts on a subnetwork.) Next, apply to  the router itself an IP address on a different subnet for it's LAN IP.  Try something like 192.168.10.1 . Again, use 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask. IF you'll be using your router to designate IP's for the computers on your network, configure the DHCP settings in the router to give out IP's in the 192.168.10.2 - 192.168.10.254 range.  Your default gateway for computers connected to the LAN would be 192.168.10.1 . There are many DNS servers you can use. Whatever ones you prefer are fine, or you can use the default Hughes DNS server at 198.77.116.8 .

Setting Up A Wired or Wireless Network With The DW6000 (Professional Edition)

   The 'Professional' package for the DW6000 gives the unit a fixed or 'Static' IP address. This makes networking the DW6000 'professional' package pretty much the same as networking any other broadband connection (IE : Cable and DSL). For this, simply purchase the broadband router of your choice (wired or wireless) and matching network cards for your computers. Setup is usually very quick and easy .. just follow the instructions included with your router. Connect the DW6000 to the router WAN (Wide Area Network) port, and connect the computers to the LAN (Local Area Network) ports.

DW6000 Ranging Info :

If you would like to tell your DW6000 where it is in the world for ranging in a more accurate way then entering your zip code, here is the procedure. In order to do this you will need to know the latitude and longitude of your dish location in degrees and minutes.

Note: In the example below we are using 192.168.0.1 as the address to connect to the DW6000. For some Pro service users with a static IP and using a router that can't reach their DW6000 using the 192.168.0.1 address, you will need to use the address that is one less than your static IP. This would be the same address your router is using as its default gateway. If your static IP is 69.35.46.10 then the address you would use to connect to the DW6000 is 69.35.46.9.

Please keep in mind that you are writing a complete new parameter set to the DW6000 when you do this. If you change something you shouldn't, like something not listed here, your DW6000 will no longer work, although you should be able to get it back the way it was by re-running Satellite Based Commissioning. That being said, this does work and won't break anything if you follow the instructions.

From a command prompt, type "telnet 192.168.0.1 1953" without the quotes. At the telnet prompt, enter the following keystrokes, where [enter] means hit your return or enter key and [\] means hit the backslash key, etc.

1. [enter]

2. [a] [enter]

3. [enter] 3 times

4. Enter your longitude degrees then [enter]

5. Enter your longitude minutes then [enter]

6. Enter [1] for western hemisphere then [enter]

7. Enter your latitude degrees then [enter]

8. Enter your latitude minutes then [enter]

9. Enter [2] for northern hemisphere then [enter]

10. [\] [enter]

11. [pw] [enter] [y] [enter](If you are sure!)

12. [i] [enter]

13. [enter] 2 times

14. [d] [enter]

Wait for ranging to finish. When ranging is done, you will see the message "[NORANGE_REQD] Transmitter ready. TX code 8"

15. [enter]

16. [z] [enter] [z] [enter]

DW6000 Proxy Settings Tip :

   The DirecWay DW6000 uses a feature called "Turbo Page" to prefetch objects from websites to as to speed up surfing. However, you can improve your browsing speeds even more by enabling the proxy in your web-browser too. Here's how :

  Microsoft Internet Explorer : Click on Tools / Internet Options / Connections / then click on the LAN Settings button.

Clicking the LAN Settings button will a new box called "Local Area Network (LAN) Settings.  In the bottom portion of that box (in the 'Proxy server' section) check the sections marked "Use a proxy server for your LAN", and "Bypass proxy server for local addresses" , as shown in the picture below. 

Once you've done that, click on the 'Advanced' button, which will open the 'Proxy Settings' window. (See image below.)
In the top section 'Servers / Type / HTTP:' , enter 192.168.0.1 in the 'Proxy assress to use' box, and enter 87 in the 'Port' box. Leave the other boxes blank/empty.
  In the bottom section labled 'Exceptions' enter www.direcwaysupport.com;192.168.0.* in the 'Do not use proxy server for addresses beginning with:' section. Be sure to type it exactly as show, with a semicolon between www.direcwaysupport.com and 192.168.0.* . When finished it should look like the box below.

That's it .. You're done ! Click the 'ok' box, then close all the open windows, including Internet Explorer. When you re-open Explorer the new settings will take effect.

  Note for DW6000 Pro Users :  The above settings work exactly the same for DW6000 Pro users, assuming the address for your DW6000 is 192.168.0.1 (Which is what it should be, unless your DW6000 is behind a router.) The reason it might not work if behind a router is because routers don't always pass local addresses through the WAN port.
  If this is the case for you, you'll need to use the DirecWay IP address of your DW6000. This IP will be one number less than the static IP of your network, and is the same address your router will be using for it's default gateway.
Example : If the static IP address of your network is 66.20.30.40, then the IP address for your DW6000 is 66.20.30.39 .Enter that number in the 'Proxy address to use' box, instead of 192.168.0.1 

Where I can find DW6000 User Guide?

You can download the DW6000 User Guide on the DW6000, or by clicking HERE.

Is DIRECWAY DW6000 a one-way or two-way system?

Today's DIRECWAY consumer service uses the DW6000 System. The DW6000 System is a twoway satellite system that allows you to send and receive information via satellite. So, there's no need for the expense of a second phone line or hassles with logging in when you want to get onto the Internet.

The experience with DIRECWAY high-speed Internet is astonishing. When comparing typical activities with a dial-up service based on standard dial-up connection at 28.8Kbps, the difference in the amount of time you'll be waiting for what you want is night and day. DIRECWAY speeds are based on download speeds of up to 500Kbps, but not guaranteed.

You can download software upgrades in just minutes, versus up to an hour. There's no more waiting for Web pages to fully finish loading; they are typically done within a couple of seconds. Getting your favorite song can be done in less than the song's length rather than three times as long.

As you can see this is a huge improvement!

Everyone's Internet technology is based on shared bandwidth, so sometimes one option will allow you to do things in less time than others. But because everyone uses shared bandwidth there's truly no definitive answer.

What is transmission latency?

Latency refers to the time it takes for signals to travel to and from the satellite. This typically creates a sub-second lag. For this reason, DIRECWAY may not be ideal for playing some "twitch-games" and time sensitive "online" trading.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Industry Canada recommend that trained
professionals install any two-way satellite system. FCC Regulations recommend that people aiming a dish be trained. Our training documentation includes a 56-page illustrated Quick Start Guide with a complete Troubleshooting section, a computer and satellite equipment checklist, and telephone support as long as you need it.

Note: On the www.fcc.com website, search for OET Bulletin 65, Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields, see page 23. [This recommendation really applies only to transmitters that are rated over 2.5 watts . . .the DiRECWAY DW6000 transmitter is rated at 1 watt.]

Running a VPN client over a satellite network is not an ideal configuration. Although most VPN clients will work, your speeds will be affected significantly. While average download speeds are slightly better than dial-up, they will be reduced from typical DIRECWAY speeds by as much as 50 to 75 percent. Average upload speeds are comparable to dial-up performance. It is recommended that those accessing secure information over a VPN via DIRECWAY Professional do so on a limited basis. To optimize your performance, simply disable your VPN client while surfing the Internet, and enjoy the full speed of DIRECWAY. When you need to access information from your corporate LAN, you can enable your VPN client, keeping in mind that you will see a reduction in throughput. At this time, HUGHES does not endorse or support any VPN products. Customers that run VPN products do so at their own risk and will not receive any support from HUGHES regarding troubleshooting, configuring, optimizing, or maintaining a VPN connection.

Our communication satellite is located over 22,000 miles from Earth. Each data packet must be sent down separately and acknowledged by the remote site. This process takes time. In order to expedite the delivery of data packets to our end-users, HUGHES has developed a patented technology for aggregating those packets and sending all of them down simultaneously. VPNs encrypt each data packet, which prevents our technology from aggregating the data packets and reduces the throughput significantly.

8. Self-Hosted Systems (DW4020/DW6000)

• General Information

• Consumer service comes with a non-unique IP that is the product of Network Address Translation (NAT). (See »What's a NAT? for more information) This service will not be a good choice for anyone who intends to use Virtual Private Networking (VPN) or needs to access their computer or network externally from the Internet. It is a fine choice for the average Internet user who intends to use their connection for browsing, email, downloading or streaming media.
• Professional service includes a single unique and Static IP. This service is best suited for those who have a need for an externally reachable IP address
  

• Can I Tweak My Self-Hosted System?

• For the DW4020, since there is no HPEP proxy to help with browsing, we will set this value to a very high number, 64.
• For the DW6000 the number can be much lower, in fact 21 is high enough to get the maximum benefit.

• What browser proxy settings should I use with the DW6000?

Unlike the computer hosted systems like the DW4000, the DW6000 always uses the DirecWay "Turbo Page" proxy to enhance browsing performance, regardless of your browser proxy settings. However by enabling the proxy in your browser, you will gain the use of the DW6000's DNS caching capability that you would otherwise be missing. This capability can significantly improve the speed of browsing to sites you have visited previously. For this reason, we strongly recommend pointing your browser to the DW6000 proxy.

Notes:

1. In all cases, the only protocol that should use the proxy is HTTP. Pointing any other protocols to the proxy will disable those protocols.

2. DirecWay 6000 Pro users: The instructions below assume that the address you are using for the DW6000 is 192.168.0.1. This will work under the majority of circumstances unless you are using the "Pro" version of the DW6000 and the DW6000 is behind a router. Your router may not pass local addresses through the WAN port, in which case that address will not work. If that is the case, use the DirecWay IP of the DW6000. This IP address will be one less than the unique, static IP assigned to your network, and is the same address that your router is using for its default gateway. For example, if the static IP assigned to your network is 69.35.40.50, then the IP address for your DW6000 is 69.35.40.49. Use that address as the proxy address and in the proxy exceptions list, instead of 192.168.0.1.

For Internet Explorer:

In Internet Explorer, click on Tools => Internet Options => Connections => LAN Settings. See image below.

• I'm upgrading from a DW3000 or DW4000 to a self-hosted system. What do I do?

1. If you were sharing your Direcway connection on a LAN before, you are going to need to first remove any software sharing solution you were using. If you were using Window's Internet Connections Sharing (ICS) for instance, this must be removed first!

2. You are going to want to delete the DAK software from your old "host" computer. Instructions can be found here: »[DW4000] Direcway Software Removal Update

3. Next remove all the previous DrTCP tweaks from your system. Open DrTCP and select your LAN adapter in the drop down box. For every selection, chose "default". If no "default" is listed, then make the entry completely blank. Save and re-boot. Your computer's TCP settings are now at the Windows default, which is best for the self-hosted systems.

• How do I network my DW6000 "Professional" level service?

Your professional service comes with a single unique, static IP. That's a good thing, but it means you need to share that IP and it means you need to concern yourself with security. The preferred method to solve both issues is to use a commercially available broadband router. If you intend to have "wireless" connections to your LAN then use a wireless broadband router.

The DW6000 "Professional" also provides a DHCP server that will give your assigned public IP address to one device, making set-up very easy. Attach a standard Cat5 network cable between the WAN port of your router and the Ethernet port on the DW6000. Following the directions for your router, set it up to get its IP address and DNS information automatically. Once that is set up, turn off the power to the DW6000 and the router. Turn the DW6000 on first, and allow it time to "boot up". Once all but the top blue light are lit, turn on the router. It should now have the unique, static WAN IP assigned by the DW6000.

Set up the DHCP server in your router per the instructions that came with it. For most people, simply enabling DHCP on the router and using the default values will work fine. Connect the computers to the LAN ports on the router using standard Cat5 network cable, set up your computers to get their IP and DNS information automatically and you should be up and running. An alternative is to use static IP addressing on your LAN. If you chose to do so, the default gateway for each of the computers should be the LAN address of your router, not the DW6000. The DW6000 is the default gateway for the router only.

If you have a wireless router, setting up the wireless clients is no different than with any other type of broadband connection. Please reference your router's instructions and or visit our wireless networking forum for more information: »Wireless Networking

• How do I network my Consumer version of the DW6000?

If you have the "Consumer" level service, your DW6000 acts as a router by itself. There is therefore no benefit to having a separate broadband router. In fact, a separate router will complicate your network unnecessarily. You will need a hub or switch and/or possibly a Wireless Access Point (WAP) in order to expand the single Ethernet port on the DW6000 to the number of computers on your LAN. Either a hub or a switch will work, but a switch is preferable from a performance standpoint.

Using any standard Cat5 network cable, attach the Ethernet port of the DW6000 to the any port on your switch. If your switch has an "Uplink" port, you can use that, but keep in mind that the uplink port shares circuitry with one of the standard ports on the switch; usually the one closest to it, or the last standard port on the switch. This means that you cannot use that "shared" port if you use the uplink port, and visa-versa.

Using any standard Cat5 network cables, connect each computer on your LAN to the remaining ports on the switch or hub.

The DW6000 has a built-in "DHCP" server so you can set up each computer to get its IP address and DNS information "automatically". For Windows users this is the "default" if you run the Windows Networking Wizard, and is the simplest way to successfully get your network running.

If you want to set up static IP's on your network, the easiest way would be to use IP addresses in the range of 192.168.0.2 - 192.168.0.254, subnet mask 255.255.255.0 and a DNS server of your choice. 198.77.116.8 is a valid DirecWay DNS server you can use.

For wireless networking see: »How do I use wireless networking with my DW6000 Consumer Service?

• I already have a router. How do I use it with the DW6000 Consumer version?

If you already own a router, and want to use it here are two methods.

1. This method is easy and will not add an extra layer of NAT to your network, but will eliminate all of your router's routing and firewall features:

Connect the DW6000 to a LAN port on the router. Connect all your computers and devices to LAN ports on the router. Leave the WAN port empty. Go into your router's configuration and disable its DHCP feature. Change the LAN IP of the router to be on the same sub-net the DW6000 is on so you can get back into the configuration screen again later if you need to. You will want to pick an IP that is not likely to be issued by the DW6000 to any other device on the network. 192.168.0.254 should work.

You router is now acting as a switch. All computers and devices on the network will get their IP's from the DW6000.

2. This method will preserve the router's routing and firewall features, but will add a second NAT layer to your network. Under most conditions, you will never notice a difference in performance anyway.

Connect the DW6000 to the WAN port of the router. Connect your network PC's and devices to the router's LAN ports. Go into the router configuration. Give the router a static WAN IP on the same subnet as the DW6000. 192.168.0.2 should work. Use 255.255.255.0 as the subnet mask. Enter 192.168.0.1 as the Default Gateway.

Now give the router an IP on a different sub-net for its LAN IP. 192.168.1.1 should work. Use 255.255.255.0 as the sub-net mask. If you are going to use your router to issue IP's on your network, set up its DHCP server to hand out IP's in the 192.168.1.2 - 192.168.1.254 range. The default gateway for LAN clients will be the router at 192.168.1.1. Use whatever DNS server(s) you like. 198.77.116.8 and 198.77.116.12 are two DirecWay DNS servers you can use. Set up each of your computers to obtain an IP address automatically.

If you are setting static IP's for the clients, put them in the 192.168.1.2 -192.168.1.254 range with the default gateway being 192.168.1.1 and an appropriate DNS server or two.
Or you can forego all of that and buy a switch. :-)

• How do I use wireless networking with my DW6000 Consumer Service?

By far, the easiest method is to use a Wireless Access Point (WAP) rather than a Wireless Router. The WAP can be connected to a port on your switch or hub or directly to the DW6000 just like any other device. You then follow the directions that come with the WAP to connect your wireless clients.

If you must use a Wireless router, you can use one of the two connection and addressing methods described here: »I already have a router. How do I use it with the DW6000 Consumer version?. As far as connecting the wireless clients, it is no different than any other broadband connection. Follow the instructions that came with your router or and/or get more detailed information in our wireless networking forum: »Wireless Networking

• I can't access the user interface on my DW6000, what should I do?

Normally you can get to the user interface by entering "http://192.168.0.1" or "www.direcwaysupport.com" (without the quotes) as the URL in your browser. If this doesn't work there are two possible reasons.

1. If your browser is set up to use the DW6000 proxy, then the user interface must be listed as an exception to the proxy in your browser. For instance, in Internet Explorer, go to Tools->Internet Options->Connections->LAN Settings. If "Use a proxy server for your LAN" is checked, then press the "Advanced" button. In the "Exceptions" box enter "192.168.0.1;www.direcwaysupport.com" without the quotes. Press "OK" three times.

2. If you have the "Pro" service and are using a router, your router might not pass local addresses through the WAN port. If that is the case, you can access your user interface by using the DirecWay IP of your DW6000 as the URL. This IP address is one less than the static IP you have for use on your network. So if the static IP assigned to your router is 69.35.20.50, then the address of your DW6000 is 69.35.20.49, exactly one less than your assigned static IP. You will also need to enter this IP address as an "exception" for your browser proxy as described in #1, above.

• How do I enter my location in Lat/Lon with a DW6000 after commissioning?

If you would like to tell your DW6000 where it is in the world for ranging in a more accurate way then entering your zip code, here is the procedure. In order to do this you will need to know the latitude and longitude of your dish location in degrees and minutes.

Note: In the example below we are using 192.168.0.1 as the address to connect to the DW6000. For some Pro service users with a static IP and using a router that can't reach their DW6000 using the 192.168.0.1 address, you will need to use the address that is one less than your static IP. This would be the same address your router is using as its default gateway. If your static IP is 69.35.46.10 then the address you would use to connect to the DW6000 is 69.35.46.9.

Please keep in mind that you are writing a complete new parameter set to the DW6000 when you do this. If you change something you shouldn't, like something not listed here, your DW6000 will no longer work, although you should be able to get it back the way it was by re-running Satellite Based Commissioning. That being said, this does work and won't break anything if you follow the instructions.

From a command prompt, type "telnet 192.168.0.1 1953" without the quotes. At the telnet prompt, enter the following keystrokes, where [enter] means hit your return or enter key and [\] means hit the backslash key, etc.

1. [enter]

2. [a] [enter]

3. [enter] 3 times

4. Enter your longitude degrees then [enter]

5. Enter your longitude minutes then [enter]

6. Enter [1] for western hemisphere then [enter]

7. Enter your latitude degrees then [enter]

8. Enter your latitude minutes then [enter]

9. Enter [2] for northern hemisphere then [enter]

10. [\] [enter]

11. [pw] [enter] [y] [enter](If you are sure!)

12. [i] [enter]

13. [enter] 2 times

14. [d] [enter]

Wait for ranging to finish. When ranging is done, you will see the message "[NORANGE_REQD] Transmitter ready. TX code 8"

15. [enter]

16. [z] [enter] [z] [enter]

• Can't access myDIRECWAY page or email accts after upgrade from DW4000 to DW6000?

The DW4000 t0 DW6000 upgrade is supposed to happen without a need to change your Site ID. If all goes smoothly, you will keep the same Site ID and your old email addresses will still work.

If for some reason, your Site ID changes in the upgrade process and you old Site ID is cancelled, your email will become inaccessable. This procedure will get your email back on line.

1) ACCESSING THE myDIRECWAY PAGE:

In order for you get your emails working again at direcway.com you will have to get setup so you can access the myDIRECWAY webpage. If you have already gotten setup so that you can access the myDIRECWAY webpage you can skip this section and move on to section 2 on getting your email up and running again.

A) So the first thing you will need to do is follow this link to the myDIRECWAY webpage. »dssweb01.mydirecway.com/mydw/common/in..

B) Next you will need to click on please join, then another page will come up and you need to click on the DW6000 box.

C) On the next page you will need to enter the Site ID and your modems serial number. If don't already have this information I have provided a way for you get it.

a. You can get your site ID by accessing your DW6000's web interface. You can do this by typing in 192.168.0.1 in your browsers address bar. Once you have accessed the web interface you need to click on the SYSTEM INFO tab at the top of the window on the right hand side. You will find the Site ID listed in the left hand box at the top of the list.

b. You can get the serial number from the same page as in the above paragraph; it will be in the same box third from the top. Make sure the serial number you use is only 7 characters. Don't use the complete serial number from the back of the modem, it won't work.

c. Now you just need to enter this info in the site id and serial number boxes on the registration page with the boxes for the site id and serial number.

d. If everything works like it supposed to the next page that will come up will ask you to enter a login name and password.

D)
a. Now type in your login name and your password; once you have done this you need to move down to the box labeled E-MAIL.

b. What you need to do here at the email box, is to enter any email address that you have that is currently active but it can't end in direcway.com! Use an email address like joe@hotmail.com or bob@dlsr.net that you have and is currently active. The reason you can't use your direcway.com email is because it isn't working at this point.

E) If everything takes like it should it will tell you your registration has been successful. Now all you have to do is go back to the myDIRECWAY link »dssweb01.mydirecway.com/mydw/common/in.. and you should be able to go to the myDIRECWAY page. You may have to login again, so make sure you save your login name and password!

2) GETTING YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNTS BACK UP AND RUNNING:

A) Now that you can access the myDIRECWAY page. Your next step will be to setup your email accounts again. Now according to way I understand this you will be able to setup your accounts just the way they where before with the same email account names and passwords. Evidently your old email account names and passwords can't be used by anyone else for 4 to 6 months. This appears to be correct because I didn't have any problems setting up the email accounts again with the same account name and passwords that I had before.

B) You will need to go to the myDIRCEWAY page and click on email options in the HELP CENTER.

C) Next you will look for Email Accounts and click on Email Options.

D) Then Click on Create New Email Account.

E) Now you can enter in your previous (old) account name and your previous (old) password and do these steps for each of your previous email accounts.

F) Now you should be able to access your original email accounts that you had with your old DW4000 modems.

• [Mac & PC] How can I remotely reboot the DW6000 over my LAN?

For Windows users:

. How can I reboot my DW6000 remotely ?

From the LAN side, you have to telnet to 192.168.0.1 port 1953. From any of the clients, you can make a new Hyperterminal connection, or you can simply type the following in Command Prompt: telnet 192.168.0.1 1953 To reboot the DW6000, type: rr at the Main menu. CAUTION: Be very careful what you type, or you can render your unit unusable. For example the "rd" and "rf" commands will de-configure your DW6000.

Here are two ways to connect to the DW6000 over a LAN to access the config screen and reboot the terminal:

1. On PC Network Connected to DW6000 open a DOS command window.
At DOS command prompt enter "telnet 192.168.0.1 1953"(minus the quotes).
You will be presented with a configuration menu (be real careful in this menu and also anything typed will not echo).
At the Main Menu prompt enter "rr" and hit enter. This will reboot your DW6000. You must be very careful because the "rd" and "rf" command will de-configure your DW6000.

2. A simpler way to set this up is to use HyperTerminal.
Launch HyperTerminal and for new connection. Call it "DW6000" and click OK.
For the "Connect To" window click on the drop down for "Connect Using" and choose "TCP/IP(Winsock)".
For host address type "192.168.0.1", for port type "1953".
When you click on "OK" you will see the Main Menu.
On the tool bar of HyperTerminal click on "File" the "Properties" from the drop down menu.
Click on the "Settings" tab then click on the "ASCII Setup" button
Click on the box next to "Echo typed characters locally" to check the box.
Click on "OK" then "OK" again to close the DW6000 Properties window.
Your typing will now show locally.
Please remember this will only work on a Windows based PC. Again, be careful which commands you execute. You may render your DW6000 unusable if you make a mistake.

PC information submitted by dmp

Windows Reset Utility: »DW6000 reset utility

Application written by dbirdman

For Apple Users with OS 10.2.7 or later:

Download 'Satstat', a 'Menu Bar Extra' either from HERE (»www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/ma..)
or HERE (»www.vortimac.com/products.html)
To install Satstat drag the application icon to your Application folder.
Go to System Preferences-->Accounts-->Startup Item Tab. Click the '+' box and select Satstat from your Application folder.
Restart the Mac or load Satstat from the Application Folder.
A satellite dish icon will show in the Menu Bar. Click on it and choose Preferences/Display Style/Number and the Update Frequency.
Your signal strength will now show in the menu bar and update at the chosen interval. (one second interval makes the most sense)
Click the 'Signal Strength Number' in the Menu Bar and choose 'Reset DW6000' whenever you need to re-boot the modem.

• I have a Linksys BEFSR81/BESFX41 router and can't update Windows or send e-mail

[Comment: This is a revised edition of the "Linksys Router MTU Setting" entry that I submitted for consideration for inclusion into the FAQ. It reflects tim's (hhkr's) recent experience with up-grading the firmware on his BESF41! router (See »[DW6000] Could DWay prevent Windows Update from working? ]

You should first try Windows Update and sending e-mail after checking that your firewall software is not blocking access to the internet, and that your e-mail client is configured correctly. However, many DW6000 Pro and CE users who use Linksys BEFSR81/BESFX41 routers as a router have reported problems accessing Windows Update and sending e-mail using their DW6000 units, but they are able to browse to web sites on the internet. If you experience this problem, access the router configuration setup and change the Linksys router MTU from it's default setting of 1500 to 1460. Then, try using Windows Update and/or sending email. This "quirk" may be related to the firmware version that is installed on the above routers, but it is not clearly understood at this time.

Note: If you have recently upgraded your router firmware, you may notice there is a different setup screen in the router configuration than what you had with your previous firmware version. Setting the MTU at 1460 does not not allow Windows Update to work (it comes up with an error). Of course, it doesn't work with 1500 either. If you put a mark in the disable blank to disable the MTU setting in the router, Windows Update works. If you have a BESFX41 router, you can upgrade your firmware to version 1.51.00. It will allow you to access Windows Update and upload files by email with the router MTU set at 1500. Version 1.51.00 is Beta software as of this writing, so use it at your own risk. There is a bug in this version that causes long URL strings to crash the router. It is mentioned in this rather long thread--»[wired] BEFSX41 Firmware 1.51.00 - POST YOUR RESULTS HERE.

• Received First Heartbeat - What does this mean?

The Direcway NOC stores a database of all users. When new firmware is developed a message stating that a new download is available is sent to all DW6000's or DW4020's as appropriate. Your modem acknowledges the message and tells the NOC to send it. The firmware is sent, received, a checksum is performed and then the modem sends a message back saying it received the firmware. The message then initiates an update to the database for your modem's record. As you can imagine if you do this for 100,000 or more remotes and they all send back the acknowledgement at the same time this could cause a severe system overload. To avoid this, there is a delayed acknowledgement feature. When the firmware is downloaded to your modem a configuration file is also sent to turn on a timer and specify a specific time. This time will be several hours and is different for every remote the firmware is sent to. After the "back off timer" has reached its time then the message will be sent to the NOC from your modem stating it has received the firmware and the database will be updated. After this the "First Heartbeat" message will be cleared. The "Received First Heart Beat" message is not an indicator of a problem or that you have not received all the update. It will be in that state until your remote has acknowledged the firmware download from the NOC.

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