BajaNomad

Hughesnet expertise in Bahia Asuncion/ Punta Abreojos

JohnMcfrog - 7-26-2013 at 07:27 AM

My wife and I are headed to Punta Abreojos on August 2. We live a few miles from town, without internet, so any contact information needs to be worked out this week. We expect to be there for a month.

My friend and neighbor has a Hughesnet system that has been down for almost a year. He has replaced most of the antenna and cables, but still no joy. I am bringing down a HN7000s modem to see if this might do the trick. Just in case we are stuck on the problem, would like to have phone number of someone in the area who could help. We are willing to pay for the help.

Thanks,

Juanito ( cell 858-900-5174)
johnhmccormick@cox.net

shari - 7-26-2013 at 10:32 AM

Hey John...do you have cell service there? backup plan could be just use the cell internet thingy. I get great internet in San Roque through telcel

DavidE - 7-26-2013 at 10:35 AM

But when I asked about Banda Ancha in Asuncion, the TelMex guy just chuckled.

JohnMcfrog - 7-26-2013 at 10:44 AM

In Abreojos the cell dongle works ok for email, but the internet is painful.

shari - 7-26-2013 at 10:44 AM

well, I get it great on my smartphone and others have computers out there and it works fine...I think it may be only 2G though...not sure about Abreojos.

DianaT - 7-26-2013 at 12:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
But when I asked about Banda Ancha in Asuncion, the TelMex guy just chuckled.


David, if you want Banda Ancha, buy it somewhere else as the local TelCel office is clueless. I tried there first. So I bought mine in Ensenada. Also, when I would buy more time in Bahia Asuncion, they would tell me that by computer they set it up as Banda Ancha time. I found out the hard way that they did not do so. They left them as ordinary phone minutes and they disappeared quickly. So when I bought time in Bahia Asuncion, I messaged TelCel or called. When I bought extra time in Ensenada, no problem.

I know that Two Gringos had better luck with Banda Ancha than did I. It was usable, but very slow and the connection dropped all the time.

Regarding Hughes Net, unfortunately, Wayne who used to help everyone passed away. You might try contacting Jose Luis Ogawa who owns the internet cafe in Asuncion. I don't know if he would do the work, but he may know someone who can help.

[Edited on 7-26-2013 by DianaT]

willyAirstream - 7-26-2013 at 01:05 PM

John, do you have line of sight to a friend with high speed internet? If so, you can broadcast his signal to you.

Bob and Susan - 7-26-2013 at 01:37 PM

john...you cant just bring ANY modem down and "hook it up"

it doesn't work that way

need to know what SAT the account is commissioned on...
the "modem" HAS to be in the hughesnet system

ONLY an approved installer can change SATs for you

if you are on a SAT in the north...the foot print MAY not cover your area in the south...

my neighbors are on 93west and only get 2 hours of SAT service in the morning...after 10am its gone...not in the "footprint"

NEVER think you can call hughesnet and get a straight answer either...
I've logged hours with them this year

email me and I may have a solution for you

JohnMcfrog - 7-26-2013 at 02:04 PM

Thank you all for your responses.

We are over the hill from the cemetery, so no line of sight solutions. I was hoping that the receive component of the modem might work (getting over 30 signal strength) and would prove the old modem bad. The power for the lng and the transmitter is on the coax and not sure how they could stop the reception of a sat signal.

Juanito

DavidE - 7-26-2013 at 02:07 PM

Old Carlitos Delgadito has it stuck in his head that Asuncion has "enough" microwave capacity for existing accounts, cellular and nothing else. The only land line connections available are for businesses only. No home phone, no Banda Ancha.

TelMex lied their ass off when they announced last March they were going to "tap into" the transpeninsula fiber optic line in Sta Rosalia or Mulege "this summer" and connect via glass to the ISP in La Paz. That would have unloaded the microwave link by tens.

With the PRI back in power the chances of Carlos Slim Helu losing exclusive monopoly concession is, like, minus a billion percent.

DianaT - 7-26-2013 at 03:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
Old Carlitos Delgadito has it stuck in his head that Asuncion has "enough" microwave capacity for existing accounts, cellular and nothing else. The only land line connections available are for businesses only. No home phone, no Banda Ancha.


David, Banda Ancha WORKS in Asuncion off the existing cell tower. Just buy it somewhere else like we did as did others. It works. Our's did not have a local number --- charges are the same.

willardguy - 7-26-2013 at 05:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
john...you cant just bring ANY modem down and "hook it up"

it doesn't work that way

need to know what SAT the account is commissioned on...
the "modem" HAS to be in the hughesnet system

ONLY an approved installer can change SATs for you

if you are on a SAT in the north...the foot print MAY not cover your area in the south...

my neighbors are on 93west and only get 2 hours of SAT service in the morning...after 10am its gone...not in the "footprint"

NEVER think you can call hughesnet and get a straight answer either...
I've logged hours with them this year

email me and I may have a solution for you
hey el faro, tell us again about your buddy on the bay whose 9000 is working just fine:?:

Bob and Susan - 7-26-2013 at 07:12 PM

I went over and looked at it awhile back...the 9000 is really a 7000s

I was dupped

Pescador - 7-26-2013 at 07:15 PM

We have an installer in Santa Rosalia area who does a great job and if you covered his expenses, he will come to Abreojos. He is now working for CFE but may be willing to help you out.

Bob and Susan - 7-26-2013 at 07:42 PM

he's a supervisor at the mine...better job
he cant do the sat change...only an authorized hughesnet installer can do that

he is good at troubleshooting though and can sure aim an antenna
worth every penny

JohnMcfrog - 8-7-2013 at 09:48 AM

Many thanks to Bob from Mulege. He met me at the installer's home in Riverside and provided other information about the Hughes system. Plus, it was nice to meet a true gentleman and long time Baja resident. He was a pleasure to be around, even after 18 hours on the road.

The installer was named Jim Woodcrest and he is a long time Hughes expert. He has an assortment of inexpensive used gear at his house and a dish pointed at Mexsat6. He spent many hours getting our modems right and then provided phone support to my friend's site in Punta Abreojos.

Jim has agreed to provide phone call support for $20 to Nomads. The way it would work would be paypal to Jim@woodcrestsat.com . His number is 951-901-8408.

Thanks again to Bob for all the help.

DavidE - 8-7-2013 at 11:41 AM

The TelMex ISP server in La Paz is like a 1952 DeSoto. Can't wait to get back to high speed, where a person does not need a sundial to measure connectivity.

Bob and Susan - 8-7-2013 at 04:43 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidEThe TelMex ISP server in La Paz is like a 1952 DeSoto. Can't wait to get back to high speed, where a person does not need a sundial to measure connectivity.


david...this is not about telmex...its about hughesnet

if I could get telmex here...I would in a heartbeat
...hughesnet sucks

the modem I re-commissioned is up and running...
pointing the antenna easy

I hope johns is working too

i'll bet this winter when the "snowbirds" return there will be many "unhappy campers"
the "launch" of satmex8 to replace satmex5 is a problem in baja