SchoolNet/WorldLinks VSATs Project Report dated January 22, 2002
VSAT site parameters , configuration and status summary.
Each VSAT was assigned two identification numbers. CPA Number is the VSAT international
identification numbrr on Verestar’s Network and VSAT Site Number is the local identification number on
Wilken AFSAT’s corporate network.
1.0
2.0
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Busoga College Mwiri
Jinja
JJA/SCN/VSAT/01
142
13km from Jinja Town along Jinja-Iganga Highway
P.O.Box 20, Jinja Uganda
256-43-120216, 256-75-617158
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
VAC Power/Electricity
:
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC.
Power outages can be as long as 4hrs. The server
and IDU are powered from a 500VA UPS. The
school has a diesel generator to supply the load
when mains power is down but not wired to take
over the load automatically. The UPS is not able to
support the load through an extended outage.
66.133.21.224
255.255.255.224
66.133.21.225
66.133.21.226
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Muni NTC
Arua
ARU/SCN/VSAT/01
135
6.5Km along Arua-Pakwach Highway
P.O.Box 9 Arua
256-77-516108, 256-77-516332
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
VAC Power/Electricity
:
District Generated Mains available from 7pm
to 11pm daily at 220VAC. Power outages can be as
long as 4hrs. The server and IDU are powered from
a 500VA UPS. The school has fabricated diesel
generator from a tractor alternator to supply the load
during the day before the mains is switched on.
66.133.23.168
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.169
66.133.21.170
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
3.0
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
VAC Power/Electricity :
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
4.0
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
VAC Power/Electricity
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
5.0
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
VAC Power/Electricity
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Teso College Aloet
Soroti
STI/SCN/VSAT/01
136
8Km along Soroti-Moroto Highway
Teso College Private Bag Soroti
256-77-488672, 256-77-488673
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs at a time. The server and IDU
are powered from a 500VA UPS. The school has a diesel
generator to supply the load when mains power is down but
not wired to take over the load automatically. The UPS is not
able to support the load through an extended outage.
66.133.21.216
255.255.255.248
66.133.21.217
66.133.21.218
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
Mbale Secondary School
Mbale
MLE/SCN/VSAT/01
137
Plot 1 Kakungulu Road
P.O.Box 982 Mbale, Uganda
256-77-483289, 256-77-564797
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC.
Power outages can be as long as 4hrs. The server
and IDU are powered from a 500VA UPS. The
school has no backup power to supply the load
during mains outage. The UPS is not able to
support the load through an extended outage.
66.133.23.128
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.129
66.133.23.130
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
Moroto High School
Moroto
MRT/SCN/VSAT/01
138
Moroto town
Moroto High School Private Bag, Moroto
256-77-601447
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
District Generated Mains available from 7pm
to 11pm daily at 220VAC.
6.0
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
The server and IDU are powered from 500VA UPS. The
school has no alternative power supply during the day before
the mains is switched on.
66.133.23.136
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.137
66.133.23.138
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
Lango College School
Lira
LRA/SCN/VSAT/01
139
2.5Km from Lira town along Lira-Gulu road
P.O.Box 86 Lira, Uganda
256-77-591113, 256-47-320510
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
VAC Power/Electricity :
7.0
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs. The server and IDU are
powered from a 500VA UPS. The school has a diesel
generator to supply the load when mains power is down but
not wired to take over the load automatically. The UPS is not
able to support the load through an extended outage.
66.133.23.144
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.145
66.133.23.146
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
Ndejje Secondary School
Luweero
BBO/SCN/VSAT/01
134
8Km from Bombo town
P.O.Box 193 Bombo, Uganda
256-77-406914, 256-77-434672
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
VAC Power/Electricity :
8.0
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs. The server and IDU are
powered from a 500VA UPS. The school has a diesel
generator to supply the load when mains power is down but
not wired to take over the load automatically. The UPS is not
able to support the load through an extended outage.
66.133.21.200
255.255.255.248
66.133.21.210
66.133.21.202
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
St. Henry’s College Kitovu
Masaka
MSK/SCN/VSAT/01
:
:
:
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
:
:
:
:
:
:
VAC Power/Electricity :
9.0
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs. The server and IDU are
powered from a UPS. The school has a diesel generator to
supply the load when mains power is down. The UPS is not
able to support the load through an outage exceeding 6hrs.
66.133.23.152
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.153
66.133.23.154
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
Duhaga Secondary School
Hoima
HMA/SCN/VSAT/01
141
P.O.Box 61 Hoima, Uganda
P.O.Box 61 Hoima, Uganda
256-46-540024, 256-77-680779
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
VAC Power/Electricity :
10
140
1Km along Nakayiba-Kitovu road
P.O.Box 64 Masaka, Uganda
256-481-20076, 256-75-720079
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs at a time. The server and IDU
are powered from a 500VA UPS. The school has a diesel
generator to supply the load when mains power is down but
not wired to take over the load automatically. The UPS is not
able to support the load through an extended outage.
66.133.23.160
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.161
66.133.23.162
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
Iganga Secondary School
Iganga
IGA/SCN/VSAT/01
143
1Km along Iganga-Jinja highway
P.O.Box 15 Iganga, Uganda
256-43-242034, 256-77-212638
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
VAC Power/Electricity :
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs at a time. The server and IDU
are powered from a 500VA UPS. The school has no
alternative power supply during the day before the mains is
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
11
VSAT Site Name
VSAT District
VSAT Site Number
CPA Number
Physical Address
Postal Address
Contact Number
Service Satellite
Antenna Size
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
VAC Power/Electricity :
Network IP Address
:
Subnet Mask
:
IDU IP Address
:
School Server IP
:
Avg Measured Bandwidth :
switched off. The UPS is not able to support the load through
an extended outage.
66.133.23.160
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.161
66.133.23.162
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
Kigezi High School
Kabaale
KBL/SCN/VSAT/01
144
256-77-491307, 256-77-655767
Intelsat 801 , 325.8ºE, Transponder 37/37
2.4m Diameter
National Power Grid mains available at 220VAC. Power
outages can be as long as 4hrs at a time. The server and IDU
are powered from a 500VA UPS. The school has no
alternative power supply during the day before the mains is
switched off. The UPS is not able to support the load through
an extended outage.
66.133.23.184
255.255.255.248
66.133.23.185
66.133.23.186
254Kbps Down/34Kbps Up
The following paragraph is concerned with the findings of the project from the technical perspective and
evaluates difficulties experienced .
The difficulties can be summarised as:









Time zone difference between Uganda and Verestar
Physical security for the VSAT hardware
General fear of the VSAT technology
Back up power / primary VAC power
Local remote monitoring
Remote login
Regulatory issues
Spread spectrum Repeater
Lag between VSAT installation and commissioning
One of the main concerns highlighted during the project installation by Verestar was the potential hacking
of the school LANs through the public IP addressing system thus being a potential security threat. For this
we have deployed linux operating system for the internet servers which is configured to protecting all
workstations behind its firewall. Based on the fact that there is no 100% efficient firewall, we opted to have
the public IP addressing system rather than the private IP addressing system which would not enable local
remote monitoring and remote login into the school LANs for support.
The regulatory environment on international data gateway licenses was tight at the inception of this project
and is still tight until mid year 2003. For this, SchoolNet WorldLinks VSAT project operation will ride on
Wilken AFSAT’s license until a preferred alternative is possible.
The spread spectrum repeater raises a fresh concern of co-location space cost per month.
A Maintenance and repair contract for the VSATs soft and hardware was a concern at the time the project
implementation rolled out. For this it was decided that repair will be on per-call basis .
Physical security for the VSATs outdoor and outdoor units was a concern for all schools administrations as
well as SchoolNet/WorldLinks. For this wire-fences have been built round the outdoor units. Some schools
have gone ahead to built cages around the feed assembly system. Security light has been improved around
the VSAT and the computer labs and security guards have been deployed.
The VSAT sites of Arua and Moroto continue to raise concern on their primary source of VAC power
during the day for their computer labs.
Allen Luyima
Technical Coordinator
SchoolNet Uganda/WorldLinks