Method and system of asymmetric satellite communications for local area networks

A server computer for communicating between a global communications network and client computers on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

• network hardware for connecting said server computer to the computer network;
• communications hardware for enabling electronic communications with a satellite receiver;
• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable medium containing:
• network instructions for communications between said server computer and the computer network;
• satellite instructions for communications between said server computer and the satellite receiver;
• router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network and operating to route the download data to a plurality of client computers connected to a local area network, irrespective of said client computers' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers;
• and
• wherein said network instructions, said satellite instructions and said router instructions are executable by said processor.

A server computer for providing access to a global communications network for a plurality of client computers on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

• a network interface;
• a satellite receiver interface;
• a processor;
• and
• at least one storage device, said storage device containing:
• a network driver;
• a satellite driver;
• and
• router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network through a satellite receiver and through the satellite receiver interface and operating to route the download data to a plurality of client computers connected to a computer network through the network interface, irrespective of said client computers' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, and wherein said router instructions are executable by said processor.

A server computer for providing access to a global communications network for a plurality of client computers on a computer network, the server computer comprising:

• a network interface;
• a satellite receiver interface;
• a processor;
• and
• non-volatile memory, said non-volatile memory containing:
• a network driver;
• a satellite driver;
• and
• router instructions, said router instructions operating to receive download data from the global communications network through a satellite receiver and through the satellite receiver interface and operating to route the download data to a local area network connected to a plurality of client computers through the network interface, irrespective of said client computers' operating systems such that said server computer does not require the same operating system for each of said client computers, and wherein said router instructions are executable by said processor.