Viasat offers free installation, which is helpful since self-installation is not recommended with satellite internet. You do not need phone wiring to get Viasat satellite internet, since your installation technician will install a small satellite dish on your house and run wiring from the dish to a modem and router combination device inside your home.
You’ll also need a Viasat Wi-Fi Modem (a modem/router combo) from Viasat. A typical modem from the store won’t work with satellite internet—you need the Viasat Wi-Fi Modem to connect to Viasat’s satellite internet signal. The modem/router will broadcast a Wi-Fi signal throughout your home, but you can use your own router to customize your home network if you choose.
If you want to purchase the Viasat Wi-Fi Gateway rather than rent it, you can buy it for $300. If you’re not sure how long you’ll stay with Viasat, we recommend renting. Plus, at the end of a two-year period (the length of a Viasat contract), renting is cheaper than buying.
Viasat Shield is ViaSat Inc.'s security service app meant to complement its satellite internet service, so you can only get Viasat Shield if you're already an customer.
The Viasat Shield app allows you to monitor devices connected to your home internet, including their bandwidth usage, and warns you about current cyberattacks on your network. Viasat claims Shield is easy to setup and gives you a central overview of your satellite internet connection.
All that said, Viasat Shield is nice to have and pretty useful, but it's a bit basic and won't protect you against malware or major breaks in your device security.
Is Viasat Shield free?
Viasat Shield is free, so we recommend all Viasat users check it out and download the app. The additional security can't hurt, but don't expect it to protect you from malware, hacking, or phishing attempts. Viasat saves those powerful features for Viasat Shield Premium—which isn't free.
What is Viasat Shield premium?
Viasat Shield Premium gives you everything that Viasat Shield offers, then adds browser protections (to combat malware and unsafe websites), BitDefender virus scanning and removal for up to seven devices, and the ability to turn devices connected to your network on and off at will.
BitDefender is a trusted name in antivirus software, so Viasat Shield Premium has some pretty strong muscle to protect you out there in the wild internet wastelands. But you're certainly paying for it at $8.99/mo.
Now don't get us wrong, $8.99 isn't bad for an online security service, but the equivalent software from BitDefender costs only $3 a month ($39.99 a year, with a one-year agreement). You're paying more for ease-of-integration with Viasat Shield Premium, since it's connected directly to your satellite internet services, devices, and Viasat account.
So if convenience is what you want, and you've got the cash, Viasat Shield Premium is as good an option as any. But if you're more interested in pure online safety and best bang for your buck, going directly through BitDefender or another trustworthy antivirus software will better fit your needs.
Viasat EasyCare is like an extra subscription service that provides customers with a better customer support experience and waived fees on a few big-ticket items for $8.99 a month.
Here's what you'll get specifically if you subscribe to Viasat EasyCare:
- A special, dedicated customer service phone line with real humans to help solve your problems
- Service calls that normally cost $95 per visit are free
- $105 off the normally $200 annual satellite dish relocation service (for a total cost of $95)
Do we think it would be better if these things were just included in Viasat's normal service? Sure. But since that's not likely to happen, you might consider Viasat EasyCare, particularly if you've been burned by bad customer care or expensive service calls before.