Is the speed of my connection the same as on land?
No, the data for onboard connection is transmitted via a slower wireless signal to satellites orbiting the earth approximately 22,000 miles from the earth's surface and then bounce back down to the land based exchange. At home, your data is sent through a fast cable connection to your local exchange, just around the corner from your house. Therefore internet access onboard is significantly slower than high-speed connections normally experienced on land.