StarLink Internet

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation project developed by SpaceX, aiming to provide high-speed internet access to underserved areas globally. It involves a network of small satellites in low Earth orbit, offering low-latency broadband connectivity.

Users can access the internet through a satellite dish receiver installed at their location. Starlink promises to deliver fast internet speeds, potentially revolutionizing connectivity in remote regions where traditional infrastructure is lacking. Its deployment is ongoing, with thousands of satellites launched and plans for further expansion, with the goal of creating a robust network that could eventually serve millions of users worldwide.

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What Does the Antenna Installation Process Involve?

  1. Site survey/assessment: A Total Solutions IT technician will come to your home or business to provide an onsite, no obligation quote. When assessing your location our experienced technicians will carry out an obstruction test which determines the mounting location and height to receive the best possible signal. Other things they will consider are; safely accessing your roof, mounting options, possible cable routes and the location of your Router, including options to ensure adequate WiFi.
  1. Installation: We securely mount the Starlink satellite dish to the roof of the property (or other suitable location) and run cabling that connects the Starlink satellite dish to the router. We will create an interior outlet (if required) near where the new router is located. Our technicians will then help you set up your new internet connection and WiFi network, using the Starlink app. Any additional WiFi products you’ve requested can be installed at the same time.
  1. Assessment of efficiency: Once complete, your technician will run an internet speed test to check the download and upload speed, and to ensure that your new internet connection is fast and reliable.

Starlink Installation Q&A

WHAT FACTORS WILL AFFECT THE COST OF PROFESSIONAL STARLINK INSTALLATION?

There are a few factors to consider when determining the price of professional Starlink Installation:

  • Where is the Starlink satellite going to be located: ie. how difficult is it to access this location, how far is this location from where you require internet access…
  • What obstructions exist that may interfere with signal reception and what height is required to avoid them: is there clear line of sight or are there tall trees, structures or buildings in the way.
  • What is the construction of your house: flat or pitched roof, is there a crawl space or wall cavities to run the cable through, single or double story, tile or metal roof, brick veneer or cladding for the walls, is it timber or steel-framed.
  • Where will the Starlink Router be located within the house and will the Starlink-supplied cable be long enough.
  • Do you need to boost your WiFi signal inside the house, or to other buildings, once Starlink is installed.
  • Where are you located: Is your house right near the coastline where corrosion is a major factor, or perhaps you live in a high wind area.

Can I Install Starlink on my Roof?

Yes, in most circumstances the Starlink satellite is best installed somewhere on your roof, which may assist in avoiding obstructions as well as keep the cabling protected and out of harm’s way.

An obstruction test (using the Starlink application) is important to conduct and will assist in deciding the correct location and height of your installation – your technician can assist you with this. The dish will typically need to point towards the South, so if you have high trees, other structures or buildings in the way, this may require a taller pole or moving to a different location.

A flat roof can make for a more complicated installation as there is often no room for cabling requiring it to be run on external walls and contained in conduit for protection. While in comparison, it is usually easier to install on standard pitched roofs as there is often plenty of room in the roof space to run the cable. Therefore the cost of installation for homes with flat roofs is often slightly higher than those with standard pitched roofs (unless it has internal  raked/cathedral ceilings).

The Starlink cable is a custom-designed set length of 30 metres. It has very specific connectors on each end and can be easily damaged if not installed correctly. It cannot be cut or re-terminated, so care is required when installing to avoid extra cost if damaged or poor signal strength due to incorrect installation.

The construction material of your roof will determine the type of mount required and therefore the price. Additionally, the Starlink dish has a unique, proprietary-designed mounting pole stem which requires purpose-built hardware specifically designed for the Starlink satellite.

If the dish is unable to be mounted on your roof for any reason, we will do our best to come up with a bespoke design to ensure you receive the best possible reception for your new Starlink system. This would be specifically quoted only after an on-site visit or in consultation with your technician.

Finally, if it is difficult and dangerous for an installer to get up onto your roof, you can also expect to pay slightly more, eg; single story versus double story, or very steep pitched roofs.

The following types of mounts are some examples of those used for Starlink Installations:

  • Tin Roof Mount
  • Gutter Mount
  • Tile/Flashing Mount
  • Universal wall mounting
  • Bespoke design or Guy-Masted Pole (3m+)

PLEASE NOTE that the 4 legged mount that comes in the Starlink kit is a ‘Ground Mount’ only and is designed for you to test the Satellite service on the ground prior to having the dish properly installed. Do not use the ground mount for a final installation on your house.

There are some mounts available from the Starlink website but some are not suitable for Australian conditions or roofing designs. Please consult with your Antennas technician if you aren’t sure about what mount is best for your situation.

HOW CAN I EXTEND THE WIFI RANGE OF MY STARLINK?

When installed correctly, the Starlink router will provide WiFi to your house, usually with good results. With some large and multi-story houses, there can be weak spots where the WiFi drops out. Your Antennas technician can provide a number of solutions to guarantee excellent quality WiFi in all areas of your house. These include:

  • WiFi Access Points
  • Range Extenders
  • WiFi Mesh Systems

Your Starlink kit comes with a 30 metre cable so this dictates where the Router can be located and subsequently the source of your WiFi signal (ie; within 30 metres of the dish, taking into account where cables can be run through wall cavities etc). Whilst additional cabling can be ordered from the Starlink website, it is usually not required. You will not be able to cut or extend the Starlink cable yourself.

Should you want to ‘plug in’ a device to the system with a cable, such as a Laptop, you will need to order the Starlink ‘Ethernet Adapter’ which can be ordered only from their website. If you require additional Ethernet ports to plug into, you can use any reliable switching device.

For properties where Internet/WiFi is required in external buildings to where the Starlink Router is situated, there are some excellent products available to achieve this wirelessly, even over long distances. There are outdoor WiFi Access Points along with Point to Point (PtP) and Point to Multiple Point (PtMP) systems available. Chat with your Antennas technician about the best solution for your WiFi needs.

What is the Installation Process for Starlink?

We suggest you do some research to ensure that the Starlink service is available at your location and that it is the right service for your needs. This should include the Starlink service/dish you require, expected download speeds and costs to purchase as well as ongoing fees.

Prior to placing your order, we recommend getting in touch with a professional installer to work alongside you with the project. This may well avoid any installation problems and is likely to save you some money in the long run. Your local Antennas technician is trained and qualified and there to offer all the right advice to ensure your Starlink system operates at its optimum level.

Importantly, one of the first things to do is conduct an Obstruction Test to ensure you can receive adequate signal. You can download and use the Starlink app or contact your technician who will conduct the test for you. In Australia, for Starlink installations specifically, an unobstructed almost 360 degree view of the sky is needed for the best coverage, pointing towards the South.

Tree canopies and other obstructions will affect where Starlink can be installed. This will become less of a concern as more satellites are launched, offering more coverage. This factor would increase the job complexity and increase the time needed to complete the job, affecting the cost.

Once an appropriate location has been identified, select the most appropriate mounting hardware required so that the dish can be properly installed. When installing, take into consideration your roof and building construction and how you will run the cabling from the dish to the Starlink router including any conduit protection required and how the cable will enter the house.

Connect cable to your router and set up your new Starlink WiFi network with a new login. Connect all your devices to the new network and enjoy your new Starlink service. You may find you’ll have additional requirements to ensure good quality WiFi throughout your property, your Antennas technician can assist you with that.

Here are the key steps reviewed:

  1. Site survey/assessment: A Antennas technician will come to your home or business to provide an onsite, no obligation quote. When assessing your location our experienced technicians will carry out an obstruction test which determines the mounting location and height to receive the best possible signal. Other things they will consider are; safely accessing your roof, mounting options, possible cable routes and the location of your Router, including options to ensure adequate WiFi.
  1. Installation: We securely mount the Starlink satellite dish to the roof of the property (or other suitable location) and run cabling that connects the Starlink satellite dish to the router. We will create an interior outlet (if required) near where the new router is located. Our technicians will then help you set up your new internet connection and WiFi network, using the Starlink app. Any additional WiFi products you’ve requested can be installed at the same time.
  2. Assessment of efficiency: Once complete, your Antennas technician will run an internet speed test to check the download and upload speed, and to ensure that your new internet connection is fast and reliable.

Does Starlink Offer Installation?

Starlink does not offer installation services, but does come pre-connected with everything you need to access the internet, as well as their app (Starlink app) to direct you with the set-up. Whilst Starlink is made to be a self-installed system, it can be very complex to install nonetheless. TSIT provides services to help install your Starlink satellite.

How Reliable is Starlink and How Does It Compare to NBN?

  • Starlink speeds are significantly faster than the NBN fixed wireless connections and often faster than NBN solutions relying on old copper wiring (i.e. fibre to the node)
  • NBN and other are cheaper from both monthly and set-up-cost perspective, but depending on different plans there are different prices, whereas Starlink is $139 a month for unlimited data and highest speeds
  • Latency (is the time it takes for data to pass from one point on a network to another): Starlink latency is at 42ms as satellites are closer to earth compared to Satellite NBN (Sky Muster) at 600ms, fixed wireless NBN at 10-20ms
  • Data limits: unlimited data for both, but NBN still splits data into peak and off-peak usage, with sub-limits on these within overall data limit – The more you pay on NBN, the more data you get to use
  • Contracts: both contract-free, Starlink have a 30 day return policy for equipment for full refund

Starlink is currently a premium-priced product so the general consensus is that Starlink may be a better option depending on the type of NBN technology you have available. If you have NBN Satellite or NBN fixed wireless you will most likely have increased performance through upgrading to Starlink. However if you currently have fibre to the curb or fibre to the premises, then NBN would be the better option.

Table: Performance of Fixed Service Plans
SERVICE PACKAGE Service Availability Latency (ms) Expected Download (mbps) Expected Upload (mbps)
STANDARD ≥99% 25-50 20-100 5-15
BUSINESS ≥99% 25-50 40-220 8-25
BEST EFFORT / RV ≥99% 25-50 5-50 2-10
Source:https://www.starlink.com/legal/documents/DOC-1002-69942-69

What is the difference between the 2nd gen (v2) square Starlink dish versus the 1st gen round dish?

  • Starlink has just introduced a new version of their satellite; one that is smaller and lighter. Specifically, whilst the old dish model weighed 16 pounds, the new model only weighs less than 9.2 pounds.

    The old model has a 2×2, MU-MIMO router, but the new and improved satellite model also features a 3×3, MU-MIMO router, which allows it to simultaneously transmit data through 3 bandwidth streams to 3 devices without suffering network congestion.

    The new satellite’s Wi-Fi modem is now waterproof and can operate outside in more varied weather conditions, between -22 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 to 50 degrees Celsius).

    However, the second-generation dish does not include a built-in Ethernet port, unlike the original dish. This can be bought additionally though the Starlink shop. Similarly, the power connector on the new dish is directly integrated on the modem, thus you would have to purchase Starlink’s official Ethernet Adapter if you wish to connect to a third-party Wi-Fi model or mesh system.

    The new model will also allow for Starlink to boost their manufacturing from about 5,000 dishes per week to producing multiples of 5,000 per week, making it more readily available to more customers.

Total Solutions IT provides modern and secure digital workplaces, focusing on the B2B market with comprehensive services in Telecommunications, Internet, Cloud, IT Managed Services, and Cyber Security.

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