Trick Out Your Dish! The Full Information to Starlink Equipment and Mounts

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Should you’re desirous about signing up for Starlink satellite tv for pc web, you may moderately assume that the corporate will offer you all the things that you must get the service up and working if you purchase the required $599 starter package. In it, you get a dish, a dish mount, a 75-foot cable, and a single Wi-Fi router. And for a lot of customers, that is sufficient to get web service virtually anyplace Starlink operates, and to beam the Wi-Fi sign all through even a good-size home.Once I acquired my very own Starlink package, I additionally thought that I might be all set. However after establishing the dish and gear, and in the midst of doing my deep-dive evaluate of the service, I spotted that I could not depart my dish out within the yard, and working a cable by way of an open window wasn’t the best choice, both. For my house, I nonetheless wanted to purchase a cable routing package and a pipe adapter mount, which let me arrange my Starlink dish on the roof utilizing an outdated Dish TV mount that was already there.The specifics of your house will seemingly require related concerns. The place do you need to mount your Starlink dish? How do you need to run the cables into the home? What do that you must get all your units linked, whether or not wired or over Wi-Fi? For these explicit wants, you will flip to the Starlink retailer, a members-only store for Starlink clients that may be accessed by way of the Starlink web site if you’re signed into your Starlink account. Right here you will discover official equipment, which fall underneath a number of classes: mounting {hardware}, cables and cabling equipment, networking gear, and even gear for portability.The issue is, if you happen to’re not already a Starlink buyer however merely contemplating signing up, it is exhausting to know what equipment are even out there, not to mention what they’re used for and which of them you may want. So we have put collectively this information overlaying the entire equipment at present provided within the Starlink retailer. We’ll provide you with suggestions for when every merchandise is likely to be helpful, together with details about pricing and setup. (Be aware: We have supplied shoppable hyperlinks to every accent, however know that you’re going to should be signed in to your Starlink account to entry them immediately.)Mounting Equipment: A Dish Finest Served Clear To get Starlink web in your house, you want a dish. New clients who choose the Normal Package will obtain the Dish V4 and Router Gen 3. Should you’ve already obtained Starlink or bought a used system, you might have the older Dish V2 and Router Gen 2, which stay broadly in use and require completely different equipment. Each units of equipment are coated on this information.As a result of nearly all of customers nonetheless use the older Dish V2 and Gen 2 Router, we’ll proceed to record these accent fashions first, with the equal Dish V4 and Gen 3 Router gear listed second the place related or as a standalone accent when there isn’t any V2 model. We may even word which equipment can be utilized for each gear generations.

When you get the dish, that you must mount it someplace with a transparent view of the sky. The setup course of consists of scanning the overhead space along with your smartphone digicam to determine any potential obstructions, and it is throughout this course of that you could be end up unable to get that clear skyward view.If that you must elevate your Starlink dish, plenty of mounting choices can be found to assist. Whether or not you need to put your dish in your roof, on the facet of your own home, and even in the course of a discipline, listed below are the equipment that allow you to do it.Starlink Pivot MountFor slanted rooftops, contemplate the Pivot Mount ($68). As a result of the Starlink dish mast is supposed to face straight up orf vertically, the Pivot Mount supplies an adjustable connector that permits the dish to be set to the mandatory angle irrespective of how steep the pitch of your roof occurs to be.

(Credit score: Starlink)

The bottom of the pivot mount is screwed down onto the roofing materials (a separate accent is required when you have metallic flashing to take care of), and the mount comes with the mandatory lag screws and sealing tape to stop roof leaks that is likely to be brought on by drilling the required holes.In a wise contact, the package additionally comes with an over-the-shoulder carry bag for the Starlink dish to make it simpler to hold the dish safely up a ladder.

Starlink Pivot Mount

Starlink Normal Pivot Mount

Should you’re utilizing the newer 2024 gear, there’s the Dish V4-compatible Normal Pivot Mount ($74), which inserts the kickstand attachment bracket on the bottom of the flatter dish. Many of the {hardware} is equivalent to the older model, and it comes with the identical base and mast, lag screws, sealant tape, and cable routing clips. However as a substitute of attaching to the built-in mast of the Dish V2, it makes use of a mast adapter that slots into the kickstand attachment bracket of the brand new dish.Starlink Flashing MountIf you’ve got a roof with metallic shingles, or that you must mount the dish to a wall with metallic siding, additionally, you will have to get the Flashing Mount ($93). It is an adapter for the Pivot Mount, made to be used when the Pivot Mount cannot be screwed into place because of the constructing supplies concerned.

(Credit score: Starlink)

As a substitute of merely drilling into the roof, the Flashing Mount’s setup is a little more concerned. It requires you to chop away a few of your roof utilizing a supplied template and a utility knife, pry up the encompassing shingles a bit, after which screw and caulk the mount into place. It is a extra invasive course of, however that is simply the truth of some roofing supplies.

Starlink Flashing Mount

As soon as it is all performed, you possibly can connect the Pivot Mount to the freshly put in Flashing Mount, and proceed to arrange your rooftop Starlink dish. And, as a result of the bottom of the pivot mount is similar for each outdated and new dish fashions, the identical flashing mount works with the brand new Dish V4.Starlink Wall MountsIf a wall is your solely selection for placing up your Starlink dish, then the Brief Wall Mount ($60) is the choice for you. This small mount goes up with simply two screws and allows you to put the dish at roof top with out drilling by way of shingles.

(Credit score: Starlink)

Conversely, if that you must mount your dish on a wall however want the mounting arm to increase past eaves, gables, or different overhanging obstructions, there’s the Lengthy Wall Mount ($72). This 16.8-inch arm has the mandatory mast mount and cable routing to be used with the Starlink dish, and it is one of many easier-to-install mounts on this record.

(Credit score: Starlink)

Starlink Brief Wall Mount

Starlink Lengthy Wall Mount

Starlink Normal Wall Mount

There’s just one Normal Wall Mount ($67) package provided for the Dish V4, designed to accommodate a 4-inch overhang. An 18-inch mast top allows you to increase the brand new flat dish above your roof edge, giving it a transparent, unobstructed view of the sky and satellites overhead.

(Credit score: Starlink)

Starlink Floor Pole MountIf you are not mounting your Starlink dish on a constructing however nonetheless have to get your dish up above obstructions equivalent to bushes and shrubs, then the Floor Pole Mount ($75) might be the answer you want. Designed for in-ground set up and utilizing a easy two-piece design that lifts your dish 5 ft within the air, it is also doubtlessly essentially the most difficult DIY choice of the bunch, requiring you to dig a gap and blend up some concrete to correctly set the pole within the floor.

(Credit score: Starlink)

As a result of any further mounting {hardware} could be used along with this pole, the Starlink Floor Pole Mount can be appropriate with Dish V4.Starlink Pipe AdapterIf you have already got an current mount or pipe in your roof—my house had a Dish TV satellite tv for pc mount left over by a earlier proprietor—then the Pipe Adapter ($35) is the accent you want. That is the best mounting choice on the record, a metallic cuff that slips over the prevailing pipe and tightens down with screws.

(Credit score: Starlink)

It serves up a superbly sized Starlink mast mount on the opposite finish. No new holes should be drilled, making it a reasonably stress-free choice.

Starlink Pipe Adapter

Starlink Normal Pipe Adapter

The kickstand bracket on the Dish V4 necessitates a redesigned mount for attaching the brand new dish to a pole. The brand new Normal Pipe Adapter ($38) does simply that, letting you mount the unit on any pole that is between 1.25 and a pair of.5 inches in diameter.

(Credit score: Starlink)

Starlink Ridgeline MountRenters who cannot drill holes for everlasting mounting on a roof or wall might need to contemplate the no-drilling-required Starlink Ridgeline Mount ($300). It is significantly dearer than a lot of the mounting choices Starlink sells, nevertheless it’s the one to decide on if you wish to keep away from the potential expense of a roof restore brought on by eradicating a everlasting mount.

(Credit score: Starlink)

The ridgeline mount as a substitute supplies a weighted base that sits securely on the highest ridge of a gable roof, straddling the height and holding it in place with ballast weights. The versatile mount can deal with each metallic and shingle roofs (it isn’t beneficial for clay tile roofs) and slope angles of 45 levels or much less.Indoor MountsNot all your Starlink gear lives outdoors. Your router and accompanying energy provide even have mounting choices, whether or not you need to put them out of the best way on a wall or in any other case tucked out of sight. That is particularly helpful for cellular customers in RVs or different autos because it’s much less sensible to easily depart a router and energy brick sitting on a shelf in a transferring automobile.

(Credit score: Starlink)

The primary indoor mounting choice is the Gen 3 Router Mount ($25), a specialised clip-in holder for the Wi-Fi 6 router. The mount could be simply screwed right into a wall or onto a flat floor, like a shelf, with the included screws and wall anchors, supplying you with some flexibility in the place the mount goes. Cable routing and retention is constructed into the mount, and the snap-on design allows you to simply click on the router into place and take away it once more when that you must.

(Credit score: Starlink)

The second indoor choice is the Normal Energy Provide Mount ($24), which provides you a similar clip-on mounting comfort, however for the accompanying energy brick. Whether or not you are attaching it out of the best way underneath a desk or simply maintaining the facility adapter neatly mounted subsequent to the router, the plastic bracket makes it a lot simpler to handle the facility and cabling to your wall-mounted router. Just like the router mount, it comes with the mandatory screws and wall anchors, however you will want to provide your individual energy instruments and drill bits.Cables: Carry the Sign InsideOnce that dish is correctly positioned, you continue to have to pipe that web connection into your house. The dish might keep outdoors, however the router does not, so cable routing will should be addressed, except you are fantastic with working a cable by way of an open window all winter. The older Dish V2 from 2022 makes use of a proprietary cable connector, whereas the newer Dish V4 (2024) makes use of a ruggedized model of the Ethernet cable and connectors. Apparently sufficient, because the Starlink buyer base has grown globally, the cable lengths have additionally modified barely, with newer cables being bought in metric measurements of 15 and 45 meters. Whether or not you want a brand new cable, an extended cable, or simply the gear to run that cable by way of a wall, listed below are the cable and cable routing merchandise from the Starlink store.Starlink Alternative CablesDid the canine chew up the cable that got here along with your Starlink set up package? Did you mangle, sever, or in any other case injury that 75-footer? Properly, Starlink’s 75-Foot Alternative Cable ($55) is offered within the store, offering not solely a stream of knowledge to and out of your Starlink dish, however energy, too.

Starlink 75 Ft Alternative Cable

Starlink 150 Ft Alternative Cable

Starlink Gen 3 Cable (45m)

Starlink Gen 3 Cable (15m)

Be aware that this cable is equivalent to the 75-foot strand that comes commonplace along with your Starlink dish, full with its distinctly formed ends for plugging into each the dish and the router. Should you want further size that your current cable does not present, you want the longer 150-foot model ($130). It, too, is full with specifically designed plug ends for each the dish and the router. If you would like an extended cable to run from the dish to your own home, that is the longest official choice out there.

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(Credit score: Starlink)

For newer {hardware}, you really need a unique cable, because the Dish V4 and Gen 3 Router use RJ-45 connections. These aren’t your on a regular basis Ethernet cables, although. These are totally weatherized, from the heavy sheathing to the bolstered plug suggestions. You will get a Normal Starlink Cable 15m ($50) to exchange the one which comes along with your set up package, or the longer Normal Starlink Cable 45m ($115) model, which provides you 3 times the attain.Starlink Cable Routing KitWithout skilled set up, equivalent to you may get with conventional cable or satellite tv for pc service, establishing your Starlink gear falls to you, the client. And if you happen to’re planning to arrange your Starlink Wi-Fi router indoors, you will have to run that cable into your house with a Cable Routing Package ($32). Included within the package is all the things however a drill—you even get a 0.75-inch spade bit and a cable routing device.

(Credit score: Starlink)

What’s not included? Expertise with routing cables. You may be capable to YouTube your method by way of it, however when you have a buddy who is aware of what they’re doing, it is in all probability greatest to name them earlier than you begin drilling holes in your partitions.

Starlink Cable Routing Package

Starlink Masonry Routing Package

The usual package is made with typical body homes in thoughts, nevertheless it is not suited to partitions of masonry, concrete, or stucco. For these, you’ll need the Masonry Routing Package ($46), which features a spade bit and each 0.75-inch and 0.25-inch drill bits, together with the mandatory cable anchors and sealant you will have to correctly set up the cable with out letting the climate in with it. As with the usual Cable Routing Package, it is a DIY course of, so learn up on what you are doing, or cellphone a buddy with expertise earlier than you begin drilling.Networking: Methods to Join Your DevicesYour web speeds could also be nice, however the single Wi-Fi router that comes along with your Starlink package will not be sufficient for each system or room in your own home. Try these important networking equipment, or learn extra in our information to utilizing your individual router with Starlink.Starlink Mesh Wi-Fi RouterIf you’ve got your dish located and your router connected however nonetheless end up with no connection in some elements of your house, you might want a Starlink Gen 2 Mesh Wi-Fi Router ($100 per node).

Starlink Mesh WiFi Router

Starlink Gen 3 Mesh Router

Made to stretch the protection space of the included Wi-Fi router, you possibly can add as much as three nodes, each boosting the facility and attain of your Starlink router’s wi-fi sign.

(Credit score: Starlink)

If you wish to cowl a wider space, or get the improved speeds of Wi-Fi 6 to your native units, the newer Gen 3 Mesh Router ($199) is the best way to go. The brand new mannequin boasts quicker requirements, a extra informative standing indicator gentle, and even built-in Ethernet ports for including wired units, like a printer or community connected storage (NAS).Starlink Ethernet AdapterIf it is a wired connection you want, whether or not it is for connecting your individual Wi-Fi router or mesh system, or simply plugging in a wired printer or NAS system, then you definately want the Starlink Ethernet Adapter ($17), which hyperlinks the dish connector cable and Starlink router. The Ethernet adapter supplies a single wired port for connecting any wired system, and it can be used with any linked Starlink mesh node.

Starlink Ethernet Adapter

(Credit score: Starlink)

Should you’re utilizing the newer Gen 3 Router with Wi-Fi 6, there is not any want for an Ethernet adapter, because the router has two further RJ-45 ports built-in.Portability: Take Your Starlink on the RoadAs new as fixed-address Starlink service is, there are even newer frontiers in satellite tv for pc web. With choices for placing a Starlink dish on a ship or outdoors an RV, the service has gone transportable, and it has the right accent for linked vacationers.Starlink Journey CaseIf you are one of many Starlink RV customers utilizing your dish for web connectivity on the highway, you will need one thing to each defend the gear and make it a bit of simpler to move, so you will want the Starlink Journey Case ($175). This difficult-shell case protects the older motor-actuated dish, and has room for the entire different gear you want to your web connection, together with the router, the mount, and cables. As of now, Starlink does not have an identical package for newer dish fashions.

(Credit score: Starlink)

Handles on the highest and facet allow you to carry the dish briefcase-style in both orientation, and backpack straps allow you to carry all your gear in your again, ought to that you must.

Starlink Journey Case

Between the exhausting fabric-covered shell and the froth inside with formed storage compartments for each merchandise, it is a helpful option to carry the Starlink gear securely as you journey.For extra on learn how to get your Starlink web service arrange and working, take a look at our how-to information. As for what sort of speeds you possibly can anticipate, take a look at our most up-to-date in-depth efficiency testing.

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About Brian Westover

Lead Analyst, {Hardware}

Should you’re after laptop computer shopping for recommendation, I’m your man. From PC critiques to Starlink testing, I’ve acquired greater than a decade of expertise reviewing PCs and know-how merchandise. I acquired my begin with PCMag however have additionally written for Tom’s Information and LaptopMag.com, and a number of other different tech retailers. With a concentrate on private computing (Home windows, macOS, and ChromeOS), Starlink satellite tv for pc web, and generative AI productiveness instruments, I am an expert tech nerd and an influence consumer by way of and thru.

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