Starlink ordered… I feel it’s the only sensible option now..

That looks like a nice simple all in one solution. Previous buyers have left good comments, which is always helpful.
Reducing the need to run dishy through an inverter will reduce the power consumption from whatever the inverter was using, so there are definitely benefits.
Its a shame no one has been able to combine a router in the same package, I feel that would be a game changer. Hope you get starmount to cancel the order!
Let us know how you go on with the device ...??
 
Our latest bush camp with Starlink operating flawlessly.
At this stage we’re very remote, about six hours drive from the nearest small town.
No other humans since we passed through the town.
IMG_0192.jpeg
 
So, ....... what's in the 2 boxes?
Looking at that pic makes me think dishy should be incorporated in to the top of one of them!!
 
Guigsy said:
Early reviews... Mini Dishy is much more plasticy and light weight than the larger ones. Is it going to survive being on the roof of a van?
Click to expand...
With it being smaller It probably doesn't need to be as rigid?
 
Onemanandhisdog said:
So, ....... what's in the 2 boxes?
Looking at that pic makes me think dishy should be incorporated in to the top of one of them!!
Click to expand...
Eating and cooking utensils.
I carried dishy in my hand luggage.

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Fired my starlink up last night, the first time since last year, it wanted to do an update, I let it do that and then it just endlessly tried to reboot.
I left it overnight, looked at it again this morning and it wants to update again, l let it do it and it then it booted up and connected.
So all good in the end.
 
olley said:
Fired my starlink up last night, the first time since last year, it wanted to do an update, I let it do that and then it just endlessly tried to reboot.
I left it overnight, looked at it again this morning and it wants to update again, l let it do it and it then it booted up and connected.
So all good in the end.
Click to expand...
Probably got overwhelmed by the thousands of new satellites since last time it looked. 😅
 
olley said:
Fired my starlink up last night, the first time since last year, it wanted to do an update, I let it do that and then it just endlessly tried to reboot.
I left it overnight, looked at it again this morning and it wants to update again, l let it do it and it then it booted up and connected.
So all good in the end.
Click to expand...
On our “Franked” dishy we’ve noticed that it needs a voltage above about 12.3v to boot successfully. We bought a 230v ac to 12v dc to run it off a generator if need be, but it never went beyond the booting stage at just over 12.2v. It will be fine on lithium, but I’m now on the hunt for a 230v ac to 13v dc travel converter. As usual Google makes it almost impossible to narrow my search down. It seems the more we move to AI the dumber the searches become.
 
RogerIvy said:
On our “Franked” dishy we’ve noticed that it needs a voltage above about 12.3v to boot successfully. We bought a 230v ac to 12v dc to run it off a generator if need be, but it never went beyond the booting stage at just over 12.2v.
Click to expand...
Hi Roger, this is the excerpt from Oleg's blog

'The minimum supply voltage is 10V, and the absolute maximum is 15V. Please, do not exceed 15V value. It might damage your Dishy'

I'm wondering if cable loss might be the issue in your case? I know when I tested the single cable hack it worked fine on a short cable but when I increased the length it appeared to become an issue ...??

Keep testing it for us all ...👍👍 and keep enjoying your fantastic adventure!

PS I love the previous comment that you carried your dishy to Australia in your hand luggage ... Brilliant!!
 
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RogerIvy said:
On our “Franked” dishy we’ve noticed that it needs a voltage above about 12.3v to boot successfully. We bought a 230v ac to 12v dc to run it off a generator if need be, but it never went beyond the booting stage at just over 12.2v. It will be fine on lithium, but I’m now on the hunt for a 230v ac to 13v dc travel converter. As usual Google makes it almost impossible to narrow my search down. It seems the more we move to AI the dumber the searches become.
Click to expand...
If running direct from 12V is so sensitive to voltage it would seem preferable to use the 12V to 48V POE method of powering dishy or 240V to 48V POE if you want to power it directly from a mains source. This also compensates for cable losses and allows you to successfully drive it via a long cable if it needs to be ground mounted away from the vehicle. The 12V to 48V POE method has been 100% reliable on our current trip and we have frequently had to use the ground mount and 150 ft cable due to tree shaded pitches.

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Starlink gen 2 router question. My £99 gen 2 set up has worked ok in the motorhome on mains power since purchase. Got it working today down in Royan area, 150mb download no problem even in shaded campsite.
However, the original router is pants, it's range is poor even inside the motorhome. I see that Starlink are offering discounted gen 2 mesh routers for £100. https://shop.starlink.com/products/gb-consumer-mesh-wifi-gen2
So is this the best, simple purchase to improve reception? and is my original router saleable?
 
Kups said:
Starlink gen 2 router question. My £99 gen 2 set up has worked ok in the motorhome on mains power since purchase. Got it working today down in Royan area, 150mb download no problem even in shaded campsite.
H
Click to expand...
Kups said:
owever, the original router is pants, it's range is poor even inside the motorhome. I see that Starlink are offering discounted gen 2 mesh routers for £100. https://shop.starlink.com/products/gb-consumer-mesh-wifi-gen2
So is this the best, simple purchase to improve reception? and is my original router saleable?
Click to expand...
The mesh router just extends the signal from your original. I did it across 2 static vans and it wasn't very good.

I believe Carpmart recommends an Asus I think
 
Kups said:
Starlink gen 2 router question. My £99 gen 2 set up has worked ok in the motorhome on mains power since purchase. Got it working today down in Royan area, 150mb download no problem even in shaded campsite.
However, the original router is pants, it's range is poor even inside the motorhome. I see that Starlink are offering discounted gen 2 mesh routers for £100. https://shop.starlink.com/products/gb-consumer-mesh-wifi-gen2
So is this the best, simple purchase to improve reception? and is my original router saleable?
Click to expand...
There usually plenty of routers for sale on auction and selling sites, mainly because they're crap ! But because they're still expensive from starlink, people think they're worth a lot more than they are. The truth is that it's cheaper to get a better router even with any associated changes required


Power loss due to cable length is the exact reason for the 48v supply in the first instance.
 
Mesh systems are expensive and greatly overrated in my opinion, and really designed for home use. The signal provided by a secondary mesh wifi point is dependent on how good a signal it can get from the router on the back channel used to communicate between the two. In situations such as in large houses or ones with thick walls this will be a problem.

My much cheaper and very effective solution for home use is to use two high spec wifi access points with wired connections via ethernet cables to a POE switch connected directly to the router.

However, I can't see how a mesh capable Starlink router is going to help with range extension in a camping setting unless it has a much more powerful wifi transmitter, than the standard Starlink router ( unlikely in my opinion) or unless you actually set up a mesh system with a second router or WiFi access point linked to it at a closer position to where you want the signal. I can't see how this is relevant to camping use, and even in a domestic setting there are probably better cheaper solutions.

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fred_jb said:
Mesh systems are expensive and greatly overrated in my opinion, and really designed for home use. The signal provided by a secondary mesh wifi point is dependent on how good a signal it can get from the router on the back channel used to communicate between the two. In situations such as in large houses or ones with thick walls this will be a problem.

My much cheaper and very effective solution for home use is to use two high spec wifi access points with wired connections via ethernet cables to a POE switch connected directly to the router.

However, I can't see how a mesh capable Starlink router is going to help with range extension in a camping setting unless it has a much more powerful wifi transmitter, than the standard Starlink router ( unlikely in my opinion) or unless you actually set up a mesh system with a second router or WiFi access point linked to it at a closer position to where you want the signal. I can't see how this is relevant to camping use, and even in a domestic setting there are probably better cheaper solutions.
Click to expand...
Thanks. The issue is that the router has a range of about 10 feet, even less outside the motorhome (aluminium skin walls). I misunderstood about the mesh router. What I clearly need is a stronger router to take the Starlink signal and cover a radius of 20 feet at least.
Looks like I need an ethernet adapter and TP Link router. I understand that I have to keep the original Starlink router powered up when using a bypass router.
 
My van is aluminium skinned and I work from my van often. 15+m away outside with the original gen 2 router
 
Kups said:
Thanks. The issue is that the router has a range of about 10 feet, even less outside the motorhome (aluminium skin walls). I misunderstood about the mesh router. What I clearly need is a stronger router to take the Starlink signal and cover a radius of 20 feet at least.
Looks like I need an ethernet adapter and TP Link router. I understand that I have to keep the original Starlink router powered up when using a bypass router.
Click to expand...
That would be true if you want to continue to power the dish from the Starlink router in the normal way. You would also need an Ethernet adapter in order to connect your own router. If you go down the route of providing a 12V to 48V power supply for the dish, as I have done, then you can dispense with the Starlink router.

I use the Beryl AX GL-MT3000 router, which despite being very small seems to have a great range. When I was setting it up in the van on the drive at the front of the house my wife was still connecting from the back garden!
 
You could maybe try using a mains extension lead to allow the Starlink router to be placed outside the van as that might give you a better signal if you are working outside the van.
 
fred_jb said:
I use the Beryl AX GL-MT3000 router,
Click to expand...
That looks a good option. I've got a Pyramid VPN router that I could use but it has a max speed of 40mbs and unstated range.

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fred_jb said:
You could maybe try using a mains extension lead to allow the Starlink router to be placed outside the van as that might give you a better signal if you are working outside the van.
Click to expand...
Yes, possible. I've got the router inside the mh in an under bed locker that's got a mains plug.
 
Kups said:
Yes, possible. I've got the router inside the mh in an under bed locker that's got a mains plug.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. That certainly doesn't sound like a router location that is conducive to getting a good connection range!
 
fred_jb said:
Hmmm. That certainly doesn't sound like a router location that is conducive to getting a good connection range!
Click to expand...
Yes, sited for convenience. Will have to look a better arrangement. Not simple if I want to avoid trailing cables.
 
Kups said:
Starlink gen 2 router question. My £99 gen 2 set up has worked ok in the motorhome on mains power since purchase. Got it working today down in Royan area, 150mb download no problem even in shaded campsite.
However, the original router is pants, it's range is poor even inside the motorhome. I see that Starlink are offering discounted gen 2 mesh routers for £100. https://shop.starlink.com/products/gb-consumer-mesh-wifi-gen2
So is this the best, simple purchase to improve reception? and is my original router saleable?
Click to expand...
There are lots of options explained on you tube, it's just a case of what you want to spend and what are you prepared to change, in terms of cutting cables. I think the 12v option is the way to go for motorhome use for me, with a non starlink router, but that option won't suit everyone else .... RogerIvy is doing some great 'in the field' testing out in the Australian outback at the moment...

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