Quick Start Guide

Step 1 - Find an unobstructed location

Starlink must be 100% unobstructed for best performance. Even small obstructions in the field of view will have a negative impact on the quality of the connection.

Each dish should have clear view of the sky from around 20° elevation (above the horizon), with a full 360° azimuth (rotation). If there are obstructions to the field of view, multiple dishes can be used, and load balanced with a 3rd party router. However, any dish with obstructions will result in lower than the rated performance (i.e. bandwidth throughput) from that dish. It is of utmost importance to install in a location with a clear view of the sky.

Customers have been successful installing Starlink on roofs, elevated posts, and masts since the dishes are less likely to be obstructed in a higher location. To prevent obstructions, use the Starlink app and scan the sky where you plan to install your dish. Any tree branches, poles, or masts in front of the dish can cause obstructions and hinder network performance.

Step 2 - Mount the dish

Permanent installation may require drilling to achieve the most secure mount. Alternately, the dish can be clamped to a railing or beam with third-party mounting hardware.

If you plan to use the Starlink Wedge Mount (included with the Flat High Performance dish), please keep the following in mind:

The mount should be installed on a structurally sound, horizontal surface.
Choose the appropriate installation hardware:
- Machine Screws and Nuts — for surfaces with backside access. Use removable thread locker and/or mechanical locking washers for installations in high-vibration environments, such as vehicles or ships.
- Lag Bolts — for wood or plywood.
- Blind Hole Nuts and Machine Screws — for composite surfaces.
Orient the mount so the lower end of the dish has the cable connection and points forwards when in motion.

For detailed instructions, reference the Wedge Mount Install Guide.

Step 3 - Mount the power supply

Mount the power supply using the supplied mount. Be sure the connectors face down or to the side.

Step 4 - Connect to power supply

Connect the Starlink dish to power supply with the provided wire.

The Flat High Performance kit includes an 8 meter cable. If 8 meters is not long enough for your installation, you can purchase a 25 meter cable in the Starlink Shop. Due to power requirements, the cable from the power supply to the dish can not be extended beyond 25 meters. The minimum bend radius for this cable is 10cm (4").

Step 5 - Connect to router or ethernet

OPTION 1: Use the Starlink Router cable to connect the power supply to the Starlink provided router.

OPTION 2: Use the Starlink Ethernet cable to connect the power supply directly to ethernet port of a device or to a third-party router. Minimum bend radius for this cable is 10cm (4").

If the ethernet connection cable is not long enough, we suggest terminating or patching the cable. If the connection is outdoors, be sure to use a weatherproof connection. This cable from the power supply to your network is standard ethernet and can be extended up to 100m. Minimum bend radius for ethernet cable is generally 10cm (4").

Step 6 - Connect to power

Use the power cable to connect the power supply and the router (if in use) to a power source supplying AC voltage.

It is recommended to power the Starlink and any downstream router from a power source protected by an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) for the following reasons:

The UPS should protect the Starlink from power spikes and surges. This can prevent damage to the Starlink from a power surge.
A UPS is designed to provide continuous power to the Starlink through minor dips (brownouts). This will prevent the Starlink from powering down due to low voltage. Even a short interruption in power will cause the unit to reboot, which could result in an internet outage of 10 minutes or more, as the Starlink needs time to re-establish connection to the satellite network.
The UPS can provide lasting power to the Starlink during an extended power outage. The maximum duration depends on the capacity of the UPS system. As long as the Starlink has power, it will provide an internet connection, which can be useful during a power outage.

Step 7 - Connect and set up WiFi (Starlink Router Only)

Stand close to the router, open the Starlink app, and tap ‘Start Setup’.
1. This will guide you through the setup and prompt with WiFi configuration steps like setting a Network name and password.
2. No Starlink app? Find and connect to the "STARLINK" network in your device’s WiFi settings.
Confirm you are connected by navigating to a website, watching a video, or running a speed test from the app while connected to Starlink. You will see an ONLINE status on the main screen of the app.
1. We recommend using the Starlink router for initial setup confirmation. See the WiFi section for additional guidance.

Step 8 - Test your connection

After a few hours of connection, the Starlink app has had time to collect more data.

Starlink Stats: From the Starlink app in the “Statistics” section, you can check statistics like speed, uptime, latency, outages, and alerts while connected to the Starlink router.
1. Obstructions: Check to see where you may have obstructions causing intermittent service.
2. WiFi Range: View the signal strength of each connected device from the Network screen, use the Range tool to test WiFi signal throughout your home, and run a speed test.
3. Support: If you are having issues with setup, review the guidance in the Troubleshooting and Setup sections in Support. It may take up to 20 minutes for Starlink to connect.

Mounting

Mounting your Starlink in a higher location can help prevent obstructions and improve network performance. If you are installing Starlink in a fixed location, use the Pipe Adapter Mount to elevate the dish. Mounting accessories are available for purchase in the "Shop" tab of your Starlink account.

Cable Routing

Carefully route Starlink cable from the outside in without significantly bending it or jamming the connector. The dish cable is designed to fold flat to minimize the size of the hole required to pass through the wall. The minimum diameter needed for the cable to fit through the wall is 19.05mm (¾”). Damages to the cable could impact your quality of service so be sure your cables remain free of kinks, debris, or door-jambs. The cable is not rated to be buried or under water.

Longer cables are routing kits are available for purchase in the Starlink Shop.

Starlink Cable Routing Kits

Cable Routing Kit

Designed for drilling through most walls. Not recommended for masonry, concrete, or hard coat stucco. Best for customers with prior internet cable routing experience and installation; must be comfortable drilling through walls. Kit includes a 3/4" (1.9 cm) spade bit, drill bit, cable routing tool, silicone sealant, grommets, and wall clips.

Tools Needed: Drill, Stud / Electrical Finder
Package Dimensions: 3.75" x 5.25" x 1.75" / 34.9 x 13.3 x 4.4 cm
Package Weight: 0.83 lbs / 0.38 kg

Installation Guide (PDF)

Masonry Routing Kit

Designed for drilling through masonry, concrete or hard coat stucco (excluding EIFS) walls. Best for customers with prior internet cable routing experience and installation; must be comfortable drilling through walls. Kit includes a 3/4" (1.9 cm) spade bit, drill bits, cable routing tool, silicone sealant, grommets, and wall clips.

Tools Needed: Hammer, Hammer Drill, Phillips Head Drill Bit, Stud / Electrical Finder, Goggles, Gloves, and Mask
Package Dimensions: 13.875” x 6.5” x 1.75” / 35.2 x 16.5 x 4.4 cm
Package Weight: 2.1 lbs / 1 kg

Installation Guide (PDF)

Connection Monitoring

Dashboard

Please allow some time after installation for the Starlink app to collect data.

Starlink Statistics: If you are connected to the Starlink WiFi, from the Starlink app in the “Statistics” section, or by typing dishy.starlink.com into any web browser, you can check statistics like speed, uptime, latency, outages, and alerts. This information is also available at starlink.com/account/dashboard

Downlink Throughput: Download speed in Mbps
Uplink Throughput: Upload speed in Mbps
Latency: Round trip time to the Starlink POP
Ping Drop Rate: Percentage of "pings" sent that did not get a response from the POP. You should not experience any effects while ping loss is less than 3%
Signal Quality: Signal Quality is an indication of Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) which we represent as a percentage from 0% - 100%.
Obstruction: Check to see where you may have obstructions causing intermittent service. Any obstruction level is bad for performance. If you see obstruction percentage greater than 0.2%, your install location or current surroundings is having a negative effect on performance. Anything more than 0.27% obstruction will cause enough outages for the end user to notice. In this case, please consider adjusting your install location or raising up your Starlinks to improve your performance. A Starlink should have a clear view above 20 degrees elevation , in ALL directions 360 degrees around the azimuth.
WiFi Range (app only): View the signal strength of each connected device from the Network screen, use the Range tool to test WiFi signal throughout your home, and run a speed test.

The dashboard will provide:

Status:
1. Green: Your Starlink is online and transmitting
2. Yellow: Your Starlink is online and has an alert
3. Red: Your Starlink is offline
4. Grey: We don't have any record of telemetry for the Starlink
Any alerts related to your hardware or service.
A button that allows you to remotely reboot the dish
The ability to change IP policy from "Default" (CGNAT) to "Public IP"
If you are using the Starlink router, you can also configure the WiFi network.

Obstructions

The dish will register any blockages that obstruct its own view of the sky, and it will generate a map that can be viewed in the app. It can take up to 12 hours to generate a complete obstruction map. This is different from the map you made in the earlier step, as this is based on where in the sky the Starlink has been able to successfully connect to a satellite.

On the main menu of the app, click on the "OBSTRUCTIONS" item.
On the subsequent screen, see any obstructions in the dish's view of the sky.
If the view is highly obstructed, we recommend mounting the dish in a location with a clearer view of the sky.