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Old 01-16-2023, 01:42 PM   #1
rames14
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Starlink Questions

Well, ordered my Starlink RV standard install kit today. First, as with others we camp many places with no cell service, I’m retired and don’t need it for work. We have Centurylink at home that runs our home automation (Control4) system. Our Centurylink is 15 mb/s service and varies from 7-20 mb/s. Now for the questions.

Install will be in the Montana. Will alternate between the ground mount and something like a flagpole buddy (May do a diy). I plan on plugging the router in the basement and using the convenience center hole for the cable. Will this give me coverage throughout the coach? Second, I am running an Eero mesh in the house. I got the Ethernet adapter and thinking of running an Ethernet cable from the Starlink router to a mesh router with a mesh satellite in the house. Any issue with two different ISP’s running on separate mesh routers. The Montana sits about 7’ from the side of the house.

The third part is about using Wi-Fi for cellular in Canada and Alaska. I am on Verizon’s all everything plan. If I am using cellular over Wi-Fi, will I have any restrictions? I know Canada and Mexico are covered it’s our plan. Thanks in advance.
 
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Old 01-17-2023, 11:32 AM   #2
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Can't help you with anything but the router reach. We have ours in the basement and use it whole house with no problems. I can even update my GPS without removing it from my dashboard with the truck over twenty feet away.
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Old 01-17-2023, 02:10 PM   #3
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Given the close proximity you're probably fine in the basement. FWIW, WiFi signal works more like an umbrella than a sprinkler...the higher the placement the better to cast the broadest net with the strongest signal it produces.
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Old 01-18-2023, 07:37 AM   #4
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I have my WIFI in the front bedroom sitting on the dresser. No problem with reception as far as 35' away outside at a picnic table. I use both a ground mount and a flagpole buddy
8' two piece pole mount with the wall mounts outside my pass thru storage locker.
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Old 01-18-2023, 07:01 PM   #5
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I found out my Starlink will arrive on Friday. We leave so often during the summer that I want to be able to seamlessly leave with Starlink in the RV, but also use it in the house. So, I will start with it in the basement and have a spot in back that is clear for the tripod. I will test signal strength in the house without another router, but I do have another router ready (not mesh). I can run an Ethernet cord through a double door temporarily. We’ll see how two ISP’s/two routers work together.
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Old 01-18-2023, 07:01 PM   #6
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I found out my Starlink will arrive on Friday. We leave so often during the summer that I want to be able to seamlessly leave with Starlink in the RV, but also use it in the house. So, I will start with it in the basement and have a spot in back that is clear for the tripod. I will test signal strength in the house without another router, but I do have another router ready (not mesh). I can run an Ethernet cord through a double door temporarily. We’ll see how two ISP’s/two routers work together.
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Old 01-19-2023, 07:05 AM   #7
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Edited and removed dont want to give wrong info, they added a cable drop in that has a ethernet adaptor. A mesh system will connect to the wifi fine. My router is situated high in my rv and can reach 100-150ft outside.
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Old 01-19-2023, 07:44 AM   #8
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Lewy, I have been following and researching Starlink since before it launched. The StarLink router is capable of running in bridge mode with the addition of a $25 Ethernet adapter from Starlink. My situation is a little different than people in cities. We live on the side of a mountain. Our Centurylink DSL got upgraded from 1.33 mbps to 15 mbps two years ago. It is good enough to stream HD and handle our home automation (HVAC, home monitoring and entertainment) via hardwired Ethernet with an Eero 6 mesh system in bridge mode providing Wi-Fi to devices (iPads, Echo devices, smart plugs, computers). But not good enough for some of the advanced streaming. As we are in fire country (2012 High Park fire destroyed our neighborhood), having a backup internet source is also good. (First thing during a wildfire is cut power, DSL goes away.). I don’t want to remove Starlink from the Montana every time we want to use it at home. My thought was to install the router in the camper, Ethernet cable to a mesh system in the camper and put satellites in the house. I have read of slowdowns in speed with multiple mesh system. The crux of the matter is I would have two ISP’s (CenturyLink and StarLink) and two mesh systems. Just want to have decent service at home and on the road. The Mesh system is mainly to cover 4000 feet, built into the mountain with 3 floors.
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Old 01-19-2023, 07:45 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lewy64 View Post
The starlink rv system is a closed system with no external ethernet connection. it uses a propriety cable from the antenna. A mesh system will connect to the wifi fine. My router is situated high in my rv and can reach 100-150ft outside.
Not quite. They sell a thernwt adaptor that allows for Ethernet connections.

With regards to the OP’s questions the wifi coverage is totally dependent upon the environment variables so I think your testing is the only way to determine. Regarding the second question I think that routing will do what you want but unfortunately the SL modem does not have this capability. Also I am going to assume that since you are retired that unless you are a tech nerd like me you don’t have a compelling reason to explore a ruggedized router solution like Peplink or Cradlepoint. Both of those options provide BGP and OSPF routing.
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Old 01-19-2023, 07:51 AM   #10
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Here is a link on the adapter. https://www.starlinkhardware.com/sta...up-and-review/

I know that everyone on the forum have different levels of capability. And, some need more help than others. I recognize that my questions on this post may seem simplistic. However, network administration across multiple ISP’s and keeping them separate but maintaining speed is a complicated topic. I guess it will require some empirical data once I’m up and running. I was just hoping to learn from others that have multiple ISP’s.
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Old 01-19-2023, 08:56 AM   #11
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PNW, absolutely correct. For us, it’s a convenience and want - not a need. We went to Alaska in 2014 and learned about losing satellite, cell service and SiriusXM as we got further north and more remote. We also spend several weeks in remote areas without cell service, besides not having cell service at the house. Most people take cell service and high speed internet as a given. Not so much here.
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Old 01-19-2023, 10:55 AM   #12
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Ron - I know nothing about this stuff - but I have questions.

Are you trying to set up a wifi system using your existing wifi equipment plugged in to two different internet providers? Sketch A.

Can you create a separate wifi system plugged into your Starlink system? and leave the existing system alone? Sketch B.

Or will both of these solutions be in some sort of conflict?
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Old 01-19-2023, 06:52 PM   #13
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They will be totally separate systems. In an ideal world, the existing Eero system stays where it is. I will have Ethernet cable run from the StarLink router in the basement of the Montana to the new mesh router in the living area of the Montana. I would then have two mesh satellites in the house, plus the existing router. I replaced a TP-Link 7400 router with the Eero mesh system, so I can use it to test coverage temporarily. The advantage of the mesh system is I can permanently install the StarLink router (in bridge mode) in the basement, Ethernet to permanently installed Mesh router, wireless to the satellite mesh units in the house. When we leave on a trip, I only need to stow the antenna and leave.
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Old 01-19-2023, 07:18 PM   #14
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Mike, here is a diagram.
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Old 01-20-2023, 04:14 AM   #15
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So basically - you are wondering how your phones and laptops will figure out which network to pick up as you walk thru the house and wondering if they will be in conflict?

…just trying to understand…I know nothing about the technical side of Wi-Fi.
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Old 01-20-2023, 05:54 AM   #16
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Mike, what I have read is most mesh routers cannot be assigned a channel. And almost all use channel’s 1 and 11. With two radios on the same channel I have read it will slow down the WiFi. Just wanted to know if this impacted anyone else or if it’s a non-issue.
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Old 01-20-2023, 10:03 AM   #17
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Ok - that makes sense…Thankyou.
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Old 01-24-2023, 09:36 PM   #18
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A quick update. Thanks to poor delivery by FedEx, my StarLink sat on a truck from Thursday until Monday night. This morning our DSL internet was down, so I started work on StarLink earlier than anticipated - about 6 am. In about 15 minutes, I had internet. Seriously, that counted putting the dish in the yard, running the wires, plugging it in and letting it update firmware. On the mountain, we’ve been getting snow and cold weather with worse coming. So, I did a quick and dirty install in the house. Across three floors, about 4000 sq ft and back into our Montana (via Winegard Gateway), we are getting decent service with just the stock router. Once it warms up, I’ll go back to the original plan, but that looks to be weeks down the road. Upstairs just now, was getting 76 mbps down and 10 up, compared to 150 down near the router. Our standard WiFi is 15 mbps, so adding a mesh system should outperform our current internet. After spending all day with the hardwired system (CenturyLink, server rack, three Control4 controllers, a Hopper, 4 Joey’s, WiFi door locks, cameras, etc) I didn’t feel like working on it this afternoon. (A bad modem/router took out everything. Got it all back running again.)
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Old 01-29-2023, 01:05 PM   #19
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Update. Still not finished, weather (-5 F this morning and 6” of snow coming), so I have a temporary install. I am running Centurylink DSL hardwired into my home automation system (Control4). I have an Eero 6 mesh system in bridge mode providing WiFi to the whole house. It runs between 6-20 mbps, fast enough to stream but not 4K. I ran my StarLink cable temporarily through the basement door, to the StarLink router. Eventually, this will be mounted permanently in the basement. It is handling the DHCP duties (not in bridge mode) with a second Eero 6 system connected to the StarLink Ethernet adapter via Ethernet cable. The Eero system is in bridge mode. Right now, the Eero is sitting next to the StarLink router. Eventually I will hardwire it to a location near the Montana sofa. This will be paired to two mesh satellites in the house. Right now, I am able to connect to either Eero system and have not seen degradation of signal or speed. The advantage is when I leave home, all I need is to stow Dishy and we’re off. When I get home, set Dishy and we have StarLink in the house. While gone, we have access to cameras, HVAC, door locks and lighting. Plus, I can turn StarLink off if I am home for months.
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Old 03-12-2023, 04:00 PM   #20
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Update on the install. I had two StarLink mounts (one for router and one for Ethernet adapter) 3D printed at the library. We installed a quiet water pump after we bought our rig. When we did that we took the curve out of the basement for more space. We put in a piece of wood to square off the curve. Since I am going to install the router in the basement, provided the ideal place for it. I am also installing an Ethernet cable through the basement to the rear near the back window, where I will install my Eero router. For some reason file upload isn’t working. Will upload photo later.
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