Do you live in a location outside the reach of Cable or Fiber Internet service? Tired of the slow speeds and restrictions of DSL, Fixed Wireless, LTE modems or traditional Satellite Internet service (such as Viasat or HughesNet)? Then Starlink Satellite Internet is just the solution for you!
What is Starlink?
Starlink Satellite Internet, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s Space X company, is a completely new and completely revolutionary type of Satellite Internet service. Rather than relying on geosynchronous satellites some 22,300 miles from earth, as traditional Satellite Internet service does, Starlink utilizes a network of thousands of satellites in non-geosynchronous, low-earth orbit, some 400 miles above the earth.
Shorter distances=faster ping times
The closer distance of the satellites greatly reduces the lag (ping time) in the Internet connection. With traditional Satellite Internet service, ping times of ~620ms are common. At present, we’ve observed consistent ping times of ~35ms on Starlink and they’re promising to cut those ping times in half as they launch more satellites! At present, the ping time is comparable to what you’d see over a typical Cable Internet connection.
Better download/upload speeds
Download speeds currently average around 60Mb/s with bursts observed as high as 250Mb/s. With the launch of additional satellites, Starlink is promising to double speeds to a consistent 120Mb/s by year’s end. Upload speeds are typically around 20Mb/s.
Lower prices…and NO DATA CAPS!!!
Service is $99/mo. There are no contracts to sign and, best of all, no data caps! Some of our customers switching to Starlink have reported paying in excess of $200/mo for traditional Satellite Internet service, where they were routinely running into throttling and data caps. In summary, Starlink’s speed speed and ping times are very comparable what you’d get with a Cable Internet connection – making it perfect for streaming video, gaming, video conferencing, voice calling and working from home.
Hardware costs
As there is no long-term contract, you purchase the hardware up-front, directly from Starlink. The base hardware kit (dish w/removable 75’ cable, tripod stand, WiFi router) is $499 + $50 shipping, with a $99 deposit. Orders may take 6+ months to fulfill.
Starlink Accessories
-Pipe Adapter Mount
-Short Wall Mount
-Long Wall Mount
-Ground Pole Mount
-Pivot Mount
-150′ Cable
-Ethernet Adapter
Surveying for a suitable mounting location
Starlink uses a self-adjusting rectangular panel antenna to connect with a particular arc of satellites. This requires a unobstructed view upwards. You can check for obstructions and scope out a suitable mounting location by clicking the “Check For Obstructions” button and utilizing the augmented reality viewfinder on the Starlink phone app (available for Android and iOS). It is very helpful for us to take screenshots and pictures in order to us to figure out what mounting option might work best. Remember: tree leaves will block Starlink signal entirely, so consider that if you are doing a site survey at a time of year when the leaves aren’t out.
A)Common mounting options for locations with an unobstructed view of the sky:
-Gable-end mount or roof tripod with & 5′ or 10′ mast
-Re-use of existing building-attached Satellite TV/Satellite Internet mounts
-Starlink short or long wall mounts
-Re-use of free-standing satellite pole
B)Mounting options for locations with an obstructed view of the sky (hemmed in by trees):
-Guyed, telescoping mast (available in sizes 5 sections/44′ above the roof line).
-Antenna tower, tip-up pole, windmill tower, telephone pole, silo, etc.
-Remote building (with power) or other location with a clear view of the sky (up to 150′ from a power source).
Options for
At more challenging locations, a custom installation may be required, for exampleFor example, we installed at one location where the house was surrounded by trees, but the detached garage had an unobstructed view of the sky. So, we mounted the Starlink dish, modem and router in the garage, then installed point-to-point WiFi links to relay the Internet back to the house. For another client, hemmed in on every side by tall trees, we installed their Starlink dish on a 44’ telescoping mast atop their house – getting it nearly 70’ above ground level.
WiFi for the whole property
In addition to installation of the Starlink system itself, we can design and install a WiFi mesh-network WiFi system to cover every square inch of your property – including multi access point systems inside the house, omnidirectional access points outdoors and point-to-point links beaming Internet to the outbuildings.
For more information, contact us today or call (952) 491-0643, (715) 802-6275.
See our Facebook Page for installation pictures and speed test results.
Links
Starlink
Starlink Review – Andy Slye (YouTube)
Elon Musk promises Starlink will double download speeds on SpaceX’s satellite broadband service – ZDNet
Live Starlink Satellite Map
Speedtest.net