These Starlink Accessories Might Actually Be Useful
While it is still somewhat young, theStarlink satellite internet serviceis an impressive stride forward for the global internet. It can supplant hard cable connections in your home and be used almost anywhere, up to and including on a boat in the middle of the ocean. This modularity has allowed Starlink to provide internet to areas that lack network infrastructure or have had their usual networks disrupted by external circumstances.
Much like any technological advancement, though, there’s always room for improvement. The standard Starlink setup, with a receiver dish, a router, and some cables, can get you the internet you need for your home or on the road, but if you don’t mind investing in some extra hardware, you can create an even more optimized environment for your Starlink service. Depending on where you live and your circumstances, some of these accessories could be the defining point that takes Starlink from a curious novelty to a vital component of your life.
Dish mounts
The heart and soul of Starlink service is, of course, its receiver dish. The whole gimmick of Starlink is that all you need to do is point the dish at the sky and let the internet magic flow forth. However, the dish can’t be placed just anywhere on its own. Its little default stand can only be on a flat, solid surface. If you want to put your dish in the most advantageous receiving position possible, you’ll want one of Starlink’s several modular mounts.
Starlink offers a handful of different mounts for sticking your dish anywhere you can think of. The simplest option is thePivot Mount, which can be firmly attached to a slanted surface like a roof and pivoted for ideal reception. There are also theShortandLong Wall Mountsfor screwing the dish into a solid vertical surface, theGround Pole Mountfor sticking the dish up and out of your backyard, and thePipe Adapterfor attaching the dish to an existing mount or mast on your roof. If your home’s roof is made of metal, there’s also theFlashing Mount, a supplement to the Pivot Mount that can be caulked into place between metal shingles. If you don’t want to bother with DIY stuff, there’s even aRidgeline Mountfor placing your dish on the ridge of your roof.
While the whole point of Starlink is that you can set it up just about anywhere, even this system can’t completely escape the need for connector cables. Maybe someday we’ll have wireless networks in the literal sense, but for now, it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra cable or two on hand, just in case. While the Starlink starter kit comes with the necessary cables, you can buyreplacement cablesfrom the Starlink store and anoptional extension cableif you need a little extra clearance.
If you don’t like the idea of cables snaking around your home, Starlink does offer a little help in the form of theCable Routing Kit. This kit features pegs, hooks, and everything else you’d need to secure your cables in place along walls and in corners. This way, you can have cables going in and out of your home without paying them any mind.
Ethernet and routers
Whenever you’re performing internet-intensive activities like online gaming or streaming movies, a hardline connection tends to be more reliable than a wireless one. The Starlink setup is wireless by default, but if you’d like a steadier connection, you can add anEthernet Adapterto your setup. The original Starlink design included an ethernet port, but a separate adapter is required for the newer models. The Ethernet Adapter plugs directly into your Starlink router, providing a port for hard connections to your computer.
Speaking of routers, while the basic Starlink kit does come with one router, that router might not provide adequate signal if your home is especially large. In this case, you can upgrade to theMesh Router, which can boost the signal further around your home through the use of Mesh Nodes. Every Node you set up receives the signal from the Mesh Router, serving as a relay point that more devices can connect to.
Protective cases
If you’re worldly, you’ll want to bring your Starlink system around with you on your travels. As long as you have an unimpeded view of the sky (and, by extension,the Starlink satellites), you should be able to use Starlink service just about anywhere in the world, from the middle of the ocean to a barren desert. That said, the Starlink dish is a precision piece of equipment, which means it’s not exactly travel-ready. If you take your system on the road with you, you will want a reliable way to keep the whole thing safe.
Starlink offers a protectiveTravel Casefor just this situation, perfectly sized to store all your vital Starlink components and keep them safely cushioned and insulated from the elements. This nifty case features both a collapsible briefcase-style handle and a pair of straps for carrying it backpack-style, so you’re able to always keep your hands free on your journeys.
