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[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by Judge

Initial StarLink for RV Testing


I received my StarLink for RV Kit today and wanted to do a quick review based on preliminary testing.

I have ordered a Fiberglass Telescopic Flagpole Kit that mounts on the ladder that I will use on my Magnitude. Once I get that setup I will be performing additional tests and report back.

For now I placed the dish on my deck in the back of the house. A couple of trees to the side but fairly open for the most part.

The system setup is about as straightforward as it gets and only takes a few minutes. Mounting the dish and running the wiring will take more time than the actual setup.

After connected the power and data cables, the unit booted up and I opened the StarLink app. I decided to name the Router SSID as Magnitude and picked a password.

The dish then started to move and go into a satellite search mode. I wasn't sure how well it would work or even if it would work because PA is technically in the "soon to be supported zone" in the eastern US. In some videos I watched the system was able to get online rather quickly. My unit was saying offline for about 5 minutes and I was wondering if it would work. It also said it could take up to 12 hours to check for obstructions.

A few minutes later the app indicated the system was online and I had Internet... even in an area where StarLink Home Internet is not yet available and I was on a waiting list before cancelling and ordering the RV Kit!

The app then indicated a software update was available so I let it go through the update process which only took about 2 minutes.

The StarLink App has a Speed Test that measure three speeds:

1. iPhone to Internet
2. Router to Internet
3. iPhone to Router


While it is still doing it's collection of data on obstructions, I was seeing the following speed ranges standing about 10 feet from the StarLink Router:

iPhone to Internet: 25 - 50Mbps Download / 6 -8Mbps Upload / 50 - 100ms Latency

Router to Internet: 65 - 150Mbps Download / 6 Mbps Upload

iPhone to Router: 40 - 180Mbps Download / 10 - 40Mbps Upload

Using Fast.com to measure the speed on my iPhone I saw 60Mbps Download / 5MBbps Upload and 51ms Unloaded / 128ms Loaded Latency.

So in the first hour of operation or so while the dish is still going through its optimization routine, I am pretty happy with the performance.... especially in a part of the country where StarLink is not fully deployed yet. I streamed YouTube TV from inside the house (about 25 feet away from the router outside on the deck) and the video quality was great with no buffering.

I think this will work perfectly for our needs 3 - 5 months a year. Now I just need to wait for the telescopic flagpole kit and some other items to be delivered so I can get it setup on the Magnitude and run some more tests. My biggest challenge will be how and where I run the wire from the dish to the router inside the coach.

The ladder is on the passenger side of the coach so I may try to run the cable from the ladder and above the awning and then into the coach where the awning control and LED light wiring runs and comes into the cabinet above the entry steps. There is also an AC outlet there so I could install the Router there and everything would be out of sight. I saw one guy who installed the Router in his Wet Bay outside because he didn't want to run the cable into the coach and he said it worked great so an inside cabinet should be just fine.

I would probably run the wire down the ladder and secure the end there so once I got to our campground I could just plug the cable into the dish and then raise the pole with the dish and be good to go.

I'll keep you posted.....


Additional Update

I took my laptop and sat on the couch in the living room.... three rooms away from the router outside. My Mac is only showing about 50% WiFi signal strength and Fast.com reported about 10Mbps but I am streaming YouTube TV with excellent audio and video quality and no buffering. I am also surfing and it does not seem too sluggish at all from this distance and speed. Impressed so far.

I see your SSID can you give me the password?

Router SSID as Magnitude