Starlink can be a fickle beast, especially when it comes to uptime. Users being disconnected from the internet is therefore one of the most common problems subscribers tend to face.
In this article, I explain the disconnected error and how to fix it as well as highlight a few other popular Starlink errors.
What Causes The ‘Disconnected’ Error?
Several factors may interrupt the link to your Starlink router, resulting in a ‘disconnected’ notification. Events such as a power failure or a malfunctioning router are common causes of this issue.
Should you be attempting to establish a remote connection to your Starlink, such as through your work’s Wifi network or your mobile network, any system issues may prompt the ‘Starlink Disconnected’ message.
Since this connection type depends on your home dish, any cable or dish complications could generate the disconnected error.
As such, you’d need to be physically located next to both the router and dishy to fix the problem. Luckily, fixing the disconnection should be super straightforward.
How To Fix The ‘Disconnected’ Error
In order to fix the Starlink Disconnected error, hop over to where your router is located. First, check if the power to your router is still intact.
You can do that by flipping the router onto its back and checking the bottom. There, you should see a small LED light, which is blinking white – if properly connected.
If the LED light isn’t blinking, then make sure that the router is properly connected to a power outlet. Should that be the case, then make sure that the same applies to the antenna.
The cable, which you insert into the dish, has a habit of loosening, thus causing the connection between the antenna and router to drop.
One trick that helps is to cut out a paper strip and insert it into the bottom of the mast, right below the cable. I detailed how to do that in a separate article, which you can check out here.
Another option, apart from reinserting the cables, is to either reboot or reset the Starlink router. Rebooting can be conducted right within Starlink’s router settings by moving the respective toggle.
The last resort is to factory reset the router, thus putting it back to its default settings. Check out the linked tutorial if you need to know how to factory reset the router.
If none of the outlined fixes work, then it’s very likely that your hardware is irreparably damaged. In that case, you should get in touch with Starlink to request a replacement of whatever is broken.
Last but not least, it may also be a software and/or server issue you are facing. Back in April 2023, Starlink went down across large parts of North America due to an expired ground station certificate.
In this case, you simply would have to wait for Starlink/SpaceX to resolve the issue, which they normally do in a matter of minutes.
With that said, let me detail the similar error messages that you could potentially receive.
Starlink Offline Searching
Offline searching means that the antenna is trying to establish a connection with the satellites.
To recap, Starlink connects to satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO), which then pass down signals back down to ground stations and the antenna.
It usually takes Starlink a few minutes to establish a connection. However, the amount of time it takes may vary depending on where you live.
That’s because Starlink satellites are roaming Earth around the equator area as well as in the northern and southern parts of this globe.
However, the further north or south you go, the fewer satellites are passing by above you. That’s simply because fewer people are living in those areas, so Starlink has less of an incentive to deploy satellites in those regions.
This also means that latency and speeds will likely be worse since it takes longer for the signal to travel to the satellites and back down to Earth.
Nevertheless, in practice, you should only have to wait a few more minutes. If the system is still searching after more than 15 minutes, then try to reboot it – either within the app’s router settings or by unplugging it.
Another factor that may contribute to the problem is obstructions. Starlink signals can’t move through solid objects, so houses or trees can potentially cause signal interferences.
Make sure that your dish does not face any major obstructions. I detailed those steps in the paper clips article I mentioned above (under Chapter 3 – Find An Unobstructed Location).
If none of those yield a solution, then you very likely received malfunctioning hardware. In that case, you need to get in touch with Starlink support to request a replacement.
Starlink Offline Booting
Starlink offline booting means that the antenna and dish are simply ramping up – much like when you turn on your laptop or mobile phone.
Again, the whole process shouldn’t take more than 15 to 30 minutes. Anything longer indicates that there might be a software issue present.
You can check whether there’s a software issue using Starlink’s debug tool. Simply open the app, click on ADVANCED, and then DEBUG DATA.
Under the INFO and STATUS sections, you should see if everything is working properly from a software perspective.
Some users on Reddit have reported that a wrong location (i.e., not being at your registered service address) can cause the system to be stuck in offline booting.
If you’re on the rounded V1 dish, then overheating can also cause the system to be booting up constantly. In this case, unplug the cable, wait a few minutes for the hardware to cool down, and try again.
Should none of this work, then factory resetting the system is your best bet (as booting issues are mostly related to software).
Thank you for all of your clear advice – it is so very helpful.
I’ve spent time with your posts the last two days and now I feel like I understand the Starlink system.
My only question is about the light at the bottom of the router – it is on, but I never see it blinking. Does it only blink when data is moving through it?
Thank you, Viktor.
Hi Rene, it blinks as an indication of whether it is turned on or not. Has nothing to do with data throughput