Thinking about ordering Starlink and wondering what you’ll receive?
In this article, I will walk you through what hardware is included in your Starlink order and what there is to know about each piece of equipment.
What’s Included In The Starlink Hardware Kit?
I want to preface this section by highlighting that I’m going to talk about the Standard kit, which is what you’ll receive when you subscribe to Starlink’s Residential plan.
Starlink also offers a High Performance and Flat High Performance antenna, which is suitable for those thinking to subscribe to either the Business or Mobility tiers.
With that said, here’s what you can expect when ordering the Standard kit:
- Antenna – commonly referred to as dishy
- A base to mount the antenna on
- A Wi-Fi router to connect to the internet
- An AC power cable for energy
- A 50 ft cable to connect the router to dishy
All of those items are shipped in a paper box, which weighs a total of 8.5 kg (18.7 lbs). Let’s now take a closer look at each of the hardware pieces in the following sections.
Antenna/Dishy
The main attraction of your order is certainly the electronic phased-array antenna, which subscribers also call dish or dishy.
The dishy moniker was first assigned to the rounded V1 antenna, which originated from the term ‘Boaty McBoatface’ – a $287 million polar research ship whose name the British public voted on.
It boasts a length of 513 mm (20.2 in), width of 303 mm (11.9 in), and height of 380 mm (15 in) when attached to the base. Furthermore, dishy weighs 4.2 kg (9.2 lbs).
Your dishy, once powered up, will align itself into a horizontal position with a field of view of 100°. This enables the antenna to capture as many satellites as possible, thus allowing it to establish a connection at all times.
Additionally, it is made to withstand some of the world’s most extreme weather conditions, operating at temperatures of -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F).
For example, it is used by various research teams located in Antarctica. Dishy even offers a snow-melting functionality and is able to remove up to 40 mm (1.5 in) of snow every hour.
Related: how much each Starlink antenna consumes in power
Lastly, the Standard antenna consumes between 50W to 75W while drawing up to 2 amps. Consequently, the High Performance options draw even more electricity.
Base
The base included in your order is being used to mount the phased-array antenna, allowing it to rest firmly on the ground.
It comes in at measurements of 563 mm x 328 mm (or 22.2 in x 12.9 in) and has a height of 122 mm (4.8 in).
Each leg of the base also includes a hole, allowing users to fixate the mounting base to the ground or any other surface.
The mast of the dish smoothly integrates into the entrance of the base, securing itself via a tab that’s loaded with a spring.
The mounting base that comes with the Starlink dish mast is best used on a flat surface, as it requires an alignment within 5 degrees of vertical, making it unsuitable for sloped rooftops.
Wi-Fi Router
Next in line is Starlink’s Wi-Fi router. The router, when initially setting up Starlink, will be displayed as ‘STARLINK’ or ‘STINKY’.
The Wi-Fi router boasts a height of 254 mm (10 in), width of 180 mm (7.08 in), and length of 65 mm (2.5 in). Furthermore, the router weighs about 1 kg (2.2 lbs).
It utilizes the IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac standards and has an environmental rating of IP54, thus being mostly made for indoor usage. Starlink’s router can operate at temperatures of -30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F).
The router’s signal range can be as high as 185 m2 (2,000 ft2), depending on placement and surrounding objects that could cause interference. Up to 128 devices can be connected to the router at all times.
Cables
Power and the internet connection itself are provided thanks to the two cables that are part of the hardware kit.
The AC power cable, which is plugged into the right-hand bottom of the router (see picture), is 1.8 m (6 ft) long.
Meanwhile, the 50 ft (~ 15.24 meters) cable is inserted on the opposite side of the router as well as the bottom of the antenna pole (pictured below).
Make sure that the cable is fully plugged into the antenna, which is the case once you hear a clicking sound.
Should you face trouble inserting the cable, then use a paper clip to do so. I highlighted that method in a separate article that I invite you to check out here.
Starlink also sells 75 ft (~ 22.86 m) and 150 ft (~ 45.72 m) cables should you be in need of a lengthier solution. Those cables can be purchased within the official Starlink shop.
Wrapping Up
To conclude, the Starlink Standard Kit encompasses an intuitive suite of hardware, including a self-orienting antenna, a robust base, a Wi-Fi router, and all the necessary cables, designed to provide reliable, high-speed internet connectivity no matter where you are.
With this kit, you are not simply gaining internet access, but unlocking a solution designed to withstand a multitude of environmental conditions and meet diverse connectivity needs.
Would like to also see what is included in a Business kit, and suggested options & upgrades.
What cables and converters is required to power starlink with lithium batteries?