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Starlink unboxing and setup: quick review
Short answer: Starlink is very easy to set up. Mount the dish on its base, plug the cables (white to white, black to black), power it from a 110 V outlet, connect to the Starlink Wi-Fi with your phone and let the dish find the satellites. My first test, with some trees around, gave about 35 Mbps down and 15 up.
What comes in the box
I received the equipment in Ohio and the instructions are basically: get your phone, don't tilt the dish by hand, plug it into 110 V and connect with the Starlink app. Inside you get the satellite dish, the base (foot), a long cable, the power brick and the router.
The router has an auxiliary Ethernet port and a reset button. The power brick is rated 56 V and 1.6 A, around 180 W in total. It looks like it could be PoE, so in the future another PoE source may work.
Assembly: dummy-proof
The dish slides into the foot, and the base has holes so you can fix it firmly; my idea is to mount it on my truck, so it also works for an RV, camper or any vehicle on the road. Keep the box: if the unit is faulty you may have to send it back.
Then connect the cables: white with white and black with black, plug it into the outlet and that's it. I thought it would be more complex.
Setup with the app
Once powered, join the Starlink Wi-Fi network from your phone and follow the app. The phone may disconnect while the router restarts and the dish reconnects to the satellites; just wait. The lights on the equipment tell you it is working.
While it searched, the dish moved by itself to find the best angle.
First speed test and placement
My first result was about 35 Mbps download and 15 Mbps upload. My spot was partly clear but there were trees and another truck nearby, so I expect better speed with the dish on top of the truck with a clear view of the sky. Placement matters: give it as open a sky as you can.
Using Starlink on the road
My goal is to have internet in my truck, so this also applies if you have an RV, a camper or any vehicle you travel with. The base has holes so the dish can be fixed firm and tight, and the dish needs a clear view of the sky. Trees and other vehicles around it lower the speed, so the roof of the vehicle is the best place.
The kit includes a lot of cable, which gives you room to route it from the roof to the inside of the vehicle where the router and power go.
Outside the United States
The power brick takes 110 V and up to 240 V, so you can use it outside the United States too, with the right plug adapter for the outlet.
Quick checklist
1. Unbox and keep the box in case of a return. 2. Put the dish on the foot. 3. Connect white with white and black with black. 4. Plug the power into the outlet. 5. Join the Starlink Wi-Fi from your phone and follow the app. 6. Wait while it reconnects to the satellites. 7. Run a speed test and move the dish to a clearer spot if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Starlink hard to install?
No. Mount the dish, connect white to white and black to black, plug in power and finish setup in the Starlink app.
What power does the Starlink brick use?
The one in this kit is rated 56 V at 1.6 A, around 180 W, and plugs into a 110 V outlet.
What speed did Starlink get in the test?
About 35 Mbps down and 15 Mbps up with trees nearby; a clearer view of the sky should improve it.