Starlink RV installation and use

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by MemByTheMile

How many of you have been able to travel and change locations with Starlink? What areas have you changed locations to? We full-time and want to be sure that Starlink will be able to transfer me to most locations before I pull the trigger.

In addition, it will be interesting to see how remote Starlink will allow us to be.

At present, you need to provide an address. If there is not address nearby to even enter, I wonder if it will be possible with our stationary antenna. Would have to imagine that the mobile antenna will do some sort of handoff from each geofence region or have no fence. For the time being, if you can find an address on Google Maps that is near you (15 miles or so) that should hopefully work.

Still no base station in New Mexico where I winter. Hopefully, they will have that by fall.

[Isaac-1]

Starlink allows google maps Plus codes to be entered for the service address location, so they have already dealt with people installing Starlink in remote places without street addresses. See https://www.inverse.com/innovation/s...website-update


p.s. here is an easy to navigate plus code map, click on your location and it will display the plus code https://plus.codes/map

[docj]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

here is an easy to navigate plus code map, click on your location and it will display the plus code https://plus.codes/map

You learn something new every day. Thanks for posting.

[brandss]

Is there a way to submit your address or the address where you will be to see if starlink is available? That would be incredible helpful if it were possible but if I remember correctly, it really depends on how many people in that area are already logged onto starlink.

[mike625]

Originally Posted by brandss

Is there a way to submit your address or the address where you will be to see if starlink is available? That would be incredible helpful if it were possible but if I remember correctly, it really depends on how many people in that area are already logged onto starlink.

https://www.starlink.com/

I've been able to input my home address and the campgrounds I would be at to check if it would be available.

[armullis]

My BIG question is "when did Starlink start adding RV's to the BETA test?" I am only aware that Starlink works only for a particular service address (your home or office). If you move your location more than a few miles, the Starlink stops working!

We are only hoping Starlink will be made available to moving vehicles like RV's! Haven't heard anything about this becoming a reality......

[Isaac-1]

Starlink is NOT yet available to vehicles in motion, however starting about 2 months ago they added a web interface to change your fixed service location, which allows it to potentially be used by seasonal travelers assuming service is available at their destination, for those that move around more frequently it can be more of a problem.


Think reverse snow birds who escape the heat of the summer in Kansas to summer at their seasonal rv park in Montana

[mike625]

Originally Posted by armullis

My BIG question is "when did Starlink start adding RV's to the BETA test?" I am only aware that Starlink works only for a particular service address (your home or office). If you move your location more than a few miles, the Starlink stops working!

We are only hoping Starlink will be made available to moving vehicles like RV's! Haven't heard anything about this becoming a reality......

Check out the current status video - around 13 mins in

Starlink Satellite Mobile Internet for RVs & Boats (Mid-2021 Industry Update)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdMO9Dqd-ok

[Isaac-1]

Overall that is a good update, just be aware that they have always had a somewhat anti-starlink slant on their reporting. Or at least an attempt to manage peoples unrealistic expectations for Starlink performance. One thing it is important to realize is that Starlink will need clear view of much of the sky to operate as it tracks the low earth orbit satellites as the pass by overhead, crossing the sky in minutes much like the way an airplane does.

Therefore in order to use starlink effectively you need a camping site that looks more like the first of these photos than the second

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by Isaac-1

Starlink is NOT yet available to vehicles in motion, however starting about 2 months ago they added a web interface to change your fixed service location, which allows it to potentially be used by seasonal travelers assuming service is available at their destination, for those that move around more frequently it can be more of a problem.


Think reverse snow birds who escape the heat of the summer in Kansas to summer at their seasonal rv park in Montana

Correct, and those like me in Montana who will head to New Mexico for the winter....however, NM is really not covered well at this moment by Starlink without a single base station in the state and nearby stations not within range of where I will be. My son-in-law is on the wait-list down in New Mexico as Starlink has already been awarded federal funding to help provide Internet to rural areas, and they are in one of those areas.

While a recent announcement from Starlink stated that they will have the global coverage with satellites shortly, this does not mean with the current satellite design that everyone in the world can get service. You still must have a ground station within direct range of the satellite you are able to connect to at any given moment. Their original proposal, hopefully, is to have future satellites that have communication between each other that would eventually allow ships at sea to connect to a ground station. That is still far off.

There is also a recent announcement that we can hopefully hear something around October about mobile antenna beta. Here's hoping to be in on that as well. If they make that possible, I'll let the original antenna stay on the house and take the mobile with me for the winters.

My current experience with the Starlink service has been really good and fast, however....just in case you haven't dug this deep...there are serious issues with connecting backward from the Internet into your local network. Also, for some strange reason, video on a Facebook feed are constantly interrupted and paused...most likely when the satellites are doing a hand-off, and the stream does NOT automatically start again with FB. I have to go back a few seconds and let it restart the video. Just a strange anomaly.

I have IP cameras around my house and a Synology NAS that I can't directly connect to from outside. My kids can no longer use my extensive PLEX server for videos and movies. This is going to take a lot of work to try to set up and reconnect. The way that Starlink provides access from the outside back into your local network basically prevents any direct connection using simple IP addresses as you have with a cable or DSL connection.

I'm going to have to set up a VPN to a server/router that allows me to connect back to the cameras, but I'm not sure that is all really worth it. Even apps like TeamViewer are unable to connect back into my local network through Starlink. Kinda a bummer.

Devices that store data in the cloud and give you web access to the data still work...like the Victron Cerbo that collects and relays all my solar info. Can still look at all the data since it is cloud-based.

[GypsyCoder]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

Correct, and those like me in Montana who will head to New Mexico for the winter....however, NM is really not covered well at this moment by Starlink without a single base station in the state and nearby stations not within range of where I will be. My son-in-law is on the wait-list down in New Mexico as Starlink has already been awarded federal funding to help provide Internet to rural areas, and they are in one of those areas.

While a recent announcement from Starlink stated that they will have the global coverage with satellites shortly, this does not mean with the current satellite design that everyone in the world can get service. You still must have a ground station within direct range of the satellite you are able to connect to at any given moment. Their original proposal, hopefully, is to have future satellites that have communication between each other that would eventually allow ships at sea to connect to a ground station. That is still far off.

There is also a recent announcement that we can hopefully hear something around October about mobile antenna beta. Here's hoping to be in on that as well. If they make that possible, I'll let the original antenna stay on the house and take the mobile with me for the winters.

My current experience with the Starlink service has been really good and fast, however....just in case you haven't dug this deep...there are serious issues with connecting backward from the Internet into your local network. Also, for some strange reason, video on a Facebook feed are constantly interrupted and paused...most likely when the satellites are doing a hand-off, and the stream does NOT automatically start again with FB. I have to go back a few seconds and let it restart the video. Just a strange anomaly.

I have IP cameras around my house and a Synology NAS that I can't directly connect to from outside. My kids can no longer use my extensive PLEX server for videos and movies. This is going to take a lot of work to try to set up and reconnect. The way that Starlink provides access from the outside back into your local network basically prevents any direct connection using simple IP addresses as you have with a cable or DSL connection.

I'm going to have to set up a VPN to a server/router that allows me to connect back to the cameras, but I'm not sure that is all really worth it. Even apps like TeamViewer are unable to connect back into my local network through Starlink. Kinda a bummer.

Devices that store data in the cloud and give you web access to the data still work...like the Victron Cerbo that collects and relays all my solar info. Can still look at all the data since it is cloud-based.

You say TeamViewer is not able to connect back into your local network, have you tried other screen sharing/video/audio conferencing apps like Microsoft Teams or Zoom?

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by GypsyCoder

You say TeamViewer is not able to connect back into your local network, have you tried other screen sharing/video/audio conferencing apps like Microsoft Teams or Zoom?

Yeah, Team Viewer is not working for me for outbound or inbound connections, even though they show as available. It tries to connect and then fails. I'm guessing that Team Viewer uses their servers for posting availability but then wants to hand off the control for direct communication between devices.

Zoom meetings and other services that use a server are fine. Just direct connections appear to have difficulties because of the CGNAT is used instead of Open NAT. I hope it has something only to do with the way the satellites need to handshake and keep the info flowing and not that they are trying to protect us...but it will do that better from the Internet....nobody can directly connect back to my local network with simply an IP address anymore....unfortunately, that includes me.

Can't confirm all various programs for working, but I'm sure if they don't work a simple search for the program and Starlink will tell you if folks are having problems.

[docj]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

....video on a Facebook feed are constantly interrupted and paused...most likely when the satellites are doing a hand-off, and the stream does NOT automatically start again with FB. I have to go back a few seconds and let it restart the video.

Is video affected the same way regardless of the provider or are FB videos uniquely impacted?

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by docj

Is video affected the same way regardless of the provider or are FB videos uniquely impacted?

For me, it appears at this time to only be FB. Once they learn that it is a problem, perhaps they will do something. I'm guessing that the handoff between satellites is enough of a disruption somehow that Facebook appears to have a little error in their video player. I can't pause and play to get it started. Have to go back a few seconds to get it to restart and play again. YouTube streams fine. All TV streaming services are great.