Starlink RV installation and use

[Suburbazine]

Originally Posted by docj

It's possible that some of the noticed reduction in Starlink speeds is due to the rather large number of terminals currently in use in Ukraine. Starlink is operating ~12,000 receivers there and that has to have had a measurable affect on system performance.

In a statement released yesterday, Starlink is telling the Pentagon that it cannot continue to operate all these terminals without some compensation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/w...t-ukraine.html

I'm not certain the US is being affected by Ukraine's Starlink usage due to a few factors-



The Internet-connected base stations are in Germany and Norway
The majority of military data is being routed locally, point to point within the constellation


I'm hearing that Starlink is providing upwards of 800Mbps/150Mbps per terminal to military bases, with the average field units having significant capacity over what we get as consumers in the US.



It's more likely that user numbers per cell in the US are the reason for congestion, since the RV plan rolled out and terminals have been moving as fast as possible off the shelves. I visit relatively unburdened cells like around Crystal City and DC and the performance during "peak" hours is still greater than 150Mbps/20Mbps at low latency. I'm currently on Long Island and I see north of 100Mbps at all times. But go out into the sticks where there's not as much local service and Starlink gets wiped out into the single digits.

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by docj

It's possible that some of the noticed reduction in Starlink speeds is due to the rather large number of terminals currently in use in Ukraine. Starlink is operating ~12,000 receivers there and that has to have had a measurable affect on system performance.

In a statement released yesterday, Starlink is telling the Pentagon that it cannot continue to operate all these terminals without some compensation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/w...t-ukraine.html

Joel, you are a techie...do you think that StarLink would be engineered that the entire world footprint system would have a single point of failure? I will guarantee you not. I am sure that there are many Uplink sites to go to satellites in that proximity and none of the other Sats are affected.

Now, I have done zero research but it would be completely silly for this to be done otherwise. The advertised laser connections between sats (not sure if this is on use yet) is another networking trick to distribute bandwidth to different localities.

I am 99% sure that any drop of performance at any one point of the globe is due to popularity of that "local" sat / uplink neighborhood and not across the globe.

Should StarLink be compensated for helping the Ukraine? Well, what they have done so far has had a significant help to the Ukraine. And it was done efficiently, with very little red tape, with near immediate result. Should they be "forced" to providing services for free for "ever"? Well, how many commercial defense companies have donated extra bombs used? I am sure they were all paid for out of the defense budgets. StarLink did get some attaboys in the press that helps their commercial cause.

[vyndance]

Originally Posted by docj

It's possible that some of the noticed reduction in Starlink speeds is due to the rather large number of terminals currently in use in Ukraine. Starlink is operating ~12,000 receivers there and that has to have had a measurable affect on system performance.

In a statement released yesterday, Starlink is telling the Pentagon that it cannot continue to operate all these terminals without some compensation.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/w...t-ukraine.html

I don't believe a constellation based system would be slowed down in one area because of high use in another. Different ground stations and PoPs. 70,000 RV plan dishes in the US, that's a problem.

[mike625]

Originally Posted by vyndance

70,000 RV plan dishes in the US, that's a problem.

I think the bigger issues for performance with in a cell was - there was a timeframe that people were able to use any open address across the US for there service location and have it shipped to there home where it would connect with portability enabled. A lot were never going to travel with it - just used the loophole to get it sooner for their home. This way Starlink lost alot of control over the number of users in a cell that were there 100% of the time.

Will be interesting to see what the performance is like with winter in the south with all the snowbirds - Really waiting to see any performance data from Quartzsite, ETC

[mike625]

Saw that they had open in-motion for RV

Off the Starlink Web site it is listed

Starlink's new Flat High Performance designed for in-motion use is now available, delivery beginning December 2022.

https://www.starlink.com/rv

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/sta...-via-winegard/

SpaceX introduced a new flat high-performance Starlink for RVs option with official support for in-motion usage.

The hardware is identical to the new Flat High Performance Starlink Maritime system, and costs $2,500.

The service plan remains identical to the existing Starlink for RVs service - $135/mo.

Winegard is SpaceX's first consumer-focused Starlink authorized reseller and will be crafting custom accessories and enabling a network of RV dealers to provide Starlink installations. This relationship is not exclusive - but Winegard will have priority access to selling this hardware package compared to ordering directly from SpaceX.

There is a statement off the Starlink web site to open a support ticket if you want one - will see what information they come back with. Likely or could have to be dealer installed.

[mto502]

Originally Posted by mike625

Saw that they had open in-motion for RV

Off the Starlink Web site it is listed

Starlink's new Flat High Performance designed for in-motion use is now available, delivery beginning December 2022.

https://www.starlink.com/rv

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/sta...-via-winegard/

SpaceX introduced a new flat high-performance Starlink for RVs option with official support for in-motion usage.

The hardware is identical to the new Flat High Performance Starlink Maritime system, and costs $2,500.

The service plan remains identical to the existing Starlink for RVs service - $135/mo.

Winegard is SpaceX's first consumer-focused Starlink authorized reseller and will be crafting custom accessories and enabling a network of RV dealers to provide Starlink installations. This relationship is not exclusive - but Winegard will have priority access to selling this hardware package compared to ordering directly from SpaceX.

There is a statement off the Starlink web site to open a support ticket if you want one - will see what information they come back with. Likely or could have to be dealer installed.

Yikes! Pricey! I think I'll keep my square dish for now, plus for boondocking the power usage is much less than the new in motion dish..

Power Consumption: The Starlink Standard receiver can use 50-75 Watts of power while in operation. The High Performance system uses 110-150 Watts. This is a substantial hit to any off-grid power budget, especially compared to the power required for cellular connectivity. Neither system officially supports DC-powered operation either, requiring AC power to run.
And, of course - the biggest disadvantage for some is the list price, $2,500 versus $599.

[mike625]

Originally Posted by mto502

the biggest disadvantage for some is the list price, $2,500 versus $599.[/B]

It listed on Winegard for pre-order

https://winegard.com/flat-high-perfo...h-wedge-mount/

For use with RV's or other mobile vehicles
Pause and un-pause service at any time
$135/ month
Starlink wedge mount included
Same day installation available

[docj]

Originally Posted by mike625

It listed on Winegard for pre-order

https://winegard.com/flat-high-perfo...h-wedge-mount/

For use with RV's or other mobile vehicles
Pause and un-pause service at any time
$135/ month
Starlink wedge mount included
Same day installation available

On the Starlink site it shows that it can be installed by RV dealers or by Winegard: https://winegard.com/starlink

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by mto502

Yikes! Pricey! I think I'll keep my square dish for now, plus for boondocking the power usage is much less than the new in motion dish..

Power Consumption: The Starlink Standard receiver can use 50-75 Watts of power while in operation. The High Performance system uses 110-150 Watts. This is a substantial hit to any off-grid power budget, especially compared to the power required for cellular connectivity. Neither system officially supports DC-powered operation either, requiring AC power to run.
And, of course - the biggest disadvantage for some is the list price, $2,500 versus $599.

I've thought about this a lot, but I don't think I would ever go to that. I don't have a need for the internet while in motion. Have cellular to stream music and works just fine. Once parked, I'm certain this is not something you can remove and move to an option space or raise above the trees. For those on the road constantly for one-nighters at open RV parks with no trees, while a spouse watching TV in the back, this is probably the right option. For the rest of us, this may not be as great as it sounds.

[docj]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

I've thought about this a lot, but I don't think I would ever go to that. I don't have a need for the internet while in motion. Have cellular to stream music and works just fine. Once parked, I'm certain this is not something you can remove and move to an option space or raise above the trees. For those on the road constantly for one-nighters at open RV parks with no trees, while a spouse watching TV in the back, this is probably the right option. For the rest of us, this may not be as great as it sounds.

One so far unanswered question is will the new dish have the same low priority for data as does the existing RV service? To pay all that money for "last place in line" may not make that much sense to people.

[mto502]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

I've thought about this a lot, but I don't think I would ever go to that. I don't have a need for the internet while in motion. Have cellular to stream music and works just fine. Once parked, I'm certain this is not something you can remove and move to an option space or raise above the trees. For those on the road constantly for one-nighters at open RV parks with no trees, while a spouse watching TV in the back, this is probably the right option. For the rest of us, this may not be as great as it sounds.

I agree. The main reason for me is because when we travel in the states I wouldn't need an American plan, but we do need in motion internet for work. I'm still looking at Visible which has changed a few times since I first saw this thread of yours, but is much less cost wise compared to the new in motion Starlink.

[MemByTheMile]

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

I've thought about this a lot, but I don't think I would ever go to that. I don't have a need for the internet while in motion. Have cellular to stream music and works just fine. Once parked, I'm certain this is not something you can remove and move to an option space or raise above the trees. For those on the road constantly for one-nighters at open RV parks with no trees, while a spouse watching TV in the back, this is probably the right option. For the rest of us, this may not be as great as it sounds.

I don’t like this permanently mounted option as we don’t need the in motion.

IF we had a need for better signal, would rather use their other $2500 option for the Starlink High Performance as I would be able to move it around on the long cable, when parked, to get the best view of the sky.

https://www.starlink.com/specifications?spec=1

[vyndance]

It will be the deprioritized current RV plan but that may not make a diiference. Yesterday they announced, and changed the TOS, that there will be priority data caps on the residential plan. No number of what that cap is yet. There are people on Reddit, Facebook groups that regularly brag about moving a TB of data. Looks like that will end.

[docj]

Originally Posted by vyndance

There are people on Reddit, Facebook groups that regularly brag about moving a TB of data. Looks like that will end.

There will always be people who try to take advantage of a good thing and end up ruining it for everyone else IMO. Moving that much data means that you're not using a residential account the way it was envisioned. If you're trying to provide data for an RV park or an apartment building, you shouldn't be using a residential plan IMO.