The Wifi router that comes with every Starlink kit works great for most people. It has the basic features you would expect from any Wifi router, and the performance is good for small areas. But what if you have an existing router you want to use with Starlink? Or maybe you are looking to upgrade to an aftermarket router for more features and performance? To use a different router with Starlink, you will need to know about bypass mode.
Bypass mode turns off the Wifi and routing functions of the Starlink router, so that 3rd party networking equipment can take over. With Starlink, you can’t just swap out one router for another. Bypass mode is needed because the Starlink router powers the dish, so it needs to stay connected. Bypass mode allows the Starlink router to remain in place as the power supply, while a 3rd party router handles Wifi and network management.
In this guide, I will walk you through how to turn on bypass mode. This tutorial is intended for Gen 2 “Standard Actuated” and Gen 3 “Standard” Starlink models. If necessary for your dish, I will also explain what accessories are required to use your own router. At the end, I’ll answer some common questions I get regarding bypass mode and 3rd party routers.
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Table of Contents
Video tutorial
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Accessories required
Since bypass mode turns off all Wifi and router functions on the Starlink router, you will need to supply your own. Virtually any 3rd party router will work with Starlink. You can use an existing router that you have laying around, or you can purchase a new Wifi router or mesh system. For this guide, I’m using the eero Pro 6E mesh system, but the process is the same for almost any 3rd party router.
Gen 2 Standard Actuated – Starlink Ethernet Adapter required for bypass mode. More information below.
Gen 3 Standard – no additional accessories required. Proceed to the next section.
If you have the Gen 2 Standard Actuated dish, you will need to purchase the Starlink Ethernet Adapter accessory in order to use a 3rd party router. The Gen 2 router does not have a built-in Ethernet port to connect other devices. When installed between the dish and the Gen 2 router, the Ethernet Adapter accessory gives you access to an Ethernet LAN port, allowing you to connect a 3rd party router.
The Ethernet Adapter costs $25, and is available in the Starlink shop. For more details, like how to install it, be sure to check out our full review. The Ethernet Adapter is only required for the Gen 2 Standard Actuated dish. If you have any other Starlink version, it is not necessary.
Connect your 3rd party router to Starlink
To connect your 3rd party router to Starlink, use the short Ethernet cable that was included with your aftermarket router. One end will plug into the Internet/WAN port on your 3rd party router. The other end will connect to the Starlink router Ethernet LAN port.
If you have a Gen 3 router, the two Ethernet LAN ports are hidden behind a cover on the back. The cover pulls off to reveal two ports. You can plug your router into either one of them.
If you have a Gen 2 router, you will need to install the Ethernet Adapter accessory first. Unplug the Starlink cable from the Gen 2 router, then plug in the Ethernet Adapter. The Starlink cable plugs into the Ethernet Adapter. Now, you’ll have access to a single Ethernet LAN port, which you will use to plug in your 3rd party router.
Configure your 3rd party router
If you haven’t already done so, plug in the power for your 3rd party router to turn it on. Before you can begin to use it as a router, you need to go through the setup process. The setup process varies by manufacturer and model, so be sure to follow the instructions for your particular router.
I’m using the Amazon eero Pro 6E as my router. I downloaded the eero app, which made the setup process really easy. All I had to do was give my Wifi network a name and password. I configured a few additional features, like a guest network. I’ve previously used TP-Link routers, and they had a similar app to handle the installation and configuration.
Once your 3rd party router is configured, connect to its Wifi network, and make sure you have internet access. At this point, you will notice that you have two Wifi networks: The Starlink Wifi network, and the Wifi network from your 3rd party router. Having two routers connected to one internet source means your network is double NAT. While it can work this way, having two NAT configurations isn’t ideal. That’s why we will enable bypass mode on the Starlink router in the next section.
To learn more about double NAT, check out this article from Netgear.
Enable bypass mode
Once your 3rd party router is connected and working, you can put the Starlink router in bypass mode by following these steps:
- Open up the Starlink app
- Tap Settings
- Scroll down and tap Bypass Mode
- Slide the toggle to the right
- When prompted, confirm you want to continue by tapping OK
When you turn on bypass mode, the app will become disconnected from your Starlink dish. Initially, you might see a status of Disconnected on the main screen of the Starlink app. I recommend closing out of the app and waiting several minutes.
After a few minutes, double check that you are still connected to your 3rd party router Wifi network. Open up the Starlink app and check to see if the status says Online. Notice how a router no longer appears in the graphic.
If the app still says Disconnected/Offline, check to see if you have internet from your 3rd party Wifi network. If you do, Starlink is working properly, you just need to configure a static route to your dish (I’ll tell you how in the next section). If the app can’t connect to the dish through your new Wifi network, adding a static route will fix the issue, allowing you to manage your dish from the app again.
Managing your Starlink in bypass mode
Even though the Starlink router is now in bypass mode, you can still access most of the dish settings from either the app, or the Starlink web interface. You’ll need to be on a device that is connected to your 3rd party router Wifi network. If you aren’t familiar with the web interface, it can be accessed from a web browser by visiting:
http://dishy.starlink.com
or
http://192.168.100.1
If the Starlink app isn’t connecting, but you have internet on your 3rd party router Wifi network, try to access Starlink using the web interface from your device first, and then try the app. If neither the app or web interface is connecting, you may have to create a static route in your router configuration settings:
Network destination: 192.168.100.0
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.100.1
Interface: WAN
Turning off bypass mode
If you ever need to go back to using the Starlink router, turn off bypass mode by performing a factory reset of the Starlink router. A factory reset will restore the Starlink router to the default settings, allowing you to configure a new Starlink Wifi network and password.
To factory reset a Gen 3 router, just press the reset button on the back of the router, located between the two Ethernet ports.
To factory reset the Gen 2 Starlink router, unplug and plug in the power cable 6 times in a row, waiting a couple seconds in between each power cycle.
If successful, a new Wifi network, STARLINK, should appear after a few minutes. Connect to the new network, open the Starlink app, and configure a new name and password. After you set a new Wifi network name and password, connect to your new network, and open the Starlink app to confirm everything is working again.
For more information on the factory reset procedure, check out our tutorial.
What about other Starlink dish models?
Bypass mode is only necessary when using a 3rd party router with the Gen 2 Standard Actuated and Gen 3 Standard dish models. In these two models, the router and dish power supply are integrated into one unit. Bypass mode is not necessary for the original Gen 1 round dish, the Gen 2 High Performance dish, or the Gen 2 Flat High Performance dish.
The Starlink router for those models can be completely removed from the system, and replaced with a 3rd party router. Bypass mode isn’t necessary when you can simply unplug the Starlink router. To use a 3rd party router on the Gen 1 round dish, remove the Starlink router and plug in your own router to the Starlink power supply Ethernet port. On the Gen 2 High Performance and Flat High Performance models, use the included Starlink Ethernet cable to plug in your own router to the power supply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I just want to disable Wifi on the Starlink router?
If you are trying to disable just the Wifi signal, you will still need a 3rd party router, or advanced networking knowledge. Bypass mode turns off the Starlink router Wifi signal, DHCP, and other network functions. In bypass mode, devices that you connect directly to the Ethernet LAN ports on the Starlink router won’t be assigned an IP address, and won’t be able to connect to the internet. You can get around this by manually assigning IP addresses on your devices, or by purchasing a 3rd party router that allows you to disable Wifi only.
What happens if I don’t use bypass mode?
Bypass mode isn’t strictly required when using a 3rd party router with Starlink. If you don’t turn on bypass mode, both routers will be trying to manage the network. In some cases, this will work fine. In other cases, you might notice odd behavior with your devices.
Why do I have to factory reset the Starlink router to turn off bypass mode?
Bypass mode turns the Starlink router into basically just a POE injector to power the dish. Like the name implies, data from the dish will bypass the Starlink router, and proceed directly to your 3rd party equipment. A factory reset is required because the router interface in the app is disabled, so there is no way to update the bypass mode setting.
