Starlink Satellite Internet for Mobile RV and Boat Use (2024)

Starlink Mobile Connectivity For RVs And Boats

Satellite internet is this generations race to space, and by far the most prominent and currently available satellite option for RV and Boat satellite connectivity is SpaceX's Starlink.

Starlink is a major departure from other available satellite internet connectivity systems because it provides a lot more bandwidth, coverage, and better performance than geostationary satellite systems.

And the prices for Starlink are within reach of consumers, making this a viable connectivity option.

The reason why Starlink is different is because it's taking a different approach than old-school satellite systems. We go into the details in the main guide below, but think of Starlink as thousands of orbiting cell towers providing global, high-speed coverage - while geostationary satellite systems use a central satellite in orbit that everyone connects through.

Starlink Is Rapidly Evolving

A major consideration for Starlink is that it's still new and growing. No one has ever built a system like this at scale before, much less for the consumer market. And Starlink is still expanding its satellite constellation, and the company is also still getting its feet grounded for how to market and provide Starlink services in a financially sustainable way.

All this newness and Starlink's youth means that there are a lot of frequent changes and growing pains.

We cover all the changes here at MIRC, and sometimes it feels like a full-time job. This pace of change is, as we'll discuss later in more detail, a factor you should keep in mind when considering Starlink.

So, while we frequently update this guide, the pace of change can make it difficult to keep up. If you want all the latest, check out our Starlink news stories below. Additionally, we can't put all our Starlink content in a single guide, so most of the detailed and "how to" content is in our Starlink Resource Center addressing individual topics, which is also below:

• SpaceX Launches First Direct-To-Cellular Capable Starlink Satellites Posted on: January 3, 2024
• Starlink's New Standard Dish Now Available for Order with Mobile Plans Posted on: December 15, 2023
• Starlink’s New Standard Dish - Actually BIGGER Than First Reported! Posted on: November 28, 2023
• Cellular Industry Update: 5G is Increasingly Worthwhile For RV & Boat Mobile Internet Solutions Posted on: November 20, 2023
• Breaking News: Next Generation Starlink Standard Hardware for RVs Revealed Posted on: November 17, 2023

What Is Starlink?

Starlink is a connectivity system that uses a large constellation of satellites in low earth orbit (LEO), along with user terminals and ground stations to provide fast, low-latency internet connectivity from almost anywhere on the globe.

Starlink Service Overview Video

Here is the video verison of this section, also covering the general pros and cons for Starlink:

How Does Starlink Differ From Other Satellite Systems?

Many other satellite companies you may be familiar with use one or a small number of huge satellites in a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) that service an entire region.

Geostationary means the satellite matches the rotation of the earth and doesn't move relative to the ground, so it's always in the same part of the sky. To connect, users aim a directional satellite dish at that point in the sky to get connectivity.

If you're familiar with satellite-based TV, such as DirecTV and Dish network, those work exactly the same way.

However, geostationary orbits are all very distant from the Earth and above the equator. And since a single satellite can service an entire region or continent, it means that everyone connects to that one point. Together, these factors negatively impact performance resulting in slower speeds and higher latency.

Imagine the United States had a single, massive cell tower in the middle of the country that everyone connected to - that's a rough analogy for how GEO systems work.

In contrast, Starlink operates more like a cellular network does.

It uses thousands of LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites only a few hundred miles into space. These satellites are not fixed relative to the ground and are continuously moving.

Each satellite can service only a small area on the earth's service and the satellites are moving relative to the earth's surface. This means thousands of satellites are needed to ensure there is always at least one in the sky above any particular location.

Because Starlink satellites are always moving, the Starlink receiver needs to be able to track them and communicate with them in real-time as they move across the sky. The dish also needs to be able to switch satellites as they come in and out of view.

This requires a much more complicated user dish than the simple directional dishes used in GEO systems. Starlink dishes are able to electronically steer their signals to the satellites as they move - pretty amazing!

All this advanced technology means that Starlink can provide much more capacity, serve many more users, and provide much better performance than a traditional GEO system.

There Are Other Satellite Internet Companies Also

Starlink however isn't the only player in the LEO space - other companies like Iridium, OneWeb and Amazon are also building similar constellations. Starlink however is the only one able to provide high bandwidth connectivity today at consumer pricing.

For a bigger picture look at all of the present and proposed mobile satellite internet options for RV and boat use, be sure to checkin out ourMobile satellite options guide.

Mobile Satellite Guide

Mobile Satellite Internet Resources

Starlink Unlikely To Be Your Only Solution

Unless you plan to stick to only wide-open places in non-congested areas, Starlink is not likely to be your only internet connectivity solution.

We typically find that Starlink works best as just one of the connectivity tools in your internet arsenal.

In our article Combining Starlink with Other Internet Sources: Cellular & Wi-Fi, we go into detail about ways to leverage your Starlink connection with other sources of internet for maximum reliability.

In particular, we've found that Starlink is often a very good complement to cellular for many nomads, especially when combined with a router with advanced features like failover and bonding.

In areas with obstructions that may cause drops, bonding cellular and Starlink together can combine the best of both worlds. Using Peplink routers with Starlink is a great way to bond cellular and Starlink together.

But even without advanced features, having multiple sources of internet and redundancy will give you the best possible experience to stay connected without interruptions.

Where Do You Purchase Starlink?

Starlink can be purchased directly from Starlink.com, and it's also available from 3rd party retailers like Winegard and MobileMustHave. Additionally, some major retailers like Home Depot and Walmart have started to carry it.

Starlink Pros

Starlink's system design provides a lot of advantages, not only over traditional GEO systems, but also compared to traditional sources of mobile internet like cellular and Wi-Fi.

Let's go over some of these key advantages.

Internet (Almost) Everywhere

Because Starlink's satellite constellation continuously orbits the earth, it's technically able to provide service almost anywhere on the globe, although it is still not able to operate in many countries like Russia, China, and Iran.

For North American nomads, this means Starlink can provide fast connectivity in places where there is no cellular or Wi-Fi. Starlink can, therefore, be a great option for nomads who like to stay connected in places where other options don't exist.

Starlink Doesn’t Know Borders

Starlink is a global service that offers service almost anywhere in the world, including over the open ocean.

With the correct Starlink data plan selected, service can cross borders relatively easy without worrying about roaming or equipment compatibility.

In contrast, cellular connectivity comes with many restrictions and hassles.

Starlink is Easy to Use and Setup

Starlink is made to be very simple to set up and use. Even though Starlink uses a LOT of very complicated technology, all of that is hidden away and automated which makes using Starlink very simple for the end user.

Starlink user equipment consists of a dish, a router, power supply and associated cables. All that's needed is to connect everything together is make sure the dish has a clear view of the sky, and then power it on.

Starlink does have different dish models that are intended for different use cases including models intended for permanent flat mounting and those that need a pole or tripod. We discuss the details of Starlink's equipment later in this guide.

Starlink Cons

Unfortunately, life is about tradeoffs, and Starlink is no different. It does have downsides and limitations that you need to be aware of, and these are significant enough that Starlink cannot be the only connectivity solution for most nomads.

Obstructions

Since Starlink satellites are always moving in the sky, the Starlink dish needs as wide open view of the sky as possible. Particularly to the north.

Starlink can't communicate to the satellites through dense foliage, trees, mountains, buildings, or other obstructions.

A partially obstructed view will allow you to get connected but often results in dropouts when a satellite becomes obstructed and there is not another satellite available for the dish to switch to.

The more obstructions in the dish's field of view, the more and longer the interruptions . Interruptions may not be a big deal for a lot of internet activities, like streaming video or checking websites or email. But for activities that require a stable connection, like videoconferencing and online gaming, these interruptions can cause several problems and even make it impossible to reliably connect.

This problem is getting better as SpaceX continues to launch satellites. A bigger constellation means potentially more satellites in view when there are blockages. But in places where there is no clear view of the sky - especially in forests - no amount of satellites can pierce the dense tree cover.

You can download the Starlink app before you own Starlink and using the included Starlink Obstruction Finder, you check to see what the obstructions may look like at your location.

Extreme Weather

Weather can negatively affect Starlink's performance. Starlink generally works fine in some light rain or snow, but during conditions with heavy precipitation like a downpour, heavy snow, and hail - Starlink often disconnects.

Large Equipment

The most commonly used Starlink equipment includes a tripod mounted dish, router, and possibly even a separate power supply that must be connected and set up. This can be a lot more cumbersome compared to the simplicity of a cellular device like a hotspot, phone or router.

For dishes that can't be permanently mounted, you'll need to do the setup and take down at each location and store all the equipment in your RV, boat or van. Especially for smaller conveyances, the gear can take up a lot of valuable storage space.

In contrast, the hardware that can be permanently mounted on a van or RV helps with the storage and setup hassles, but now you have lost the flexibility to move the dish around if you find yourself parked under trees or other obstacles. This could force you to move your vehicle to a location that is best for Starlink and not best for your enjoyment. And of course, a permanently mounted large dish can take away needed space for other roof mounted equipment like cellular antennas, ACs or solar panels.

Power Use

The Starlink hardware uses considerably more power than your typical cellular hotspot or router. This can particularly be a problem with off-grid and boondocking use if you don't have a sizable battery bank and recharging capability. So if you plan on leaving Starlink on 24/7, you may need to beef up your off-grid system to be able to handle this extra power draw.

The Standard Starlink Dish can use more power than a typical residential fridge. The High-Performance Dish can use 2x the power as the Standard Dish.

This power usage may force you to turn off Starlink sometimes to conserve power and leave you with no internet connectivity if you don't have a backup source.

Upload Capacity Is Limited

Like most networks, including cellular, Starlink is designed to provide much better download performance than upload performance. However, with Starlink, the upload/download asymmetry is greater, and therefore upload speeds can often be on the slower side - especially on mobile plans that are always the lowest priority.

For anyone who relies on uploading data-heavy content such as video or other large files, Starlink may not make a great choice as your only option. Today's 5G cellular can often times be up to 10x faster than Starlink's upload capacity.

Congestion

Each Starlink satellite can only cover so many subscribers at once as they move over - and each satellite only has so much capacity to share.

When networks get congested and start approaching those limits, the end user sees slowdowns. Starlink is not at all immune to this. And, just like cellular network providers, Starlink has congestion management policies including priority levels for network access. Depending on the plan you have with Starlink, you could be at the highest priority, above everyone else, or at the lowest - just like with cellular.

And like cellular, Starlink can become slow when lots of people gather in one location or region, as is common in the RV and boating communities.

Customer Service

We mentioned at the beginning that Starlink is a young company providing a service no one has been able to offer before. And that means there are growing pains. One of those pains is customer service.

Starlink only offers customer service through their account portal via a messaging tool. There is no customer service phone number to call, so you have to send in a message request and then wait for a response.

You'll often get an automated response first, and then it could be a decent amount of time before a real customer service representative responds to your message.

Over the years, we have seen customer service responses vary from a few hours to several weeks, and unfortunately, Starlink has gone through several lengthy periods of time where response time were very lengthy.

Proprietary Connectors and Hardware

Unfortunately, Starlink decided to use proprietary designs for some of their hardware and cabling, meaning you can only get replacements directly from Starlink.

In particular, we have seen their cables prove to be extremely fragile and easy to break, making your hardware and service unusable until you get a replacement cable.

Since you have to use the customer service system described above to get a replacement, sometimes replacements are shipped fast, while other times, it can take a while.

The result is that you should expect some downtime if you have an equipment failure, or you may want to have spares on hand.

Constant Changes in Terms

Another aspect mentioned at the start of this guide is that the service is constantly changing. And not just changing little stuff, but their pricing, terms of service and plan lineup. Starlink service is on a no contract basis, and that goes both ways. You can cancel your service at anytime, but they can also change their terms.

So the plan you bought today may not exist tomorrow, and Starlink has shown that they have a history of price increases and plan changes without grandfathering.

Over the years, we have seen price increases on hardware and plans and watched them take away features or require higher priced plans for the same level of service previously offered. The changes sometimes can be subtle in their fine print, or more widely communicated.

We don't expect Starlink to change this behavior anytime soon, so if they make a change you don't agree with, or it no longer fits your needs - you have little choice but to accept the change, or ditch the service.

Starlink Data Plan Features

Starlink offers several different data plans, some with multiple variations. It can be confusing to pick the right plan for your unique needs.

Additionally, Starlink markets these plans combined with hardware by use cases - for Residential, Business, Roaming, Mobile and more.

Starlink Data Plans Overview Video

First, there's a video overview going over the Starlink Data Plans:

Starlink has specific terms of service that cover different priority levels for data, for in-motion use, international and land vs ocean. The plans they offer mix and match these different features, so it's important to first identify which are important to you.

Here's a rundown on these terms:

Data Priority Levels

Starlink has three data priority levels:

• Mobile Data / Best Effort - This is the lowest priority level and is considered "best effort" service. Very similar to deprioritized data on cellular plans, this can result in very slow performance when Starlink is congested.
• Standard Data - This is the mid-tier in terms of prioritization with higher priority than Mobile Data, but lower than Priority. Think of this as similar to the normal baseline priority of a cellular plan.
• Priority Data - This is the highest tier - data on this tier has priority over the Standard and Mobile data tiers and is much less subject to slowdowns due to congestion. Priority data is capped on Starlink plans that offer it, and once the included bucket of priority data is used up, customers can pay for additional priority data or have unlimited data at one of the lower tiers, depending on the plan.

With the various plans and tiers of service, Starlink shares their expected performance, particularly during peak hours and in areas where the Starlink network is congested:

Starlink Location and In-Motion Features

Starlink has three basic categories for location/motion restrictions:

• Fixed Locations - Service is only provided at or very close to the registered service address. However, customers can change their service address as needed relatively easily.
• Portable - There are no service address changes needed at each location and is intended for those who travel. This level allows slow speed in motion use <10 MPH.
• In Motion - There are no service address changes needed, allows for high speed in motion use.

Land vs Ocean

Starlink defines their service areas as being on land or ocean. Use in areas marked as Ocean require use of Mobile Priority data.

• Land - All areas labeled as"Available", "Waitlist", or "Coming Soon" on the Starlink Availability Map are considered land regions. This includes many coastal areas and inland waterways.
• Ocean -All areas colored as black on the Starlink Availability Map are considered ocean regions, including islands unless they are labeled as land areas.

International Use Features

Starlink has various restrictions on where Starlink can be used outside of the home country the account is registered in. Some countries, such as China, Russia, and Iran, are not licensed for Starlink service and cannot be used there.

• Home Country Only - Can only be used in the country where the account is registered.
• Regional / Home Continent Only - Can be used in any country on the same continent where the account is registered.
• Global - Can be used in any country that offers Starlink and the open ocean.

Starlink Data Plan Options

Starlink currently has four total plan categories, with some plans having different tier levels.

The options can be confusing when it comes to what each offers and the specific plan restrictions, like the ability to roam, in-motion use, data priority levels, ocean use, etc.

The plans are generally categorized, with two being intended for a single fixed location and two for on the go- ie. mobile or roam plans.

Here's a quick summary of the available plans and tiers for each, which we'll cover in detail below:

• Fixed Location Plans:
  • Standard - $120
  • Priority:
    • Priority 40GB - $140
    • Priority 1TB - $250
    • Priority 2TB - $500
• Mobile Plans:
  • Mobile:
    • Mobile Regional - $150
    • Mobile Global - $200
  • Mobile Priority
    • Mobile Priority 50GB - $250
    • Mobile Priority 1TB - $1,000
    • Mobile Priority 5TB - $5,000

Here is a screenshot of Starlink's current plan offerings from its website, followed by our description and analysis:

Standard Plan

The Starlink Standard plan is a fixed location plan - meaning it will only work at or near the registered service address. However, Starlink makes it easy to change your service address, so don't let the fixed location terms immediately scare you. This option comes with Standard priority level, so it can be a good option for those who don't mind changing their service address each time they move locations.

Currently, Starlink no longer has any waitlisted areas in the USA, so moving the address anywhere in your home country is viable. However, Starlink could close off congested areas in the future.

Starlink Standard Features:

• Data Terms and Priority: Unlimited data at Standard Priority
• Portability: Kinda - Intended for fixed locations, but you have to change your service address when you change locations
• In-Motion Use: None
• International Use: None - can only be used in the home country
• Ocean Use: None - This plan is only for cells marked as land - "land" includes many inland waterways and ocean areas adjacent to the coast
• Other Features: None

Starlink Standard only includes one option, but the cost varies depending on the capacity in your area

• Excess capacity areas: $90/month
• At capacity areas: $120/month (most people will pay $120/month)

Priority Plan

Starlink Priority plans are similar to Starlink Standard, except the highest level Priority Data is available. The amount of Priority Data you get depends on the plan tier you choose. Once used up, you have unlimited data at Standard priority. Additional Priority Data can be purchased for a reasonable 50 cents per GB.

• Data Terms and Priority: Tiered Priority Data followed by unlimited data at Standard Priority
• Portability: Kinda - Intended for fixed locations, but you have to change your service address when you change locations
• In-Motion Use: None
• International Use: None - can only be used in the home country
• Ocean Use: None - This plan is only for cells marked as land - "land" includes many inland waterways and ocean areas adjacent to the coast
• Other Features: Public IP address, priority customer service support

Priority Plan Tiers:

• 40GB Priority Data - $140/mo
• 1TB Priority Data - $250/mo
• 2TB Priority Data - $500/mo
• 6TB Priority Data - $1500/mo
  • Additional Priority Data $.50/GB

Mobile Plan

Starlink Mobile plans come with two options - Mobile Regional and Mobile Global. These are intended for mobile use either regionally (home continent) or globally. No address change is needed when arriving to a new land location. This plan is always at the lowest 'best effort' data priority level unless you purchase Priority Data at $2 per GB.

• Data Terms and Priority: Unlimited data at Best Effort priority level (lowest)
• Portability: Yes - no service address change needed
• In-Motion Use: Yes
  • 10 MPH or less standard
  • High speed (greater than 10 MPH) when you opt-in for Mobile Priority Data
• International Use: Yes
  • Mobile Regional: Can roam anywhere on land on your home continent, with theoretical limitations on how long you are in a new country
  • Mobile Global: Can roam anywhere on the globe on land where Starlink provides service
• Ocean Use: None unless you opt-in to Mobile Priority data at $2/GB
• Other Features: Can pause service (no pro-rating)

Mobile Plan Tiers:

• Regional: $150/month
• Global: $200/month

Mobile Priority Plan

Starlink Mobile Priority is similar to the Mobile plans, but includes some Mobile Priority Data. The main features include global usage on land and water including open ocean, and high-speed in-motion data on both land and water.

The amount of Priority Data you get depends on the plan tier you choose. Once used up, you have unlimited data at Mobile Best Effort level (the lowest priority level) and you fall back to the same restrictions as Mobile with no ocean use and no high speed in motion use. Additional priority data can be purchased $2 per GB.

• Data Terms and Priority: Tiered Priority Data followed by unlimited data at Best Effort (the lowest priority)
• Portability: Yes - does not require changing a service address
• In-Motion Use: Yes - can be used at high speed (greater than 10MPH), but require Mobile Priority data
• International Use: Yes - Can roam anywhere on the globe where Starlink provides service
• Ocean Use: Yes, but it requires Mobile Priority data.
• Other Features: Can pause service (no pro-rating), priority customer support

It's important to note - that if you don't need TBs of Mobile Priority data, it may be more flexible to subscribe to a Mobile Plan, and purchase Mobile Priority data as needed. Otherwise, on these Mobile Priority Plans, Mobile Priority data is used first.

Note: Starlink has started to enforce that users on the ocean that opt-in to Mobile Priority have the Mobile Global as their base plan they opt-in from. Users opting in from the Mobile Regional plan are getting cut off and told to return to land to change their plan.

Mobile Priority Plan Tiers:

• 50GB Priority Data - $250/mo
• 1TB Priority Data - $1000/mo
• 5TB Priority Data - $5000/mo
  • Additional Priority Data $2/GB

Which Plan Is Right For You?

With four main plan options and different tiers of service for most them, the choices can get confusing. The Starlink website attempts to make this clearer by guiding potential customers to specific options depending on their use case. They also have personal and business listed on the website, but there are not actually any distinctions besides the plan and hardware recommended for each.

Regardless of personal, business, or your specific use case, in the end, there are only 4 plan categories.

Mobile - The Sweet Spot For Most

Most nomadic users who travel in RVs and boats along inland waterways will probably find the Mobile plan the most convenient since it just works anywhere without having to change a service address. The main downside is that this plan is always deprioritized unless you pay for expensive priority data.

However, having the option to opt into Mobile Priority data to access Starlink's highest data priority can be handy if you really need a better connection in a congested area.

Opting into Mobile Priority data also allows you to stay connected while in motion above 10MPH, as well as provide ocean coverage. But at $2 per GB for Mobile Priority data, that can get expensive quickly. Remember to turn it off when you don't need it to avoid a large, unexpected bill.

The Mobile plan is also a good option for part-time nomads since you can pause service during the months you're not traveling, although it's easy to cancel and restart service with Starlink fixed location plans too.

Standard and Priority - A Better Value But More Inconvenient

Customers who don't mind the inconvenience of moving their service address with each stop can find better value with the Standard or Priority plans. The advantage of these plans is that they cost less than the Mobile and Mobile Priority plans, and also come with a higher level of data priority.

But there are downsides. The most obvious is needing to change the service address every time you move - a process that can take 5-15 minutes.

These plans also do not come with any in-motion usage at all, you cannot pause service, and there is no international use outside of your home country.

If these restrictions don't matter to you, and you don't mind changing your service address, then these plans give you higher priority data at a lower cost.

Don't Stress - Changing Plans is Easy

The great thing about Starlink plans is you can change your mind and change plans as your needs change.

Under our Starlink Resource articles, we have a deeper dive into Starlink Services - Which Services Can You Switch Between?

Starlink makes it relatively easy (with some caveats) to move to a different plan that better fits your needs when your situation changes.

Here are the caveats:

When moving between plans, plans that cost the same or more will switch immediately when you choose the new plan. If it's a more expensive plan, you will then be charged a prorated cost for the remainder of the billing cycle. If the new plan includes a bucket of Priority Data, you get the full amount even for a partial month - the Priority Data is not pro-rated.

You can use this to your advantage to move up to a higher tier plan at a certain point in your billing cycle and still get all the Priority Data at a reduced prorated cost.

When moving from a more expensive plan to a cheaper plan, the change plan change will not happen until your next billing cycle begins. There is no pro-rating, you remain on your current plan and wait for your billing cycle for that change to occur.

Cancelling And Restarting Service Is A Viable Strategy

In some cases, Starlink may not give you an option to directly change from the plan you are on to another plan. However, since there are no contracts with Starlink or long-term service obligations, you can cancel service and then restart the service on a different plan. Just be aware that you should cancel service near the end of your billing cycle to minimize the financial loss as you won't get refunded for unused service if you cancel.

Additionally, while the fixed location plans cannot be paused like the Mobile plans, Starlink currently allows you to cancel and restart service without any penalties or activation fees, so it's almost like pausing.

So don't let the lack of a pause feature on the Standard and Priority plans hold you back if you only need service periodically.

Starlink Billing Notes

All Starlink plans ordered directly from Starlink begin the billing cycle on the day you power on your equipment attached to the plan, or within 30 days after shipping if you don't turn it on. The billing continues until you cancel it, which you can do at any time, as there is no contract or service obligation.

If you cancel service, then the service ends immediately, and there is no refund for any unused service.

Billing is in the currency of the country your account is registered in. It's not possible to move an account from one country to another - to do that you'd need to cancel the account in your existing country, create a new account (with a different email address) in the new country, transfer your equipment, and restart your plan under the new account.

For plans that allow pausing service, the pause takes place at the end of your current billing cycle. When you unpause service, it begins immediately on the day you unpause, and you are immediately billed a prorated amount for the number of days remaining in your billing cycle. Then you begin a new billing cycle with the full, normal cost.

Starlink Dish Options

Starlink service requires using Starlink's propriety hardware - there are no third-party hardware options.

When you purchase Starlink for the first time, will need to choose the hardware kit you want. Starlink currently has a few different dish models, which are substantially different in cost, size, and how it is intended to be used and mounted.

Once ordered, you will receive a complete kit with everything you need to get connected. Each kit has a Starlink dish, all required cabling, a Starlink Wi-Fi router, and a power supply. Accessories are available from Starlink and third-party vendors, though many parts, like the cables, are proprietary and are only available from Starlink.

Starlink Dish Selection Overview Video

Here is the video version of this guide section covering Starlink hardware. Note: This video will be updated with the new Standard dish option soon.

Starlink Standard Dishes

The Starlink Standard Dish comes in two options, Standard Actuated with a pole and the Standard (flat mount with kickstand) revealed in mid-November 2023. Generally, one of the Standard dishes is the best option for most users and is also the least expensive at $599.

The Standard Actuated is the default option for the Standard, and as of mid-December 2023, the Standard with kickstand model is the default for Mobile plans.

Starlink Standard Actuated

The Standard Actuated dish (Starlink receiver) is mounted on a stalk, and the kit comes with a base to stand upright. The included base is not required and the Standard Actuated Dish is often mounted on a pole or other attachments.

This dish has motors that allow it to auto-aim toward where it thinks it will get the best service since its field of view is only about 100 degrees. You don't need to orient or adjust the Dish manually, as it will self-orient.

Once it has aimed in a general direction, it usually doesn't move again unless it is stowed or performs a firmware update.

Standard Actuated Dish Specs:

• Field of View: 100 degrees
• Setup: Automatically aims when powered
• Size: 20.2" x 11.9" - 13.5" stalk (9.2 lbs)
• Mounting Options: Included base mount for flat surfaces, or a variety of pole-mount options
• Power Requirements: AC Power only through included router, 50-75w of typical power usage
• Portability: Yes - It is meant to be portable and set in the best location. Comes with 50ft (15.2m) of cable to position the Dish away from a vehicle.
• Supports In-Motion Use: Not officially supported
• Price: $599

Starlink Standard (Kickstand)

The Standard Standard Flat Mount dish has no motors and instead has a removable kickstand to have a slight angle for optimal aiming and rain runoff, or it can be laid flat depending on the application.

Starlink also offers accessories for more conventional fixed mounting onto roofs and poles.

Instead of robotic aiming - according to the setup video, the Starlink app will guide you through manually aiming the Starlink towards the right section of sky, using the detachable kickstand to angle the panel correctly.

Standard Dish Specs:

• Field of View: 110 degrees
• Setup: Manual aiming using app
• Size: 23.4" x 15.07" - (6.4 lbs)
• Mounting Options: Included kickstand or optional accessories for pole-mount or flat mounting
• Power Requirements: Separate AC supply included, 75-100w of typical power usage
• Portability: Yes - It is meant to be portable and set in the best location. Comes with 49.2ft (15m) of cable to position the Dish away from a vehicle.
• Supports In-Motion Use: FCC Approval Pending
• Price: $599

Starlink Flat High Performance

The Starlink Flat High Performance (FHP) is a higher-end and more expensive option ($2,500) and the default hardware on the Priority and Mobile Priority plans.

This model does not have a stalk, is intended to be flat-mounted, and has no motors for aiming. It's considerably larger and also has a larger field of view at 140 degrees.

The FHP dish kit comes with a wedge mount and is intended to be permanently mounted on your RV, boat, or vehicle. It is not intended to be set out and deployed at each location.

Flat High Performance Dish Specs:

• Field of View: 140 degrees
• Setup: None
• Size: 22.5" x 20.1" (16 lbs)
• Mounting Options: Permanent flat-mount - includes a wedge base for mounting
• Power Requirements: AC Power only, 100-150w of typical power usage
• Portability: No, it is meant to be permanently mounted
• Supports In-Motion Use: Yes
• Price: $2,500

Dish Comparisons

Here is our table comparing the key differences of the three dishes and size comparison:

Our Starlink Gear Center goes into the technical details about the various versions and revisions of the Dishy that have been shipped out to date to customers.

Which Model Is Best For You?

Most RVers and boaters are best served with one of the Standard Dish choices. Not only are they significantly less expensive than the Flat HP, but they both come with the following advantages:

• More mounting and placement options - RVers can move move either Standard dish around to an open area while their RV remains in the shade. The Standard dishes have a greater number of deployment and mounting options vs a fixed mounting option for the Flat HP. Boaters can mount either dish on the boat and potentially leave it in place if speeds are slow enough.
• Lower power usage - especially important for those designing off grid systems. (The Starlink Standard Actuated uses the least amount of power)

The main reason to go with the Flat High Performance is for official in-motion use above 10 MPH. It can also be more convenient to have it permanently mounted and not have to deal with storing the dish and setting it up at each location.

The Flat HP dish could also perform better in challenging areas. However, the Flat HP Dish does draw significantly more power, making it even more challenging to use frequently for those who aren't connected to the grid.

We have a Starlink resource article on Which Starlink Dish is Best for RV or Boat Use that goes into some more details if you want a more in depth view on this topic.

Starlink Store and Accessories

SpaceX also sells a range of Starlink accessories on the Starlink Store - including different types of mounting systems, replacement cables, including longer cable options, and an ethernet adapter for the Standard Actuated Dish that lets you connect the Starlink system to other wired Ethernet networks. (Note: The Starlink Standard & the Flat HP Dish do not require an ethernet adapter)

This Starlink store is only accessible once you have placed a full order and have an account with Starlink - but you can place orders for accessories before your dish ships.

Third-party vendors also sell accessories - usually mounting options.

Which Starlink Dish is Best for RV or Boat Use?

Starlink Rental

Starlink has added a rental option for some countries at the consumer level or the business level. For the US & Canada, this is only available under a business account and is currently not available to consumer accounts.

The rental option is available when you select a Priority Plan under the Business option. Instead of choosing to purchase the Flat HP Dish outright for $2500, you are renting the Flat HP dish for $100/month with a $200 activation fee plus the cost of the plan you choose starting at $140/month for the 40GB plan and going up to $250/month for the 1TB plan.

Starlink Transfers

Starlink can be transferred to a new owner through your account, but there is a waiting period of 90 days after your subscription started or 120 days after purchase if it was never activated before you can initiate a transfer.

keep in mind this could affect users if you purchase a dish and then want to change plans and that requires a cancellation and a restart under a new account even if you are the owner on both accounts. You can run into this when going from a residential to a business account.

Starlink Concluding Thoughts

Is Starlink the be-all, end-all mobile internet solution that many hyped up in its early days?

Well, no.

Like any other connectivity option, Starlink has upsides and downsides, benefits, and tradeoffs. But it is a unique connectivity option that does provide features that are simply not available anywhere else. It's a truly global system and can provide fast connectivity in places where nothing else can.

Even with Starlink's unique benefits, it does come with downsides. A big one is growing pains as SpaceX continues to develop the system and figures out how to successfully market the service and make a profit that will ensure its long-term survivability. These growing pains mean a lot of sudden and unexpected changes.

And, as a satellite system, Starlink requires a mostly unobstructed view of the sky, which can be difficult, especially in forests.

Starlink is not destined to be 'The One' ultimate way for nomads to get online - but it can be a great component of many technomadic connectivity arsenals.

This is why we think that combining Starlink with cellular is a great option, as each tends to be strong where the other is relatively weak. Combining them helps cover the shortcomings of each to provide a lot more capability and redundancy.