Starlink at home: quick answers

Starlink’s support pages don’t spell out what the app needs before you have a kit. It describes the scan as a way to check a spot before you install, and the app is a free download, so try it. What to expect.

Treat leaves and branches as solid. Starlink names a single branch, a pole or a roof as enough to interrupt service. One branch off to the side may barely matter; one in the middle of the dish’s view can cause regular short drops. Starlink with trees.

Bare trees fill in. Starlink lists new spring leaves among the most common new obstructions, so judge the treetops and branches, not today’s leaves, and rescan in summer if you can. Trees through the seasons.

Starlink publishes no distance rule. What matters is the angle: how high the treetop rises above the horizon as seen from the dish. Our calculator turns tree height and distance into that angle. Sky angle calculator.

Starlink publishes no pass mark for home dishes. Its business dashboard guide says obstruction above 0.2% hurts performance, and above 0.27% causes outages users notice. Lower is better. How much is too much.

Starlink doesn’t name a compass direction that matters more for today’s home dishes. You aim the dish by hand with the app’s alignment tool, and the spot with the most open sky wins. Which way it faces.

Yes, if that spot scans clear. Starlink says the kit’s detachable kickstand can be used for quick setup or a permanent install. Mind snow drifts, mowers and pets. Ground setups.

No, it should lean. Starlink says a misaligned or flat dish can pool rain and drop service; keep it tilted on its kickstand. The app’s alignment tool tells you how to set it. Install steps.

No. Starlink says not to paint the dish or cover it with cloth; Rain-X/NeverWet-type treatments are not recommended, and that a protective cover degrades performance, including snow melting. Its Terms also say not to make paint or cosmetic changes against its install guide. Weather and care.

Not for a home dish. Roofs, walls and glass block or weaken the signal; the dish belongs outside with open sky. Window, indoors, attic.

Yes. Starlink’s advice when you move it to a clearer spot: unplug and reboot it. Move it only for a real obstruction, not every brief switch. Fixing obstructions.

Yes. Starlink allows third-party mounts but can’t vouch for their fit or performance. Avoid metal that wraps the dish’s base, and don’t set the dish directly on metal: Starlink says both may interfere with GPS. Mount options.

Yes. Starlink’s setup is three steps: put the dish where it sees open sky, plug it in, and give it a few minutes to reach the satellites. Try it on the kickstand at the spot you plan to use. Install guide.

Starlink says the cable is not rated to be buried or under water; keep it free of kinks, debris and door jambs, and advises against cutting, splicing or joining cables to add length. Cable routes.

No. Starlink says all mounts are designed for self-install; ask a roofing or installation professional if unsure. Steep or high roofs and tall poles are where a pro earns the fee. Professional installation.

Not on your own roof or yard, by our reading of the FCC’s OTARD rule. It can still enforce clearly defined safety rules and keep dishes off common areas. General information, not legal advice. HOA rules.

Usually, on outdoor space you rent and use alone, like a yard, patio or balcony. The roof and outside walls need the landlord’s yes unless your lease gives you them. Renting a house.

Usually not for a dish on a stand or a small mount, but towns differ, especially for tall poles. Starlink’s Terms say you pay any government, right-of-way, license or permit fees. Am I allowed?

Mostly. Starlink says it is built for wet conditions; in extreme cases heavy rain or wind may slow it or cause a rare outage, and that a downpour, heavy snow or hail can cut the link for a few moments. Weather.

Yes. Starlink says it melts snow; install it where snow buildup and other obstructions don’t block the field of view. The app’s Snow Melt modes are Off, Automatic (recommended), Pre-heat. Snow.

Starlink rates the Standard 4 X as operational in winds of 60 mph+ and the mounted V5 at 165 mph. It also says the kit is not designed for hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or other extreme forces of nature. Weather.

Starlink doesn’t say far-north homes need a different view of the sky. Its specifications say customers in certain remote locations, including Alaska, will see higher latency. Hills, valleys and the far north.

Starlink says Router 3 covers about 3,200 sq ft; its shop says around 2,000 sq ft per router in real homes. Layout, walls and interference change that. Wi-Fi reach.

You can put your own router behind Starlink’s in bypass mode. Starlink’s mesh nodes work only with Starlink routers: Router 3, Gen 2 router and Router Mini mesh with each other; not with a Gen 1 router or third-party mesh systems. Wi-Fi reach.

If the kit came from starlink.com and is undamaged, yes: Starlink’s Terms say the 30-day return explicitly includes a dish that can’t get service because its view of the sky is blocked. A return means cancelling the subscription first, and Starlink keeps the shipping and handling charge even when a kit comes back. Scan first so it never comes to that. Scan before you buy.

No. Starlink says a kit from a shop goes back to that shop, under its rules, so the store’s own window and rules apply. Check them before you open the box. Take the fit check first.