Though satellite internet services have existed for years, Starlink has been instrumental in making it popular and more accessible. Thousands of people prefer Starlink to conventional internet connections these days. If you don’t have a lot of technical expertise, you may be a little anxious about the self-installation and setup, though. Don’t worry; in this guide, I will explain how to install and setup Starlink Internet.
About Starlink Internet
If you are new to all this, Starlink is an internet service that uses satellites for communication instead of the more conventional methods like cables or cellular towers. Because of this nature, you can access Starlink’s service virtually anywhere on Earth as long as you can point the device at the clear sky. Starlink is most widely used in areas where conventional internet connections are unavailable or unreliable.
Let’s take your cabin in the woods, for instance. It is difficult to set up fiber or DSL-based internet services at these locations. Nor can you rely on cellular connections. So, if you can find a space without obstructions in the area, you can use Starlink Internet to access high-speed internet. Speed is essential here, as Starlink offers speeds as high as 300Mbps these days.
Starlink’s internet service is popular among people who move around a lot as well. For instance, RVs are now making the best use of this satellite internet service. While the setup may require some modifications based on where you have parked your RV, Starlink can offer a reliable Internet connection most days. However, you will need to get a specialized plan from Starlink.
In this guide, however, I will be talking about installing and setting up Starlink Residential, which is designed for homes or offices located in remote areas that conventional internet options fail to reach. I have written this from a US perspective, meaning that the instructions regarding placement/direction would slightly vary if you are from elsewhere.
How to Get Starlink
Unfortunately, Starlink is not something that you can buy at a store. Because the service depends on many things for availability, you need to perform some steps before you get Starlink.
#1 Check Availability
If you are from North America, this is a no-brainer. However, it does not hurt to check whether Starlink offers service at your address. The process is simple, though.
You can access the Availability Map of Starlink, where you can see a global map indicating where Starlink services are up. You can either zoom into your location or enter the precise address to check if the service is indeed active.
By the way, this interactive map lets you know the average download speed, upload speed, and latency. If the service is available in your area, you can proceed with the order.
#2 Choose the Plan and Order
Because you are setting up Starlink for home use, you should choose the Residential plan from the company. The charges for these plans are as follows:
- The Residential plan will cost $120 per month without contracts.
- You need to pay $349 for the Starlink Standard Kit, which contains all the pieces of hardware.
- You can also choose mounts and accessories, which cost $38 to $74.
You will also need to pay the tax and a Demand Surcharge in some locations. You can place your order for Starlink by paying the final amount, and you will receive the shipping tracking details soon.
Note: At the time of writing, Starlink has launched a contract-based plan for residential users. This plan needs you to commit for at least 12 months, but you can save the $349 equipment fee. You can get your Starlink connection by paying the monthly fee.
This attractive $0 Starlink Kit plan is available only in select areas in the United States right now.
#4 Download the Starlink App
You should receive the Starlink Installation Kit in a week or so. By that time, you should download and install the Starlink app on your Android smartphone or iPhone. You must do this earlier if you plan to setup Starlink Internet at a remote location with no cellular connection.
Note: Though you need the Starlink app on your device, the app does not require an internet connection to set up Starlink.
Starlink Installation Kit
When the Starlink installation kit arrives, you should find the following pieces of equipment in the package. You may also find the additional things (like mounts) you have ordered.
- Standard Starlink Dish
- Kickstand
- The Starlink Router
- Gen 3 Starlink Cable
- AC Power Cable
- Power Supply Unit
Given that you placed your order in May 2025, you will receive the Gen 3 Router from Starlink. This version comes with dual Ethernet ports and some advanced features. The Gen 3 Starlink cable is 15m long. It should be enough to route the connection at your home, even if you want to place the dish somewhere away.
Now that you have the Starlink Installation Kit ready, we can start the installation and setup process.
How to Install and Setup Starlink
We shall now explore how to install and setup Starlink internet. All these steps are specified for Starlink Standard—not other options like Starlink Roam or Starlink Mini. Also, I have provided some recommendations from a residential point of view.
#1 Unbox and Plan
As you can guess, the first step is unboxing the Standard Installation Kit from Starlink. Make sure you get all the necessary hardware to set up the Starlink Dish outside and keep the router and power supply inside.
As I told you, you get a 15m cable in the kit. So, you should keep this number in mind while deciding where to place the Starlink Router and the Starlink Dish. For instance, if you want to get Wi-Fi coverage across your home, you should choose a central location for the router.
Anyway, make sure that you can connect the Starlink Router to the Starlink Dish using less than 15m of the included cable. I recommend keeping a few meters of cable aside for potential modifications on the way.
#2 Check for Obstructions
Before you even think about installing the Starlink Dish, you need to check for potential obstructions in the area. You need to understand that the dish needs to communicate with the Starlink satellite constellation as per the requirements. So, even a single obstruction in the rotating area of the dish can cause problems with the Internet connection, speed, and latency. Therefore, you need to choose a spotless location for the dish.
The steps are simple. You can open the Starlink app on your smartphone and use the Obstructions function to find a location. Choose an area that you think is the best and scan the sky using the app. The app will tell you whether the location is okay. Once you get the confirmation from the app, you can go ahead.
#3 Place the Dish
If you are placing the dish using the included kickstand, you can proceed to keep it at the app’s recommended spot. Nevertheless, the best place you can set up the dish is at the top of the roof, where obstructions are less likely to occur.
I’d suggest holding back on the final installation, though. You should first check whether the location works for the connection. So, make sure you follow the steps below before finalizing the installation.
#4 Connect and Power On Starlink
Now, you have to connect the cables to the corresponding ports.
- Connect one end of the Starlink cable (15m) to the Starlink dish.
- Connect the other end to the Starlink Gen 3 router.
- Connect the power cable to the Gen 3 router.
- Connect the power supply unit to a nearby power outlet.
When you have connected all these cables, you can turn on the power outlet and wait for a few seconds. At that time, you can turn on Wi-Fi on your smartphone and search for a network named Starlink.
You need to connect to this Wi-Fi network to start the setup. Please note that you don’t need another Wi-Fi or cellular data for this purpose. At this point, you can open the Starlink app on your device.
#5 Wait For Alignment/Align Manually
You need to wait for the Starlink app to open up and recognize the Starlink Wi-Fi network. After this, it will attempt to connect to the Starlink network of satellites. You must provide uninterrupted power to the dish and the router at this point. I recommend using a UPS system if you have one.
If you have followed the instructions from the Obstructions module of the Starlink app, the connection will be smooth, and you can complete the process in a few minutes. However, in some cases, the Starlink app may ask you to align the Starlink dish manually. Don’t worry; it will tell you directions for aligning the dish.
Once you have re-aligned the Starlink dish, you can retry the connection, and everything should be online in a few minutes.
#6 Configure the Network
Now, even though you have connected the Starlink dish to the Starlink satellite network, you may not have Wi-Fi access in your household. If you want Wi-Fi access, you need to configure the Starlink router. You can do it using a link that appears on the Starlink app itself.
You can use this link to set up the SSID and password for the Wi-Fi network at home. At this point, you can connect any Wi-Fi-enabled device to the network and enjoy Internet access.
By the way, you can use Starlink to manage the connection, check statistics, monitor devices, and check the connection speed.
#7 Confirm the Installation
Now that you can enjoy Internet access through the Starlink Wi-Fi network, you can confirm the installation. By confirming, I mean tightening the screws and making sure that the Starlink dish is safe from stability issues and weather-related concerns.
I genuinely recommend getting a suitable mount for your roof if you want the best speed and performance from the Starlink connection. The way I see it, the higher you go, the more stable the connection gets. Once this setup is done, Starlink does not require any maintenance.
Conclusion
I have had to rely on Starlink’s internet service only when other options were unavailable. In these instances, getting a speed of over 100 Mbps has been great. But I can’t say the same about the upload speed, which is often under 20 Mbps. So, don’t expect to upload a YouTube video or live stream using this connection.
But when you are in the middle of nowhere and want an internet connection for browsing, streaming, or Wi-Fi calling, this setup will definitely help.
As we have seen, installing the Starlink system, including the dish and the router, doesn’t take more than a few minutes. In most cases, you can complete the process in 30 minutes, and a few more minutes if you are interested in setting up a third-party router instead of using the built-in router.
