Starlink

[lincmercguy]

my point was simply, his 30mbit was more then enough. people think they need 1g service and 600+ to their device. that was all

Yeah, 30 is pretty decent for most stuff these days. Under 20 and things start to annoy me, but we use streaming exclusively for TV.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Ok, i just completed redoing my house wifi to incorporate mesh network. My TPLink router supports mesh extenders, so i ordered 3 TPLink RE550 mesh extenders.

I installed the TP-Link AXE5300 mesh system down south and get similar results. The mesh topology supposedly doesn't suffer from speed losses as data moves from node to node, but it does drop with distance and the number of walls and barriers the signal has to get through. The only time I notice the slow down is when I'm moving large files, so I've been dragging my feet installing ethernet cable between the nodes that are inside the house. Installation was as simple as plugging each node's wall wart into the socket, then running the configuration app to let the nodes know about each other. No problems for a year now, but I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[drumminj]

I installed the TP-Link AXE5300 mesh system down south and get similar results. The mesh topology supposedly doesn't suffer from speed losses as data moves from node to node, but it does drop with distance and the number of walls and barriers the signal has to get through. The only time I notice the slow down is when I'm moving large files, so I've been dragging my feet installing ethernet cable between the nodes that are inside the house. Installation was as simple as plugging each node's wall wart into the socket, then running the configuration app to let the nodes know about each other. No problems for a year now, but I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I also have a tp-link mesh network (deco) and having wired connections between the nodes makes a huge difference in my house as far as performance. I just have them connected via an unmanaged switch.

We don't do anything that really requires crazy speed/throughput but I do see huge differences running speed tests.

 

[wilso]

In 2020 we decided to move, and since I work from home needed high speed internet. We looked a some rural properties but none of them had good internet available so we moved to the beach and got a place on the water. Now 5 years later, we miss the peace and quiet of the country and want to be closer to the grandkids. We bought a place a couple months ago in a very rural county and we were told fiber was available. I contacted the internet provider and put in my order, when I asked timeline they said typical was 3-4 months. Since I needed to be at that home immediately to oversee some renovations before we moved, I ordered Starlink. Starlink showed up a couple days later, got it all up and running in no time and it worked great. That weekend my brother came by and helped me mount it on the roof and run cables inside. The following week some guys show up to mark the utilities, when I asked them for what they told me fiber. Week after that they came and ran the fiber. I used the Starlink about 3 weeks and then had 1gb fiber internet at the house, and in a county with <10k people. I'm impressed, and things have certainly come a long way in 5 years.

Now I just need the renovations completed and get moved in and sell the other house.

Your journey sounds like a real adventure! It's impressive how quickly Starlink got you up and running when you needed it most. I’ve heard mixed reviews about their customer service, but it’s great to see that your experience was positive. My cousin also faced issues with fiber internet, and Starlink was a great option for her. It’s amazing how far things have come in just 5 years!

 

[JRH02]

I am watching this partnering between Starlink and TMobile with interest. We have Starlink and it works great for us. I'm ready to move on from Verizon after 20+ years and since we live in an area with zero cell coverage it would be a great thing to say bye-bye to VZ. We have had no interest in leaving VZ previously but the bill for two phones on a family plan sharing 5g of data is just more ridiculous than ever. Most of our phone use is at home over WiFi via Starlink anyway. But when we get away from the house and out into the woods, if someone gets hurt, there is no option. This partnership may have solved this finally.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good luck with TMobile. I tried them here before I went with Starlink,. Coverage was spotty and I had lots of dropped calls. I returned their equipment well before the free trial expired, but had a devil of a time trying to get them to stop billing me. Ended up having to cancel the credit card I gave them, and still had to make several more calls to get them to stop sending dunning notices.

 

[JRH02]

Good luck with TMobile. I tried them here before I went with Starlink,. Coverage was spotty and I had lots of dropped calls. I returned their equipment well before the free trial expired, but had a devil of a time trying to get them to stop billing me. Ended up having to cancel the credit card I gave them, and still had to make several more calls to get them to stop sending dunning notices.

I think you can get billing and cancellation horror stories from any of the cell providers and more. And to spotty coverage from TMobile, the only people I know who are 'happy campers' with them live in metropolitan areas. But the Starlink thing would solve the spotty coverage - or will it? What I need to know is what happens then I am on a call and TMobile's cell signal fades out? Does the conversation fail over to Starlink - and vv?

 

[bdhsfz6]

I think you can get billing and cancellation horror stories from any of the cell providers and more. And to spotty coverage from TMobile, the only people I know who are 'happy campers' with them live in metropolitan areas. But the Starlink thing would solve the spotty coverage - or will it? What I need to know is what happens then I am on a call and TMobile's cell signal fades out? Does the conversation fail over to Starlink - and vv?

According to AI, yes, it is automatic:

AI Overview
Learn more

To use T-Mobile's Starlink satellite service, simply sign up for the beta program, and when you're in an area without traditional cellular service, your phone will automatically connect to the Starlink network, displaying "T-Mobile SpaceX".

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Automatic Connection: When a T-Mobile phone, participating in the beta program, is out of range of a cell tower, it will automatically connect to the Starlink satellite network.
  
  
• No Manual Action Needed: You don't need to manually select or connect to the Starlink network.
  
  
• Network Indication: When connected to Starlink, your phone will display "T-Mobile SpaceX" at the top-left side of your screen.
  
  
• Texting: You can send and receive text messages as usual, though messages may take longer to send during the beta phase.
  
  
• Emergency Services: To reach 911, enter "911" in the recipient field, and your location will be automatically shared with emergency services.
  
  
• Picture/Video Messaging: Picture and video messaging are not available during the beta phase.
  
  
• Qualifying Phones: The service works on most smartphones from the last four years.
  
  
• Sign Up for Beta: To participate, you need to register for the beta trial, according to T-Mobile.
  
  
• No Special Hardware: You don't need any special hardware or apps to use the service.
  
  
• Future Expansion: T-Mobile plans to expand the service to include voice and data, in the future.

However, Starlink does not yet provide universal coverage as many "would be" Starlink internet customers know all too well.

Also, Starlink satellites are low earth orbit which means the signal won't be available in deep valleys or mountainous terrain. Coverage will certainly be better than cellular but there will still be dead spots.

For true global coverage you need an iridium satellite phone. Very expensive though.

 

[sd455dan]

I am watching this partnering between Starlink and TMobile with interest. We have Starlink and it works great for us. I'm ready to move on from Verizon after 20+ years and since we live in an area with zero cell coverage it would be a great thing to say bye-bye to VZ. We have had no interest in leaving VZ previously but the bill for two phones on a family plan sharing 5g of data is just more ridiculous than ever. Most of our phone use is at home over WiFi via Starlink anyway. But when we get away from the house and out into the woods, if someone gets hurt, there is no option. This partnership may have solved this finally.

Going through the same cost cutting thoughts with "ziply". Our land line pricing has gotten to the point it is not worth it, $75 a month and finally got the wife to agree to drop it, going to try Ooma on Starlink.

 

[3930dave]

But when we get away from the house and out into the woods, if someone gets hurt, there is no option. This partnership may have solved this finally.

If you are looking to add Emergency Coverage, how does InReach price out for you ?

Rgds, D.