Starlink

[Torvy]

Now I need to drop about $100 for ethernet adapter and either a pole or wall mount. Roofs are metal and none of the typical adapters will work. I'm considering trying on one of the posts of my lean-to. The pole mount is probably too short to help much. This is an old picture, but that far post is north. About 14' high. Thoughts?

 

[K5lwq]

I used an old tv antenna telescopic mast. 50’ I believe. It works great to get over the trees.

Now I need to drop about $100 for ethernet adapter and either a pole or wall mount. Roofs are metal and none of the typical adapters will work. I'm considering trying on one of the posts of my lean-to. The pole mount is probably too short to help much. This is an old picture, but that far post is north. About 14' high. Thoughts?

View attachment 822810

 

[ponytug]

Hey, guys, I am very interested in the reliability issues. I teach online, so I cannot have my Internet service go down for even a second. How often do you get old is it and how long do they last?

If you can't afford being down occasionally, keep looking. Starlink does not come with a quality of service guarantee.

Every link comes with a quality of service. Starlink's is "when you have service, you have service".

You would need a commercial setup with bonding, and a remote site to handle the bond. Search Speedify and Peplink to get started. I would strongly suggest hiring a professional to help you.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ponytug]

Now I need to drop about $100 for ethernet adapter and either a pole or wall mount. Roofs are metal and none of the typical adapters will work. I'm considering trying on one of the posts of my lean-to. The pole mount is probably too short to help much. This is an old picture, but that far post is north. About 14' high. Thoughts?

View attachment 822810

I would start by getting up the ladder at the eave with your phone and checking first. (I know, I know, broken record. But really, it is your friend.)

I used an eave mount Amazon.com

and it has worked well for me. I go to a fair amount of effort not to puncture a metal wall. Sealing metal is such an issue.

The Starlink Ethernet adapter is straightforward to set up, just be very nice to all of the cables. No sharp bends and no pulling on them. Gentle is the keyword here.

Remember you probably want Starlink on the southern end of your space/roof to give it the best view of the Northern sky.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Torvy]

Thanks. I wouldn't mess with mount on metal either...i hoped maybe the engineers had a non penetrating mount. So, you remove dish from the feet for that mount? It is cheaper than the Starlink ones. I may have to order the longer cable, for southern post, but your reasoning is spot on. House is north, so cables could be shorter, oh well. I got on the ladder on the other side of the building. 8% or so, but closer to trees.

 

[ponytug]

Thanks. I wouldn't mess with mount on metal either...i hoped maybe the engineers had a non penetrating mount. So, you remove dish from the feet for that mount? It is cheaper than the Starlink ones. I may have to order the longer cable, for southern post, but your reasoning is spot on. House is north, so cables could be shorter, oh well. I got on the ladder on the other side of the building. 8% or so, but closer to trees.

Yes, the feet come off. I would invest in the Starlink pole mount adapter because there is a few mm or a 0.1" of wiggle between the metric Starlink pipe and the pole mount above. I went with an extra bolt in the eave mount for about a year and then put the pole mount onto the eave mount when I needed to thread a new cable up to Dishy.

I used these "R" clamps;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08P57N85F
They hold the Dishy cable well and a cordless drill or impact driver makes quick work of getting the cable tucked in place without stressing the cable.

On the side of our outbuilding, I tucked the Starlink router in this weatherproof enclosure, along with two vents

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L3QTZRY

and an STC-1000 temperature controller (eBay) for a ventilation fan to keep it cool.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PNQDD3F

I used a pair of desk top cable pass throughs and some butyl caulk to make a channel large enough to thread the Dishy cable through the wall behind it either way, and leave space for power cables and Ethernet cable access, yet could be closed down enough to keep insects out. This gives us the Starlink WiFi access over a pretty large area, and makes it easy for me to check if a network issue is my router, or on the Starlink side by hopping over to the Starlink WiFi.

Yes, lots of pieces, but all pretty simple, and by no means the only way to do it.

I did look into TV and radio type antennas. However, I came to the conclusion that for me, due to high local wind speeds (100mph+ on occasion), the antennas would need a real foundation that was probably 4'x4'x4' plus of reinforced concrete, which was more than I was willing to pay before I knew how well Starlink was going to work. Plus the gear to safely work on an antenna.($$$)

All the best,

Peter

 

[Torvy]

You have me wondering if I could mount the sl pole to my lean-to rather than the recommended 'bury in concrete'. That could help get above trees and garage peak. Maybe then I can put sl router in shop and run cat 6 from adapter to the house. I may already have enough.

Really appreciate all the insight.

 

[LouNY]

Just for the heck of I went to the Starlink "store" the other day and I see they have a new roof mount, it's a inverted Y that is adjustable and just sits on the roof peak with weights to hold it secure. No screws or bolts.

 

[Torvy]

I saw those. Roof has to be flat. Most (all?) metal roofs have ridges. I like that they keep innovating though.

 

[ponytug]

I would pay attention to wind. Some areas get hurricanes/tropical storms, others tornados, and some just have high winds. I think that your Dishy will thank you if it isn't exposed to peak winds on a roof ridge. Part of the reason I went for the eave mount... the other part being better visibility there than on my ridge top. "The app is your..."

And no, clambering around on sloped metal roof tops with drops at the bottom is not my idea of a good time. It reminds me too much of being on a mountain top ice field with rocks at the bottom, with no safety line, crampons, or mountaineering axe.

All the best,

Peter