Starlink RV is now Starlink Roam

Doug_Snider said:

Now we’re trying to decide if we should try again or give up on StarLink. In hindsight, we should have waited for a more reliable system with actual customer support.

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Thanks for this feedback!

What would be your alternative if you don't go with StarLink? It seems that they have this field entirely to themselves for the most part, unless you're competing with cellular service.

socalrider said:

Thanks for this feedback!

What would be your alternative if you don't go with StarLink? It seems that they have this field entirely to themselves for the most part, unless you're competing with cellular service.

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Amazon, Telesat, and OneWeb are going head to head with StarLink. Some real competition might keep Musk honest. It may take a while but unless StarLink fixes the problem, I have no choice but to wait.

Unfortunately, when they sent the replacement kit, there were no precautions about mixing components.

Doug_Snider said:

Amazon, Telesat, and OneWeb are going head to head with StarLink. Some real competition might keep Musk honest. It may take a while but unless StarLink fixes the problem, I have no choice but to wait.

Unfortunately, when they sent the replacement kit, there were no precautions about mixing components.

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did you ask them to activate the old dish again?
They do have a serial number ID which they expected you to switch all components, matched set. I am sure if you ask they will activate the old one.

SteveK said:

did you ask them to activate the old dish again?
They do have a serial number ID which they expected you to switch all components, matched set. I am sure if you ask they will activate the old one.

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I expect that's the issue. They probably moved you account to the new dish expecting everything to be installed. Asking them to reactivate your old dish might do the tick. I'm not defending Starlink support here. I agree with you that it sucks. Just trying to help get you running again.


BTW, the realistic alternative is cellular. Coverage isn't as wide, and often it's slower, but not always. If you want coverage outside of cellular range than I think the only alternative to Starlink remains the legacy satellite people. Maybe one day Amazon and others will roll out an offering, but I'm not holding my breath. And I doubt their customer service will be much better.

SteveK said:

did you ask them to activate the old dish again?
They do have a serial number ID which they expected you to switch all components, matched set. I am sure if you ask they will activate the old one.

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StarLink tech support says they can’t do that even though it worked fine for a few days. The flat panel system has a power supply, dish and router that need to be matched. It’s odd that they can’t associate the hardware with our account.

The really frustrating thing about dealing with them is that you can’t actually speak with anybody and their email response time is way slower than snail mail. I really don’t think they want satisfied customers. I hope the customer service for people who have Teslas is better than it is for Starlink customers.

Doug_Snider said:

StarLink tech support says they can’t do that even though it worked fine for a few days. The flat panel system has a power supply, dish and router that need to be matched. It’s odd that they can’t associate the hardware with our account.

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I reread and missed part where some of the new shipment was returned, so they have a 1/2 set and you have a 1/2 set. good luck

Doug_Snider said:

StarLink tech support says they can’t do that even though it worked fine for a few days. The flat panel system has a power supply, dish and router that need to be matched. It’s odd that they can’t associate the hardware with our account.

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That makes no sense, and would be insane from a manufacturing, sparing, and repair perspective. You would end up with, well, with just this situation. There must be some way to escalate.

If your setup is unlike the assumptions made by Starlink, good luck.
We are, as many here are aware, on a world cruise. Our ship is new so has relied heavily on Starlink for internet. It was great while we were near North America. As we left NA, the Starlink criterion of requiring a land station within 200 miles became evident, so our service has been poor, since we left Hawaii. It improved when we were in New Zealand, then again in Australia, but since leaving Aus, it has ranges only from poor to non existent. As we approach Suez, it is improving, though as I write this, I can't download any videos whatsoever, pictures take forever, but text is OK. I am hoping it will improve in the Med.

I've got nothing but good things to say of it so far
Simple set up and an issue we had with billing at the start was sorted out within hours, all very easily - compared to dealing with banks, for example.

We are currently in the solid yellow zone again, 50nm out
Spent 32 days out here and since mid December in the yellow dotted area
Full speed and connectivity

Hopeing to head out into the red zone at some stage soon
Random internet posters claim it's working out there.
Will be next level awesomeness if it does getting connectivity 100nm out

twistedtree said:

That makes no sense, and would be insane from a manufacturing, sparing, and repair perspective. You would end up with, well, with just this situation. There must be some way to escalate.

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I think I read early on in my research that they are a matched set and was partially done to prevent theft....word got around fast (supposedly) that stealing a $600 dish that won't work with anything else isn't a great idea.

I don't know the details of using your own router even as common as that has become.

psneeld said:

I think I read early on in my research that they are a matched set and was partially done to prevent theft....word got around fast (supposedly) that stealing a $600 dish that won't work with anything else isn't a great idea.

I don't know the details of using your own router even as common as that has become.

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Interesting. I could see having the activation recognize and authorize based on both devices. But it's hard to believe they can't accommodate different pairings. Or maybe it is believable. It's clear they are figuring this out as they go rather than working to a well thought out plan.

This is quite interesting. On one of the hack pages I looked at for disabling the tilt motor, they have a hack for replacing the router with a 12 VDC version. Don't know if they activated the account before switching routers or not, but the Dishy worked well with a generic router.

All of this is above my pay grade and I'm hoping it continues to work when I get underway next week.

Ted

Well, thanks Doug for your post on woes with Starlink. My plan for Starlink has fallen completely away. My iphone hotspot worked well while on the cruise up north, and I will depend on that during the next cruise.

O C Diver said:

This is quite interesting. On one of the hack pages I looked at for disabling the tilt motor, they have a hack for replacing the router with a 12 VDC version. Don't know if they activated the account before switching routers or not, but the Dishy worked well with a generic router.

All of this is above my pay grade and I'm hoping it continues to work when I get underway next week.

Ted

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Starlink router can be bypassed entirely and an ethernet adapter to your router. The DC hack is a mini converter, heard it is being made in my back yard (near me). The process of transferring dishy to new owner requires serial number ID of the dish. From that I surmise that Doug needed to keep the new dish and return the old.
There is a transfer built in to transfer ownership. So there must be a way for them to re activate the installed dish. Except I wonder if the new dish is now in a pile somewhere, written off. With all the people drilling holes and cutting out the motors perhaps Starlink is treating this as a void warranty.

For the tens of thousands of Starlink customers that haven't had any issues, and have reported good to excellent service in most every nook and cranny of North Americal except the farther northern regions.... thinking cell service is remotely comparable is a mistake.

If one has had good connectivity with cell service and only plan on retracing steps...that's a different story then. But for new places....I would never bet on cell service.

chanprr said:

Well, thanks Doug for your post on woes with Starlink. My plan for Starlink has fallen completely away. My iphone hotspot worked well while on the cruise up north, and I will depend on that during the next cruise.

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If cell works you'd be crazy imho to consider Starlink
$30/MTH on cell has gone to $174/MTH for SL

Whilst cell did most of the inhabited areas of our coastline it's the uninhabited areas we'd rather be.
The price we pay to have our own private islands and anchorages.

Simi 60: Definitely agree.
psneeld: If I were streaming video or having to get large files, I would definitely think an iPhone hotspot in remote locations is inadequate. However, when I'm cruising, I want to be remote. So my iPhone is good enough whenever there is connectivity. I have inReach for emergency. Thanks for your comment anyhow.

We could and did easily download movies, series run a business for several years via a $40 mobile phone.

But, useless if going remote and, if wanting to stay remote for months at a time like we are doing now, weather, banking, Skype credit and email are essential for us if wanting to remain out.
Additional entertainment is but a bonus.

Don't want to burn $500 in diesel to make an email or phone call.

This is the story of how some guys chose and implemented Starlink Roam (used to be called RV), successfully, rather than Maritime.

The plot thickens!

Sababa said:

The plot thickens!

View attachment 138028

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Got the Oz version of same
$399 here

50GB is fine for communication and internet surfing. It is about one week of TV streaming.

tiltrider1 said:

50GB is fine for communication and internet surfing. It is about one week of TV streaming.

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But the $400 is an issue on principle for me if it is going to be cut at the coast
To say, I ain't paying $400 a month to have interwebs 50nm offshore

Happy to run with what we have if it keeps working as is.

greatpapabear said:

This is the story of how some guys chose and implemented Starlink Roam (used to be called RV), successfully, rather than Maritime.

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Wasn't everyone?

Sounds like the party is winding down on cheap internet for cruisers.....Loopers and PNW folks will be fine. Unclear about coastal cruising....

I see the maritime service requires the hi-performance $2500 dish. Might be a thin hope, but perhaps nothing changes for the users of original dish and Roam service. Wonder how the original dish with Roam will fare....

My primary use-case was for Weather so installed IridiumGO which while not even close to comparable speeds and functionality, provides excellent weather access for $150/mo when needed and is easy to turn on/off (I found pausing Starlink had a 4-week lag time so ended up paying for close to an extra month).

As with all things Musk, plot gets murkier with time.

Peter

I am just going to keep using my RV system as long as it works and not worry about something I can do nothing about.

Don L said:

I am just going to keep using my RV system as long as it works and not worry about something I can do nothing about.

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I'm underway now for the next 7 months and should be able to give a good account on coverage and displacement speed travel.

Ted

Reading the news last night Elon Musk stated he has met all his criteria to take Star Link public. Guessing the IPO will be a price carnival. Do want to get on board but will wait until after the initial hoopla.......but will not be a customer. Home internet and cellphone hot spot have worked well. Equipment investment and monthly fee don't make sense for me.

I have had my Starlink roam set up and running at home for the past month. Now it is moving on board. Looking forward to going to dead zones for cell service in the gulf islands.
Not concerned about in motion service, if it works great, if not I am busy driving and enjoying the scenery.
$412 CAN$ invested in hardware, pay by the month $190 with taxes during months of actual need. No cost in off season. Priceless.