Opinions on Starlink

[trish645]

Have tried and failed at various campsites, several of which considered high end, all bells and whistles, to get a decent Wi-Fi signal either from campsite Wi-Fi or tethering from mobile devices. Going away every month, many days of which spent working from van, and needing more Wi-Fi stability. I’m now hearing from more folk that Starlink may be the way to go, and it’s looking extremely expensive for price of equipment their monthly charge however, is Stalink the way to go if I need decent and consistent access to Internet for both computer and TV.? TIA

 

[Mr Plodd]

If the cost is worth it to you then go for it. It's your money no-one elses!
It must be pretty good as its in use pretty much all over the globe

 

[otherclive]

If you do a search using Starlink there’s a recent post about one members usage, and it’s a positive review too.

 

[Alan C]

I am using starlink in france at the moment, have roam unlimited that allows me to use it anywhere in Europe and also pause it when not needed, so only pay when required

 

[ProfJohnL]

Most caravan sites that provide WiFi do so under the proviso that guests do not use it for business working as excessive usage will use up the bandwidth for everyone. So if you need it for work you should provide your own connection. The advent of Elon Musks Starlink system now means you can have a reliable fast internet connection almost everywhere in the UK where you have access to the sky.

If internet is so. Important to you, then you should consider Starlink as many sites can't offer reliable WiFi, and mobile phones signals are often sketchy in many of the beautiful remote caravan sites.

 

[Danddandy]

I am using starlink in france at the moment, have roam unlimited that allows me to use it anywhere in Europe and also pause it when not needed, so only pay when required

My son used Starlink for 12 months. . He couldn't fault it, although it was interesting how he got it secured to the roof of his caravan. . He used rubber suction gab handles. He doesn't use it now as funds are in short supply. .

 

[Islander31]

We have used Starlink for around 18 months now - mainly got it as we found we always ended up staying at sites with poor mobile signal. It really isnt the cheapest however is a fantastic service. The kit is indeed very expensive compared to hotspotting from a mobile but if you look at dedicated 4G installs then it becomes a bit better value. We bought when they were selling reconditioned units with warranty for £150 - new units at the time were £350. However we have never been on a site where we cant get good speeds - typically we are hitting above 100MMb connection whether thats Cornwall or the Highlands. I have also found that wee dont tend to spend any per year than we did when we had a Sky data sim at £10 per month in a MiFi hotspot but if you are using it every month then there is a fair bit of cost.

Monthly using roam which means you can pause your service when not in use is currently £96 per month. Its also pro-rata when you unpause so if you resume the service part way through the month then you only pay for the period remaining until your next billing date. They also do a 50gb package for £50 per month which again will prorata when you resume the service. If you go over the 50gb allowance then you pay £1 per gb which is better for shorter trips away. Setting things like netflix on low data mode can help you keep closer to the 50gb allowance.

Setting up is quite quick. I have a mount on the roof of the van and pop up through the skylight to install. Cable runs down the side of the van and into the battery box to the router. When we go away in the summer though I run the cable under the van and into the awning and put the router on the table as its easier and less clutter in the van.

Only downside to the system is the need for a clear view of the sky. Any obstructions can affect the speeds you get. I must say that we have never had an issue with obstructions and just look for a pitch away from the trees. My dish is actuated and turns itself to face the satellites but the newer ones are flat mounted and dont move. Mine usually points south in the UK so if you have a clear view south you should be fine

 

[Beachball]

Where we are thinking of going seasonal wifi is included but I only need it for my laptop so it your choice if you want Starlink

 

[Sam Vimes]

Starlink is not cheap in my opinion but pays your money etc....

Have you considered a mifi unit into which you can insert a SIM card from any vendor then get a selection of PAYG Sims and choose the one that's best in the area you're currently at.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Starlink is not cheap in my opinion but pays your money etc....

Have you considered a mifi unit into which you can insert a SIM card from any vendor then get a selection of PAYG Sims and choose the one that's best in the area you're currently at.

From what I understand the OP has found the WiFi offerings of some of the sites they go to, to be inadequate or none existent, and similarly with 4 and 5G telephone connections also being unreliable.

I am not aware of any other solution but Starlink. Only they can decide if the cost is worth the access they'll get.

 

[Sam Vimes]

From what I understand the OP has found the WiFi offerings of some of the sites they go to, to be inadequate or none existent, and similarly with 4 and 5G telephone connections also being unreliable.

I am not aware of any other solution but Starlink. Only they can decide if the cost is worth the access they'll get.

Yes, I was aware of that but I'm not sure whether the OP is finding 4g/5g with only their service provider. Different MNOs offer different coverage in some areas so it may be worth trying a different service.

 

[GUMPY]

4g can work very well if you know how to set it up, there can be slightly more to it than just plugging it in.
Admittedly I'm using a slightly modified Huawei router but presently getting 184Mbps download and 23Mbps upload and that's with just the paddle antennas on the side.
Most of the time I don't need the external antenna.
80gb access a month costs me £44.99 total until January 2027 or about £2.36 a month.

With the money saved from not having Starlink I can take C out somewhere nice.

 

[RogerL]

4g can work very well if you know how to set it up, there can be slightly more to it than just plugging it in.
Admittedly I'm using a slightly modified Huawei router but presently getting 184Mbps download and 23Mbps upload and that's with just the paddle antennas on the side.
Most of the time I don't need the external antenna.
80gb access a month costs me £44.99 total until January 2027 or about £2.36 a month.

With the money saved from not having Starlink I can take C out somewhere nice.

What's the model of Huawei router and what's the modification

 

[GUMPY]

What's the model of Huawei router and what's the modification

Huawei B818-263 not a Vodafone branded one they are locked to Vodafone.
The mod is to disconnect the internal antenna and bring the connection outside using These
You then have to always use external antenna (but leave it set to internal)
This can be done to other Huawei routers but not all.
As well as that I use Huactrl to select which bands I want the router to use, as the one it usually connects to in rural areas, B20, is not always the fastest.
Huactrl should work with other unbranded Huawei routers, the branded ones tend to have it blocked.

DM if you want more detailed info.