What happens when you set up Starlink at home

Starlink's UK specifications page lists its V4 dish (Starlink calls it Standard) in two kits: "V4 + Router 3" (Standard 4 X) and "V4 + Router Mini" (Standard 4). Its plan descriptions say Residential 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps customers may get different kits and installation options from Residential Max customers, so check your order. Starlink's quick tell: a wide, horizontal router is Router 3.

Both include the dish with its kickstand. PoE means Power over Ethernet: Starlink describes the 15 m cable as a Power over Ethernet cable, carrying power and data, so the dish needs no plug of its own.

Starlink's UK help centre also has a set-up guide for a newer Starlink V5 kit, which its UK specifications page didn't list when we checked. That guide says the V5 comes with a Router Mini, the same Dual PoE power supply as the Standard 4, a 15 m Starlink cable and its own pipe adapter for poles 31-50 mm across. If your box says V5, follow its own guide: the dish details, mounts and cable advice below are written for the Standard 4 and Standard 4 X.

The dish is 594 x 383 mm and weighs 3.2 kg on its kickstand. It's an electronic phased-array antenna (it steers its beam electronically) with a 110° field of view, rated IP67 against dust and water, working from -30°C to 50°C and in winds of 96 km/h or more, and melting snow at up to 40 mm an hour. It has no motors: Starlink calls set-up "software assisted manual orienting", meaning the app tells you which way to turn it by hand.

Starlink's set-up guides say the dish needs a clear view of the sky because the satellites move overhead, and that objects such as a tree branch, pole or roof "will cause service interruptions"; their diagram shows the clear view starting about 20° above the horizon. Starlink's business installation guidance goes further: the dish "must be 100% unobstructed for best performance", and even a small obstruction can cause intermittent outages, dropped sessions and lower average speeds. Our guide to satellite broadband in the UK covers placement basics and planning permission. Here's how Starlink's check works:

1. Get the app early. If your property is heavily obstructed, Starlink recommends checking before you order.
2. Open the tool. Starlink calls it Check for Obstructions: on the app's home page, tap FIND AN INSTALL LOCATION and select your hardware, so the scan uses the right field of view.
3. Scan from the dish's position. Hold the phone as close as possible to the dish's height and perspective. For example, for a bracket high on a gable wall, scan from an upstairs window near that spot, not the lawn.
4. Compare spots. Repeat at each possible location; the tool shows what's in view and the expected experience for different activities.

The same business guidance says not to put the dish beside a wall or structure that blocks the sky or under a covered outdoor area, and to consider a raised position to clear nearby obstructions. The home set-up guides make the same point more simply: if you can't find a clear view at ground level, consider a roof, pole or wall.

Starlink says the kickstand can be used for quick set-up or a permanent installation, though it recommends installing permanently "for best performance, cable protection and long-term reliability". Start on the kickstand anyway. Starlink's GB terms let you return the kit, and accessories bought on starlink.com, within 30 days of the first payment date, for any reason including a view of the sky that stops you getting service, but only if the kit is undamaged, untampered and unmodified.

Once online, the dish builds an obstruction map in the app (menu: OBSTRUCTIONS) from its real satellite connections, which Starlink says takes up to 12 hours. If the view is highly obstructed, move the dish, unplugging and rebooting when you do. For example, a household could run the dish in the clearest part of the garden for a few days, then test evening video calls and our broadband speed test before buying a mount.

Mounts are sold separately in the Starlink Shop. Starlink's accessory guide lists each Standard mount below as fitting both the Standard 4 and the Standard 4 X (and Starlink Enterprise), and its help centre says they aren't compatible with other kits such as Starlink Mini. Starlink says many customers find a raised roof or pole mount works best, and that a wall mount is fine when the dish sits above the wall with a clear view. The Standard range in its accessory guide (October 2026):

The Wall, Pivot, Ridgeline and Pipe Adapter mounts each come with 20 cable routing clips. There are also wall mounts for the Router 3 and its power supply.

Roofs, tiles and working at height

None of Starlink's roof-mount guides we read covers tiles or slate, so if your roof has either, ask an installer or roofer first. Starlink's terms say that by choosing a permanent roof mount you accept its risks, including to any roof warranty if the membrane is pierced, and: "If you cannot safely install the Starlink Kit, do not install it and seek professional assistance."

Both kits come with a 15 m Starlink cable. If that won't reach, Starlink sells a 45 m cable to replace it "when additional length is needed between your install location and the router". Don't join cables: Starlink says it doesn't recommend modifying the cable or combining it with another, that its seal and locking plug are power-rated for the kit, that third-party cables may cause water damage and that this may void the warranty. Its UK specifications document says the dish must connect directly, "without any additional jumper cables, receptacles, or any other devices" extending the link.

Measure the whole route before settling on a spot: along the wall or fascia, through the wall and across the room to the router (Standard 4 X) or power supply (Standard 4). The Wall, Pivot, Ridgeline and Pipe Adapter mounts each include 20 cable routing clips, and Starlink's help centre mentions cable and masonry routing kits for walls, though neither is in the current Standard accessory guide, so check the Shop. No Starlink guide we read gives a hole size: measure the plug before drilling.

Starlink's guides say to drill cable holes at a slight downward angle from inside to outside and seal thoroughly, or water and insects can get in. Keep the cable free of kinks, debris and door jambs; Starlink says it isn't rated to be buried or put under water, so don't bury it to reach a pole across the garden, and bear in mind that Starlink's listed installers don't fit pole mounts. To unplug it, pull firmly: there's no release tab.

You need a mains socket near the equipment. On the Standard 4 X, the dish cable goes into router port 1 (Starlink symbol) and the power supply plugs into the router, so the router sits where the 15 m cable ends. On the Standard 4, the dish cable goes to the power supply and the 2 m cable runs on to the Router Mini; Starlink warns that swapping those two cables can leave the kit offline.

Keep the router and power supply indoors. Router 3 is "configured for indoor use", the Router Mini is indoor only and not waterproof, and Starlink's weather guidance rates both router and power supply for indoor use at 0°C to 30°C, worth noting before you choose an unheated loft or outbuilding.

For Wi-Fi, Starlink advises a central, raised, open spot, upright, away from microwaves, fridges and thick metal, concrete or brick, and notes that dense older walls such as plaster limit range. The cable entry point often isn't central. You can bring the router further in with the 45 m cable, or use its spare Ethernet ports (two on Router 3; one free on the Router Mini) for Starlink mesh or your own router: see Starlink with your own router, mesh or Ethernet.

Starlink's help centre puts the whole Standard 4 or Standard 4 X kit (dish, router, power supply and cables) at an average 75-100 W, measured at the mains socket; our guide to how much power Starlink uses covers running costs and backup power for power cuts. Starlink suggests unplugging at the wall and disconnecting the Starlink cable during lightning storms or long absences.

1. Plug in properly. The dish plug goes in with its locking feature facing up, pushed until flush.
2. Power on and wait. Starlink says it can take up to 30 minutes to get online; if you're on the Starlink Wi-Fi and still offline after that, reboot.
3. Align. Follow the app's install steps. A "Starlink Misaligned" alert means the dish is at least 5° out: tap it and turn the dish to match the screen. Within 5°, there's no alert.
4. Secure the Wi-Fi. Join the STARLINK network. Starlink says it has no password until you set one, so rename it and add one in the app (Settings, Router).
5. Read the light. Flashing white is connecting; solid white is connected and switches off after an hour; red means no internet, and it turns red if it can't connect within 20 minutes.
6. Expect an update. New software may download automatically overnight.

You don't need another internet connection: Starlink says you can connect before activating, and activate from there.

• Offline or a red light. Check the app for alerts, check every cable is firmly in and undamaged, then power-cycle the router; a paper-clip factory reset is the last resort. On the Standard 4, solid white on the power supply is healthy, solid orange means a hardware issue and solid red means it's too hot: unplug, wait 30 seconds, reconnect.
• "Obstructed" alerts or drop-outs. Move the dish, remove the obstruction (cut back a branch, for example) or raise it on a mount or pole. Starlink's common new obstructions include spring leaf growth, debris on the dish and blizzard snow.
• Weak Wi-Fi in some rooms. Move the router or add mesh; the app's Advanced Speed Test shows whether the Wi-Fi or the service is slow.
• Snow. Leave Snow Melt on Automatic, Starlink's recommended mode (Settings, Starlink, Snow Melt in the app), which heats the dish only when it detects snowy conditions; our power guide covers the other modes. Heavy snow covering it can interrupt service, so mount it where it won't get buried. Clear snow gently, never with picks, chisels or scrapers, and don't fit covers: Starlink says they degrade performance, including snow melting.

Starlink's help centre says trained third-party installers are available in select markets for Residential plans only, and for the UK lists one: SAT-Works (Satworks), booked by email at installs@sat-works.com (checked October 2026). ISPreview reported on 27 July 2026 that Satworks, based in Bolton and Blackburn, would become Starlink's "sole installation partner throughout the United Kingdom" from 16 August 2026, after trials with four other installers.

Starlink says a standard installation usually includes a site assessment on the day, the dish on a standard home mount, the cable routed to the nearest entry point, the router connected there, activation, a test and an app walkthrough. It typically takes around 90 minutes (Satworks says one to two hours), and someone 18 or over must be present. Starlink says its installers can't do pole mounts at all, and extended travel, certain home types, longer cables, trenching or specialised routing may cost extra. With the router at the entry point, you may still need mesh for the far end of the house.

To book, Satworks says order at starlink.com and choose installation at checkout if offered, or contact Satworks directly. A paid installation is a contract with the installer: Starlink says it isn't responsible for its pricing, terms, work or any damage, and only refunds installations bought through its website. Satworks says if no position gives service, it issues a partial refund and charges for the survey, per your booking terms.

ISPreview's view is that most homes don't strictly need a professional, but one helps for a safe roof mount. An installer earns its keep if the app finds no clear view from the ground, the spot needs a ladder, you'd rather not drill an outside wall, or you live in a flat; Satworks says a shared roof may be possible with a sky view, permission, safe access and an agreed cable route. Starlink says billing starts when you first power on and connect, or 7 days after delivery, whichever comes first, whatever the appointment date.

Starlink's help centre says its 30-day trial covers the hardware, not a free month. Its help centre and its GB terms give different start dates for those 30 days: the help centre bills the first month on activation or 7 days after delivery, while the terms use the earlier of activation or 30 days after shipping. So assume your 30 days start when you first power on, or 7 days after delivery if sooner. Test before committing, keep the packaging, and book any installer early.

Our guide on how to cancel Starlink covers the return conditions, what a return refunds for bought and rented kit, and how to send the kit back; if you're leaving a fixed line, switching to 4G or satellite broadband explains the timing. Satworks says your existing broadband can stay connected while it works.

• Run the obstruction check before ordering if you're surrounded by trees or buildings, then at the exact spot and height chosen.
• Check which router your kit has, so you know where the dish cable ends.
• Measure the cable route; over 15 m means the 45 m cable, never a joined one.
• Run on the kickstand until the obstruction map fills in before buying a mount.
• Tiled or slate roof, or a ladder job? Get professional advice.
• Check landlord, lease, planning and listed-building permissions.
• Set a Wi-Fi name and password on day one, note your first power-on date and keep the box.

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