Starlink on the vessel. Experience of operating the global Internet on the vessel

Greetings! In this article, I invite you to familiarize yourself with my experience of using the Internet from Starlink in ship conditions. Before buying a Starlink for the purpose of operating it on a ship, read this article to understand what the pitfalls of this miracle technology are.

This article is aimed at beginner users; here you will not find information about setting up traffic control routers.

Below is a list of issues that will be discussed in the article. They are divided into separate topics for convenience.

1. How to purchase Starlink?
2. How to install an antenna and router on the vessel?
3. How to distribute the Internet and control traffic among the crew?
4. What are the pitfalls when using Starlink on the vessel?
5. Briefly about Starlink. What is Starlink?

How to purchase Starlink?

• How much does it cost?
• How to order Starlink?
• What additional items would you like to buy for working on a ship?
• Transportation to the ship (what you need to know).

The first thing I would like to start with is the issues of purchase and transportation to the ship. It must be said right away that to transport the antenna and router to the ship, you need to buy another suitcase. You can order an original suitcase-backpack from Starlink, which costs about $300-350. Or choose a suitcase according to the size of the antenna and router.

Starlink Travel Case

The original suitcase, of course, is the best solution in terms of safe transportation, because... the protection inside follows the shape of the antenna and router. The only disadvantage of such a suitcase is that nothing else will fit in it. For example, if you want to carry additional routers, switches, cable, etc., it will not fit there.

In my case, the original suitcase was not available, and time was running out, so I bought a regular American Tourist suitcase, which turned out to be the ideal solution.

Photo of American Tourist suitcase

Initially, the Starlink kit (antenna, router, 15m cable and stand) came in a box with a special protective gasket, which consists of two parts and protects the entire kit during transportation. The photo above shows how everything looks in the suitcase. By the way, in this case, you can organize a lot of additional space in your suitcase due to the zipper, which increases its volume (if necessary). Such a suitcase can be bought for $100-150.

Starlink unboxing video

Process of ordering, payment and waiting

I ordered Starlink while in Warsaw and this means that Starlink automatically became attached to Poland. Service, maintenance, pricing and payment were configured for Poland. The cost was 2830 zlotys (at the exchange rate as of 09.2023 this is $653, exchange rate 4.33 zlotys). By the way, the price includes transportation to your home.

At the time of writing, on 04/2024 the price in zlotys has not changed, but the rate has become 3.9 zlotys (and lower). Thus, the price of Starlink in Poland is currently about $730.

It should be noted that the price and subscription fee greatly depend on the country of registration. For example, in my case I always have to monitor the exchange rate of the zloty against the dollar, because... I pay in dollars.

How to order Starlink?

To order Starlink, you can go to starlink.com or download the official Starlink application on your phone and place your order through it.

Starlink Standard

In the online store, you need to select the desired kit, fill out a form (last name, first name, delivery address, card details) and confirm the application by paying the full price. The wait for delivery can be from one to two weeks.

When you select a delivery address (country, city, street and home), you will see the cost of the entire order. You won’t be able to see the exact cost simply on the website without specifying the address.

In general, there is nothing to pay special attention to here, because... the ordering and payment process is very simple.

What additional items would you like to buy for working on a ship?

In my case, there was no time for additional purchases. The only thing I bought extra was a carrying case. But during the operation of the antenna on the ship, I realized what was missing. What is missing is at least one additional Mesh Wi-Fi router and traffic control system. This will be written below.

Tp-Link Archer AX1800 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 Router

Tp-Link AX1800 Wi-Fi Range Extender

The routers above are presented as an example. There are other good options on the market.

Long cable 45 meters

Starlink ETHERNET ADAPTER

In addition, you may also need a long cable and an adapter to switch the LAN cable. This adapter is needed for cable connection of other routers to the network.

Adapter for switching LAN cable

It is very important to choose this in advance in the Starlink online store and order everything together, because... the waiting time can take up to two weeks.

* You don’t have to buy all this, it’s enough to buy a standard kit, but you won’t have the opportunity to expand the installation location of the antenna and router on the ship, as well as fully control the traffic.

Transportation to the ship (what you need to know)

My flight was from Warsaw to South Africa (Durban) via Dubai. Starlink arrived safely, and it was not even unpacked. But questions may arise, especially in Arab countries, China or India. Therefore, before taking Starlink with you, read the airport rules, and also find out from people who have already had such experience.

* The information here is being updated (a list of problem countries will be formed).

How to install an antenna and router on a vessel?

Installation process (where and how to install the antenna and router on the vessel)

The initial installation is to place the antenna as high on the boat as possible and minimize obstructions to all-round visibility. Starlink's app has a camera option that helps identify obstacles to the antenna. But this is more of a home-use option, which is not particularly suitable on a ship.

It is advisable to place the antenna at the highest point, for example, Monkey Deck, or on the bridge deck or wings. Ideally, of course, place the antenna on a mast. In this case, it is better to maintain a distance of at least two meters from the nearest antennas.

Antenna installation photos

First, you can place the antenna on the deck using a standard stand, which is best tied as firmly as possible to the rails. Throw the cable through the porthole into the cabin and connect the router.

Starlink on the Monkey Deck

This way, you can already use the Internet while the process of making the antenna mount is underway. Here you need to take into account one important point: the kit comes standard with 15 meters of cable, and this length determines where the router will reach into the superstructure.

Router installation

Therefore, to be on the safe side, you may need to take a longer cable with you (it is advisable to order it immediately with the kit). If you install the antenna on a mast, then 15 meters of cable will only be enough to install the router on the bridge.

Antenna mount manufacturing process

An additional antenna mount can be ordered on the official website, there is plenty of choice there, but it will be stressful to carry with you. Therefore, if you have the opportunity on your vessel, you should contact a fitter for help in making fastenings. In addition, the mount from an online store may not fit exactly where you are going to install the antenna.

Antenna mount manufacturing process

The photos above show how the mount was made. Maybe it will suit you too. The pipe was not welded to the rail, but was tightened by “bandits” with thick rubber for reasons of dampening vibration as much as possible. It may seem that the fastening is not reliable, but in fact it is made “tight”.

Additional mounts for vibration damping

Vibration on a ship is Starlink’s biggest enemy, of course, after the aggressive marine environment. And this is worth paying special attention to. If there is a lot of vibration at the location where the antenna is installed, for example, when the ship is in ballast and running at maximum speed of the main engine, then you should abandon this location.

By the way, one of the subscribers gave advice to ground the antenna. Because in his experience, the antenna burned out during a thunderstorm.

In addition to the fact that because of this, the signal will be lost for a short time, under such conditions the antenna will not last long, namely, the motors that rotate the antenna may fail over time.

Starlink Motors Stuck

By the way, lately I have been observing a trend that users’ motors are breaking down. The failure is accompanied by the message “Motors stuck” and the antenna stops rotating. In this case, you can point (fix) the antenna horizontally upward and it will still work, but problems with the signal may arise.

New Starlink antenna model

* New models of Starlink antennas already come without motors. How good they are for use on a ship is still unknown.

How to distribute the Internet and control traffic among the crew?

• Dividing the network into 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.
• Password, access and device control.
• Where does the traffic go?
• How to control traffic?
• How to save traffic?
• Unlimited Internet.
• Payment process.

So, let's move on to the process of setting up Starlink and consider what options and system settings are available.

Antenna setup

• Sleep mode – you can set the time when the antenna goes into sleep mode and saves energy. It is practically irrelevant for a ship, because The Internet must work 24/7 if it is intended for the entire crew. I used this mode only to find out why there was more traffic at night than during the day.
• Snow melting mode – it is advisable to use automatic temperature mode for the antenna. The temperature in the ocean can change very quickly and at low temperatures the antenna should turn on automatic heating.
• Stow antenna – this option is required to place the stow antenna in position for transport.

Starlink antenna settings

Setting up a router and Wi-Fi

In the router and Wi-Fi settings, the user has the following options:

• Changing the network login and password;
• Network division into 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz;
• Hiding the network;
• Content filtering;
• DNS installation;
• Device control;
• Network quality and statistics;
• Reset.

Setting up a router and Wi-Fi

Network quality and statistics

As can be seen from the screenshots above, detailed statistics of network operation in real time are available to the user.

Where does the traffic go?

About the loss of traffic will be written a little lower, but one point should be taken into account that the system is periodically updated and these updates are taken into account in the total traffic, but the user does not pay for them. At the end of the billing cycle, these gigabytes are not counted. I noticed that system updates take about 5GB per month.

How to control traffic?

This article will not provide instructions on how to control traffic using additional equipment, such as a Mikrotik router, because I haven't encountered this myself yet. In the future, if I have such experience, I will write a separate article.

MikroTik hAP ac2

Mikrotik hEX RB750Gr3 5-port Ethernet Gigabit Router

Above are routers that allow you to fully configure the ship’s network and control traffic among the crew. The setup procedure is quite complicated for the average user, so you can even find paid services for setting up this system on the Internet.

How to save traffic?

Below I offer small instructions on how to save Internet traffic on different devices.

Saving iPhone traffic

1. When connecting to the network, select “Data Saving” (check the box).
2. Settings - General - Software update - Auto update - Uncheck.
3. Settings - General - Content Update - Off.
4. Settings - Privacy and Security - Location Services - Off.
5. Settings - Notifications - Turn off unnecessary applications.
6. Settings - Battery - Energy saving mode.
7. Settings - Control Center - Add “Energy Saving” to the Control Center screen.
8. Turn off Wi-Fi when your phone is not in use.
9. An iPhone can also distribute Wi-Fi to devices: Apple Watch, Macbook, HomePod, etc. And in the future, these devices themselves can connect to Wi-Fi; this traffic will not be taken into account.

Traffic accounting - Traffic Monitor and Data Manager application. There are paid applications that take traffic into account better.

Traffic Monitor and Data Manager

Traffic Monitor (Data Manager) - may not take into account iPhone system traffic. Applications may not take into account operating system updates that can be several GB in size. Therefore, it is important to disable background updates and processes on your iPhone. If you need to update the operating system, then consider (add) this to the total expense. Traffic Monitor can reset statistics after rebooting (updating) the phone. Traffic from Facetime, the App Store, and other Apple system apps may also not be counted. That's because iOS is a closed-source operating system.

Android traffic saving

1. Install the Firewall application without root and turn off all unused applications. On Samsung, the Samsung Max (Opera Max) application.
2. Turn off Wi-Fi when your phone is not in use.

Traffic accounting - Internet Speed Meter Lite application.

Internet Speed Meter Lite

Traffic saving - instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsUpp, Viber, etc.)

In each messenger, you must disable automatic downloading of media files. And also enable data saving mode.

• Telegram: Settings - Data and memory - Autoload media (via Wi-Fi - turn off). Reduce call traffic - tick.
• WhatsUpp: Settings - Data and storage - Autoload media - Turn everything off. Network - Data saving - tick.
• Viber: Settings - Multimedia - Autoload content - uncheck. Limit traffic - check the box.
• Other messengers follow the same principle.

Windows traffic saving

• After connecting to Wi-Fi, select “Data Saving” in its settings.
• Use a firewall to control application traffic.

Macbook traffic saving

To limit application traffic and track traffic, use the TripMode program.

TripMode program

Unlimited Internet

It is very important to understand that initially Starlink is purchased with a Standard tariff, which is tied to your location, namely the country. This is the cheapest tariff, but it assumes that you will be within this zone.

Below I suggest you familiarize yourself with the tariffs for Poland. In other countries there may be different tariffs and, accordingly, different costs. Somewhere it’s cheaper, somewhere it’s more expensive, depending on the country of registration of Starlink.

Starlink tariffs

The cost of the Standard tariff is 335 zlotys (at the rate of 1 dollar = 3.9 zlotys as of 04.24 this is $86). For this money you get unlimited Internet for a month (at a speed of up to 250 Mbit/s) in your location.

If you want to change the country within Europe (continent), then you need to increase the tariff to regional.

The cost of the Regional tariff is 430 zlotys (at the rate of 1 dollar = 3.9 zlotys as of 04.24 this is $110). For this money you get unlimited Internet for a month (at a speed of up to 250 Mbit/s) in Europe and the ability to enable the "Opt-in" mode, which allows you to use the Internet on the move (in the ocean) for an additional fee of 11.07 zlotys (2.8 $) per gigabyte.

If you want to change a country outside of Europe (continent), then you need to increase the tariff to Global. For example, you want to use the Internet in Brazil, the USA, Africa, Singapore, etc., then you need to switch to the Global tariff.

The cost of the Global tariff is 1090 zlotys (at the rate of 1 dollar = 3.9 zlotys as of 04.24 this is $280). For this money you get unlimited Internet for a month (at a speed of up to 250 Mbit/s) all over the world and the ability to enable the "Opt-in" mode, which allows you to use the Internet on the move (in the ocean) for an additional fee of 11.07 zlotys (2.8$) per gigabyte.

From the above we can conclude that if Starlink’s country of registration is, for example, the USA, then to use the Internet in Europe you will need to switch from a regional tariff to a Global one.

There are also other tariffs, but they are more suitable not for private use, but for enterprises.

* It is important to know that a tariff increase can be made at any time (with additional payment). But the tariff reduction must be done in advance. For example, my monthly Internet works from the 7th to the 6th. In order to lower the tariff from the 7th, it is advisable to do this in the first half of the previous month, otherwise a situation may arise that the tariff will be reduced only in a month. I lowered my tariff on February 2 (from global to regional) and it didn’t change on February 7th, I had to stay on global for another month, but it was lowered only on March 7th. In this case, I overpaid the money, because... the ship was in the ocean for a month on a global tariff with the "Opt-in" option, although it was possible to use a regional tariff with the "Opt-in" option.

Payment Process

The payment process occurs automatically or manually. It occurs within 7 days after the statement is generated (until the 14th). The dates are indicated in my case, it depends on the date of purchase (registration) of Starlink.

Tariffication

Below I offer approximate instructions on Internet tariffs for the crew. Here you need to understand that the price is a little high in order to cover the costs of lost traffic.

Monthly subscription fee (mandatory) - divided by the number of people (may vary depending on the $ exchange rate and the number of people).

* At the moment, the subscription fee (on the ocean, + $4 for 1GB) is $20 per person per month (8 people in total). The monthly fee (in port, unlimited, global) is $40 per person per month (8 people in total).

1. Tariffing “at sea” is $4 per 1GB.
2. Tariffing “in the port” is unlimited (you will be notified about the transition to unlimited). After being notified of unlimited traffic, you need to take a screenshot of your traffic tracking application and reset the counter. There will be a notification about the transition to the “at sea” mode. After notification of the transition to the “at sea” mode, it is necessary to reset the counter of the application for recording unlimited traffic and continue to count traffic “at sea”.
3. If you connect to another Wi-Fi, then you need to repeat the same procedure as switching from “at sea” mode to “in port” mode.

What are the pitfalls when using Starlink on the vessel?

• Protection IP 54.
• How much does it cost to use Starlink on the vessel?
• Why is traffic lost?
• Human factor.
• Internet speed and availability worldwide.

Protection IP 54

The standard Starlink antenna (domestic, cheapest version) has a protection rating of IP54, which is not sufficient in ship conditions. Of course, it is not in danger of being submerged under water, but still IP 66 would be much better.

Protection degree IP54: 5 – the equipment has partial protection against the ingress of dust and solids with dimensions of at least 1.0 mm; 4 – the equipment is protected against splashes of water falling from any angle.

How much does it cost to use Starlink on the vessel?

Using Starlink on the vessel is not a cheap pleasure. For example, a monthly passage of a ship can cost $1,000 for 9 people, taking into account the fact that about 10 GB are used per day.

Monthly passage of the vessel

Thus, per person it turns out to be a little more than $100 per month. Of course, unlimited is activated in the port and at anchor, for which you also have to pay extra if switch to the Global tariff.

1.3 terabytes of unlimited internet at anchorage in Brazil

On the other hand, unlimited “pays off” the costs. There is no need to buy Internet at the port, and unlimited starts working already near the port or when the ship is at anchor. The screenshot above confirms this.

Why is traffic lost?

The main problem of traffic leakage is the insufficiently correct operation of traffic accounting applications. Examples were written above when these applications do not take into account traffic. In addition, high Internet speed is also a problem, because... the higher speed, the faster the system traffic goes.

Human factor

The human factor manifests itself in the fact that from time to time people forget to disconnect their additional gadgets (watches, speakers, headphones, laptops) from the network and traffic is drained, which is not taken into account. This happens especially often after switching from an unlimited tariff to a limited one.

Internet speed and availability worldwide

The Internet speed is, of course, very good, and sometimes reaches 220-250 Mbit/s, but this depends on the areas the ship is sailing. Thus, in some places it can be 30-50 Mbit/s, there is no guaranteed stable speed. But it's still better than Inmarsat or VSAT.

From my operating experience, I can note that for 5 months I did not experience any serious problems with Internet access, it always was. There were minor interruptions, the speed dropped, but it always was, which is very important. It was possible to speak with the family via video call every day without exception.

Below I propose to familiarize yourself with the areas where the ship was located during these 5 months and the corresponding screenshots of speed tests.

South Africa (Durban - Richards Bay - Cape Town) - Atlantic Ocean (South) - Brazil (Paranagua) - Atlantic Ocean (South) - South Africa - Indian Ocean (South) - Singapore - Malaysia - Singapore - Myanmar (Burma) - Indian Ocean (with north to south) - Madagascar - South Africa - Atlantic Ocean (from south to north) - Las Palmas - English Channel - Belgium.

Starlink speed tests. South Africa (Durban - Richards Bay - Cape Town) - Atlantic Ocean (South)

Brazil (Paranagua)

Speed tests South Africa (Durban - Richards Bay - Cape Town) - Atlantic Ocean (South) - Brazil (Paranagua)

The picture is almost the same everywhere, whether in the port or in the ocean. Moreover, the same can be observed in other areas of navigation: Indian Ocean (South) - Singapore - Malaysia - Myanmar (Burma) - Indian Ocean (from north to south) - Madagascar - Las Palmas - English Channel - Belgium.

By the way, I recommend going to the ETO ENGINEER YouTube channel and watching a video selection (Starlink playlist) with speed tests in these areas.

Of the above countries, there were minor problems with the Internet in one place - Myanmar (Burma), but the reason was military bases that jammed the GPS signal.

Myanmar (poor GPS signal)

Throughout the entire stay of the ship in Myanmar, a poor GPS signal could be observed and, because of this, short-term interruptions in the Internet. But there was still unlimited internet (on the Global tariff). By the way, the ship's VSAT Internet in Myanmar did not work, and a lot of equipment on the bridge went crazy, but Starlink worked, although with interruptions.

Video of Starlink working in Myanmar

I can assume that the same picture will be in India and China. But at the same time, the Internet may not work at all.

I've been to India and China many times, and there are often problems with the ship's Internet, especially VSAT jamming. Starlink is also jammed there and, by the way, it is better to remove it from the port if there is no special radio certificate. In general, it is better to remove it everywhere if there is no certificate.

Starlink in Las Palmas

I hope the information in this article was useful to you. The article will be updated whenever possible.

Starlink operation without interruption for the last 12 hours

If you find any mistakes, have questions or want to share your experience of using Starlink on a ship, then write in the comments to the article, I will be happy to take part in the discussion.

Starlink, the satellite internet service developed by SpaceX, offers significant advantages for vessels operating at sea. Providing high-speed, low-latency internet access, Starlink can enhance communications, navigation, and operational efficiency for maritime applications. Here's an overview of how Starlink is used on vessels, its benefits, installation, and considerations.

Overview of Starlink on Vessels

Starlink uses a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide global internet coverage. This makes it particularly suitable for maritime environments where traditional internet services are often unavailable or unreliable.

Benefits of Starlink for Vessels

1. High-Speed Internet:

• Enhanced Communication: Provides crew with reliable internet for email, video calls, and other communication needs.
• Real-Time Data: Enables real-time data transfer for navigation, weather updates, and operational monitoring.

2. Low Latency:

• Improved Performance: Lower latency compared to traditional satellite internet, improving the performance of time-sensitive applications.

3. Global Coverage:

• Remote Areas: Ensures connectivity even in remote areas where traditional communication methods are ineffective.

4. Operational Efficiency:

• Remote Monitoring: Facilitates remote monitoring and diagnostics of vessel systems.
• Telemedicine: Provides access to medical consultations and services for crew members at sea.

Installation and Setup

1. Equipment Required:

• Starlink Dish: A satellite dish (antenna) to receive and transmit signals.
• Router: A router to distribute the internet connection to various devices on the vessel.

2. Installation Process:

• Mounting the Dish: The Starlink dish needs to be securely mounted on the vessel, typically on a mast or other elevated structure with a clear view of the sky.
• Power Supply: Ensure a stable power supply to the dish and router.
• Configuration: Follow the setup instructions provided by Starlink to connect the dish to the router and configure the network settings.

3. Considerations for Maritime Use:

• Stability and Movement: The dish must be able to maintain a stable connection despite the movement of the vessel. This may require additional stabilization hardware or software.
• Weather Conditions: Ensure the dish is weatherproof and can withstand harsh maritime conditions.
• Regulatory Compliance: Verify that the use of Starlink complies with maritime communication regulations and standards.

Challenges and Considerations

1. Initial Costs:

• Equipment and Installation: The initial investment for Starlink hardware and installation can be significant.

2. Coverage Limitations:

• Polar Regions: Coverage may be limited in extreme polar regions.

3. Maintenance:

• Routine Checks: Regular maintenance and checks are required to ensure the system remains operational and effective.

4. Interference:

• Obstructions: The satellite dish requires an unobstructed view of the sky, which can be challenging in some maritime environments.

Starlink offers a transformative solution for internet connectivity on vessels, providing high-speed, low-latency internet access that enhances communication, operational efficiency, and crew welfare. While there are initial costs and installation challenges, the benefits of reliable and ubiquitous internet access at sea can significantly outweigh these considerations. By ensuring proper installation, maintenance, and compliance with regulations, vessels can leverage Starlink to improve their overall operations and connectivity.