Starlink standard versus Roam / RV

[Hobbit]

Will the standard starlink system work on a boat at anchor....close to the coast or do I need the RV system?

I'm in Canada and I can get the rural package 199.00 plus tax and shipping and then its 140.00/month cdn dollars.
My question is: will the plan still work when we move the boat around, up and down the B.C. coast, our boat only does 8 kts and we don't really need it while travelling but need it to work while at anchor.....Will the standard system work?

The roam or RV plan is 759.00 plus tax and 170.00/month....Cdn. dollars.

I also read a thread about much cheaper rates in Mexico...Sea of Cortez, and that boat was notified by starlink he had to change the plan because he was cruising therefore his price if I remember right was going to be around 350.00/ month up from 65.00/month in U.S. dollars.
_

 

[mliemon2]

I may be wrong, but I believe the standard Starlink option is geo-fixed to a specific address, and if you move more then a certain number of times in a year, it will stop working.

 

[tiltrider1]

No it wont. The starlink system is very smart. Once you leave your zip code it shuts off and sends you a notice to return to home location.

I tested this by signing up for the standard plan. Made sure everything was working in Seattle. I then motored up to Anacortes. After arriving in Anacortes i tried the starlink but received the out of home message. I switched to the mobile plan and everything went back to working again.

 

[tiltrider1]

Note, I switched to mobile without priority. This gives me unlimited data but at a lower priority. Toggling the priority button moves you to a pay per gigabyte program.

So far I see no speed difference.

 

[MacPhid]

I recently purchased the hardware at the reduced Rural Pricing, $199.00, tested it at the rural shipped to address (our marina) to verify signal and speed. I the upgraded to the Roam plan at $179.00 or whatever it’s called and however much it costs now and verified it’s operation at our home, 50 km away and it works fine. I’ve suspended the service until we start cruising next month.

James

 

[Cargile]

I recently purchased the hardware at the reduced Rural Pricing, $199.00, ..............James

Carumba, everyone wants to be a protected class. What are the quals for "Rural Pricing"?

 

[jgwinks]

Note, I switched to mobile without priority. This gives me unlimited data but at a lower priority. Toggling the priority button moves you to a pay per gigabyte program.

So far I see no speed difference.

If you were in a crowded area with lots of users, I think you would see a difference. That's the priority thing.

 

[SteveK]

If you were in a crowded area with lots of users, I think you would see a difference. That's the priority thing.

Wonder what happens if the crowd all have priority? Seems like a way to claw extra cash without guarantee of better service. I have noticed decreased speed during prime hours, but not decreased usability.

 

[Hobbit]

Note, I switched to mobile without priority. This gives me unlimited data but at a lower priority. Toggling the priority button moves you to a pay per gigabyte program.

So far I see no speed difference.

Once you upgraded to Roam package are you able to get service while underway? I have a friend up coast who gets it at 8 knots but another boat they have does 24 kts and it won't keep up.
Just wondering if this standard system equipment is the same as the roam package equipment.
Thanks

 

[Delfin]

Once you upgraded to Roam package are you able to get service while underway? I have a friend up coast who gets it at 8 knots but another boat they have does 24 kts and it won't keep up.
Just wondering if this standard system equipment is the same as the roam package equipment.
Thanks

It works on roam up to around 10 knots and within 14 miles of the coast. The antennas are different for roam vs fixed. Whether the difference is just looks, IDK, but I suspect not.

 

[psneeld]

I have traveled with Starlink Roam (deprioritized) through all East Coast states including the Appalachian states, Tenn, Arkansas, Texas and all the Gulf States and have seen significant decreases in speeds. Never used mobile.... but stationary in all the state listed above in various locations therein.

But never enough to fall below up and download speeds for streaming 3 or 4 devices.

Other RVs report about the same...just ones using it for business...mostly video conferencing say they notice the derating.

So not sure derating in "busy areas" is a big threat to average users.

 

[bowball]

Note, I switched to mobile without priority. This gives me unlimited data but at a lower priority. Toggling the priority button moves you to a pay per gigabyte program.

So far I see no speed difference.

Without priority around the Gulf Islands, I’ll often see 2mbs to 5mbs.

 

[tiltrider1]

Today I traveled from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. I had a connection the entire time, I was traveling at 9kts today due to currents.

I stream TV. That is my heaviest use. I have not had any issues so far on mobile. Others who put more demands on their systems might have a different experience than I am having.

 

[Hobbit]

Today I traveled from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. I had a connection the entire time, I was traveling at 9kts today due to currents.

I stream TV. That is my heaviest use. I have not had any issues so far on mobile. Others who put more demands on their systems might have a different experience than I am having.

Did you buy the Roam/RV package or Standard dish?

 

[SteveK]

Today I traveled from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. I had a connection the entire time, I was traveling at 9kts today due to currents.

I stream TV. That is my heaviest use. I have not had any issues so far on mobile. Others who put more demands on their systems might have a different experience than I am having.

A few weeks ago I pushed it up to 12-13 and did not lose connection as displayed by the app. As the note I got from SL except for large bodies of water the signal will bleed into the water in the Salish sea.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have the standard dish.

I am not trying to promote any claims about starlink. I am merely reporting my experience at my usage level.

I have been in Friday Harbor for 3 days and my experience here is the same as what I experienced at home.

Side note: I could not pass the giant plug through my arch so I have a temporary antenna setup. My neighbor had the same issue. He cut his cord and discovered standard cat5 wiring. He bought a car5 splicing kit, ran his cord and then reduced the length of his cord, spliced the plug back on and everything works fine. I plan to do the same at the end of summer.

 

[psneeld]

I just saw a you tube that showed a waterproof plug in using some sort of smart plug housing for a Starlink install on an RV.

Pretty neat install including showing the splicing of the cable ends, etc.

May be worth watching for anyone in the market for that kind of setup.

 

[SteveK]

I have the standard dish.

I am not trying to promote any claims about starlink. I am merely reporting my experience at my usage level.

I have been in Friday Harbor for 3 days and my experience here is the same as what I experienced at home.

Side note: I could not pass the giant plug through my arch so I have a temporary antenna setup. My neighbor had the same issue. He cut his cord and discovered standard cat5 wiring. He bought a car5 splicing kit, ran his cord and then reduced the length of his cord, spliced the plug back on and everything works fine. I plan to do the same at the end of summer.

I reverse fed the line to the dish as that end required a smaller hole. When you say standard, I think you mean the RV roam as the standard is lower price and restricted to a physical address. Another reported moving from the fixed address and getting disconnected until returning to home address. The extra $30 allows relocation, but not supposed to allow use in motion.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have the standard antenna not the marine antenna.

I started off ordering the standard package, meaning the standard antenna and the standard plan. After arriving in Anacortes I switched the plan to roam, no priority data. This moved my monthly bill from $120 to $150.

I have done nothing special, I simply strapped the antenna to a rail on my upper deck and allowed the system to do its thing.

After a bit I added the Ethernet adapter, this allows my boat network to use starlink as the internet provider were before I was using Verizon with a 5G setup.

After I had all tHis working I left the dock to see what would happen. Naturally I eventually got the message to return home. This was before I changed the plan to Roam.

 

[SteveK]

I bought the old named RV roam, the standard dish, each time I log in the name is changed. we have the same plan.

Curious how the ethernet adapter makes a difference. I was expecting to do that but I have had 6 devices on WIFI and none complained about bandwidth.

 

[tiltrider1]

I have a printer, a NAS, and SONOS hardwired to the network by Ethernet. Two of these items do not support wireless communication, that is why I needed the Ethernet adapter.

 

[SteveK]

OK, got it, you needed the ethernet, not because WIFI was not good enough. Guess I will stay with WIFI then.

 

[tiltrider1]

I found the starlink WiFi to be very good. Certainly every bit as good as my router.

 

[AnnapolisJoy]

It a problem. Works.

I may be wrong, but I believe the standard Starlink option is geo-fixed to a specific address, and if you move more then a certain number of times in a year, it will stop working.

Works.

 

[Hobbit]

Thanks for all the replies. I've ordered one and will soon find out for sure what happens when I move around. I will pay for the Roam plan when I start it up.

 

[tiltrider1]

I noticed that the starlink antenna would change directions while we motored from Friday Harbor to Roche Harbor. As soon as I hit the dock I grabbed my iPad to check tides. I was happy to see that I had never lost connection.

This makes me assume that the antenna will self correct for a boat at anchor.

 

[Coppercove1]

We are swinging on the hook through probably 120 degrees in Miles Inlet on our way up the Central Coast. Roam with standard antenna sitting on our bow deck is working fine.

Generally since leaving home 8 days ago it works well. We have only tried it while anchored or at a dock.

We had an exception in Potts Lagoon using Microsoft Teams for a call with a person using their European mobile. The call was interrupted a lot. Today a Facebook video with a friend call worked fine.

So far so good!

Steve

 

[mickand]

Unless you have the $250/month Starlink Maritime with an even more expensive hardware package, be very careful.
With the RV roam, you are not allowed to use the service whilst underway and not in any ocean.
Myself and many others on the East Coast received emails about 2 months ago, telling that we were in breach of the rules.
I only travel at 7kts, used to use it on the move, and received the 'warning'.
So much so, that I now disconnect power from the unit before I leave the dock, so that I can't be accused of non-compliance with Starlink's terms of service.

 

[Delfin]

Unless you have the $250/month Starlink Maritime with an even more expensive hardware package, be very careful.
With the RV roam, you are not allowed to use the service whilst underway and not in any ocean.
Myself and many others on the East Coast received emails about 2 months ago, telling that we were in breach of the rules.
I only travel at 7kts, used to use it on the move, and received the 'warning'.
So much so, that I now disconnect power from the unit before I leave the dock, so that I can't be accused of non-compliance with Starlink's terms of service.

True on the $250/mo, but not true that the hardware is any different than that used for RV Roam. And, you can use the Roam service level while underway, just not much above 9 knots, while within 14 miles of land.

 

[Simi 60]

True on the $250/mo,
.

Nope
Bog standard RV roam is all that is required

When in the black toggle on the $2/GB ($3:19 in Oz) and use sparingly.
You get notified when you are in the black and internet is cut but enough connection is there to toggle on and use Starlink app

We did 3 weeks in the black recently
Used only for weather on several sites, messages and emails , Banking, Buying stuff online and DocuSign contracts

Used 3gb in total in 3 weeks.

Restrict all devices so they don't do auto upload
Turn wifi off on everything
Toggle mobile priority on vi app
And turn wifi on for device you need to use
Turn wifi off when finished that session.
That worked well for us.

but not true that the hardware is any different than that used for RV Roam. And, you can use the Roam service level while underway, just not much above 9 knots, while within 14 miles of land

Maps are constantly changing
We have blue dots appearing in what were black areas now 100nm or more out