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Starlink And Routers

When you purchase consumer-based Starlink hardware, it has everything you need to get online, including a router or router capability to connect your Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Starlink network.

More advanced hardware, like the Starlink Flat HP Dish, does not come with a router or routing capability - it's up to the end user to provide that, either by purchasing one of Starlink's routers or using a third-party router.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Starlink Mini has a basic Wi-Fi router built into the dish itself, allowing Wi-Fi devices to connect to it directly without needing a separate router.

Starlink routers work fine for average needs and are very simple to set up, but many users want more advanced features or have their own router they'd prefer to use instead. For example, even something as simple as creating a guest Wi-Fi network is not an option on Starlink's routers. 

If you want to create a guest network or have a little more control over your local network, you may want to replace or bypass Starlink's router and let their own router communicate directly with the Starlink dish and network. However, this process depends on what specific equipment you have. For example, some Starlink models make this very easy with standard ethernet connections, while others may require an adapter.

It can be complicated and confusing to understand the capabilities of the various Starlink routers and dishes and what third-party options can work with them. In this guide, we'll demystify this and provide detailed explanations of the following:

• Starlinks native router options and their capabilities and limitations
• Utilizing the "bypass mode" feature to enable use of your own third-party router
• Third-party routers that provide at least some integration with Starlink

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