Starlink is designed to be set up by the customer, and for plenty of people that is exactly how it should stay. SpaceTek UK installs Starlink for a living, so this guide is written with that in mind: it tells you when you do not need us, when you probably do, and how to judge any installer you are thinking of using.
When doing it yourself is fine
- You can put the dish on its kickstand or a short ground pole with a clear view of the sky, and the app’s obstruction check shows little or nothing in the way.
- The cable can reach the router through an open window vent, an existing hole or a door seal without drilling.
- The connection is for one room, a caravan pitch or a temporary site.
- You are comfortable following the Starlink app, which handles alignment and setup on its own.
When an installer earns their fee
- Height. The clear sky is above the roofline, which means ladders, towers or roof work. Falls from height are the most common serious accident in DIY, and a dish is awkward to handle one-handed.
- Drilling and sealing. Through a cavity wall, thick stone, render or a flat roof, with the entry sealed against weather for years rather than one winter.
- Exposure. Hillside, coastal and moorland sites need brackets and fixings matched to wind loading, not the bracket that came in the box.
- Cable routes you will not notice. Concealed runs, Ethernet to a desk, and a router position chosen for the house rather than the nearest socket.
- More than one room. If the connection needs to reach a loft office, an outbuilding or a garden room, the dish is only the first step; mesh, access points or a cabled link are the rest.
- Older, listed or shared buildings. Stone, lime mortar, conservation rules and leasehold restrictions all change the method.
- A previous installation that disappoints. Dropouts, a cable flapping in the wind or a dish that fills with water are usually position and fixing problems, and they are fixable.
What a good installer actually does
Looks at the site before quoting. Checks obstructions from the proposed position, not the garden. Chooses the mount and fixings for the building. Runs and seals the cable so it will still be weatherproof in five years. Tests the connection where you will use it, sets up the app on your phone, and answers the phone afterwards. SpaceTek installs hardware you have bought yourself, so there is no reason to pay a mark-up on the kit.
Questions to ask before you book
- Which mounting position do you recommend for my building, and why?
- What fixings will you use on my wall or roof?
- How will the cable get inside, and how will the entry be sealed?
- Will you test the connection in the rooms where I need it?
- What happens if the dish or the position does not perform as expected?
Be wary of anyone who promises a specific speed. Starlink’s performance depends on the plan, the location and the network at the time; an installer controls the view of the sky, the mounting and the cabling, not the satellites.
Related guides
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