Question Question about wireless USB wifi adapters

[Stg-Flame]

I got Starlink set up for my mom and everything works just fine except her PC which doesn't have wifi capabilities so I'm looking to get a wireless wifi adapter and I'm curious if there will be any issues. I haven't used an adapter since 2007 so I'm a bit out of the loop as to quality and whether or not there will be any issues down the line. So if there's any recommendations, I greatly appreciate it.

She'll mainly be using it to play single player games on Steam and watching videos on YouTube so latency shouldn't be too much of an issue if that's still a thing.

 

[JackMDS]

Get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0943J537H

Use it with a the cable and place it High and exposed so that the WIFI Waves are Not block by furnitures to anything else in the environment.

 

[Steltek]

In case you want to stick to a wired connection, what generation Starlink kit did you install? I don't think you need an ethernet adapter for either 1st gen or 3rd gen as they both have built-in ethernet. If it is a 2nd gen dish kit (the square actuated one), there is an optional ethernet adapter for it to convert it to wired ethernet. It is currently discounted in the Starlink store for sale for $17.00.

Starlink Shop

shop.starlink.com

EDIT: Sorry, you have to be logged in to your account at Starlink to see the above link. The adapter looks like this:

 

[Stg-Flame]

Get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0943J537H

Use it with a the cable and place it High and exposed so that the WIFI Waves are Not block by furnitures to anything else in the environment.

She lives in a tiny 5th wheel (camper trailer) so trying to get it up high will be next to impossible but the Starlink receiver can be placed closer to her PC if needed. I doubt it'll be a problem considering her PC at the moment is about four feet from the receiver anyways with no furniture blocking anything. This should work just fine.

In case you want to stick to a wired connection, what generation Starlink kit did you install?

I'm not sure. I just bought her the base residential kit. I did look at a few things on the Starlink website but everything on that site is so overpriced I honestly stopped looking after just a few minutes. I built a roof mount for the outside receiver for about $15 in lumber costs when Starlink wanted to sell me theirs for over $100.

Considering that's only $17, I'll find out what generation I bought and if it's compatible I'll probably get this instead. Thanks for the link.

 

[Steltek]

If it came with a wireless router, check the router for ethernet ports. If the router has two ethernet ports besides the satellite connection, you have a 3rd gen router. In that case, all you'd have to do is connect an ethernet cable from the modem to her computer.

Only advantage over wireless is to avoid adding any additional latency into the connection beyond what Starlink already has.

 

[Stg-Flame]

If it came with a wireless router, check the router for ethernet ports. If the router has two ethernet ports besides the satellite connection, you have a 3rd gen router. In that case, all you'd have to do is connect an ethernet cable from the modem to her computer.

Only advantage over wireless is to avoid adding any additional latency into the connection beyond what Starlink already has.

According to my installation guides, it says I have a Gen 3, but it only has a single ethernet port that connects to the standard Starlink receiver. It has two plug-ins in the back - one for power and a single ethernet port.

 

[Steltek]

According to my installation guides, it says I have a Gen 3, but it only has a single ethernet port that connects to the standard Starlink receiver. It has two plug-ins in the back - one for power and a single ethernet port.

It should have come with a white box, a mesh router, that goes inside the house. The back of the mesh router is where ethernet ports (if any) would be located.

The Gen 2 mesh router stands vertically like this and only has a power port and the satellite cable connector at the bottom of it:


The Gen 3 mesh router stands horizontally like this and has the satellite connector, power port, and two ethernet connectors in the back:



It sounds like you have a Gen 3 dish and Gen 2 router?

 

[Stg-Flame]

No, I definitely have the Gen 3 router as it's horizontal. I'll have to go back out to my mom's place and take a picture of the back but it's always possible I just completely missed something.

 

[Steltek]

The back of the Gen3 router should look like this:


Port on left is the satellite cable port (it is actually CAT6 POE ethernet cable from what I recall), the two ports in middle are the ethernet ports, and port on right side is where the power brick for the router/dish plugs in.

You should be able to just run a short ethernet patch cable from one of the ethernet ports on the router to the ethernet port on your mother's PC.

If she doesn't have a UPS, I do encourage you to consider investing in one for her at some point. The power injection for the POE port that powers the dish through the router can draw 70 to 100 watts from the brick, so any power surge through the router could result in bad news for her computer. Not that likely to happen, but she does live in a camper so I'm sure the wiring and ground isn't up to the standards of a house.

 

[Stg-Flame]

Yeah it's a Gen 3. I guess I just missed it completely while setting it up and I have plenty of spare ethernet cables at my house. Plus it'll be much better closer to her PC as far as aesthetics go.

Also, I do have her PC tied into a UPS just because I didn't trust the wiring when my parents first bought that thing. I greatly appreciate the help.

 

[Steltek]

Any time.

I hope her new internet connection works out well for her.
One of these days, I need to get around to installing mine.

 

[Stg-Flame]

One of these days, I need to get around to installing mine.

I was honestly amazed at how simple it was to set up. I really dislike how everything new requires you to download apps and then watch videos instead of just providing a piece of paper with instructions, but it's literally as simple as downloading the app, plug it in, then check for the receiver alignment in the app (it provides a full 360° view to show you exactly how it needs to be facing). That's all it takes.

 

[Steltek]

I was honestly amazed at how simple it was to set up. I really dislike how everything new requires you to download apps and then watch videos instead of just providing a piece of paper with instructions, but it's literally as simple as downloading the app, plug it in, then check for the receiver alignment in the app (it provides a full 360° view to show you exactly how it needs to be facing). That's all it takes.

The 2nd gen dishes like mine are actually even easier -- I can just drop the dish on its mount, hook it to the plugged in router, and turn it on in the phone app. It then finds the satellites on its own without requiring any assistance from me at all.

I just can't physically get up in the attic at this point to route the cables into the house where the need to go -- diabetes muscle wasting just absolutely sucks if nobody ever told you....

I'll eventually get around to it in the fall when it cools down somewhat.

Starlink in the last few days petitioned the FCC to allow them to increase their signal transmission strength to increase upload/download speeds and decrease latency. It would be nice if they get the okay to do so.