Starlink Mesh Nodes – Mesh Networks Made Easy

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Mesh networks are nothing new in home networking, but a new Starlink accessory allows customers to easily implement a mesh network without 3rd party hardware or IT knowledge. The new accessory, called Starlink Mesh Nodes, is now available for Starlink customers with the rectangular dish. In this article, we will explain what mesh networks are, go over the details on the new Starlink Mesh Nodes, and also offer 3rd party alternatives to consider.

What is a mesh network?

A mesh network is a system of wireless access points (mesh nodes) that can all communicate with each other, and with the main internet router. It’s referred to as a mesh network because of the interconnectivity between all nodes, and the blanket coverage that can provide. Basically, installing a mesh network in your home expands your Wifi signal in a more uniform and reliable way. Most mesh networks can be installed wirelessly, meaning a physical ethernet cable back to a switch is not necessary. Simply plug in the power to the mesh node. There are wired mesh networks as well, but in this article we’ll be talking about wireless.

Mesh networks allow you to have a single wireless network that covers your entire house. If you have a smaller area, it isn’t as big of a concern. But if you have a 3000 sq ft home with three floors, getting uniform Wifi coverage can be a challenge. Wifi signals don’t navigate walls, floors, or even large furniture very well. Mesh networks change that, allowing you to solve your Wifi issues by installing mesh nodes for complete coverage over multiple rooms and floors. When using the mesh network and moving around your house, the signal is automatically transferred from mesh node to mesh node, and then back to the main router without interruption. It’s like having one super Wifi router for your entire house.

Starlink Mesh Node

You may be thinking, if mesh networks are nothing new, why is Starlink coming out with their own hardware? The main reason for the Starlink Mesh Nodes is the ease of installation and implementation. With 3rd party hardware, a certain level of networking and IT knowledge is required. Most people don’t want to read through a lengthy manual or spend 4 hours setting up their network. The official Starlink Mesh Nodes are virtually plug and play.

Starlink originally launched a limited beta testing program of their mesh nodes back in April 2022. They officially launched in June 2022. Mesh networking has remained a hot topic over at the Reddit Starlink subreddit, and this new accessory could reduce the confusion and complexity of installing one for the average person.

Features

The Starlink Mesh Nodes are dual band, and support WIFI5. Each node will come with a power adapter. There is also a port to connect the Starlink Ethernet Adapter. Visually, the Starlink Mesh Nodes are virtually identical to the Starlink router.

How much does the Starlink Mesh Node cost?

Starlink Mesh Node’s cost $130 each.

Customers can buy them from the Starlink.com shop.

Round dish compatbility

Unfortunately, the Starlink Mesh Nodes are not compatible with the original, round dish. If you own a round dish, you will need to purchase a 3rd party mesh system. We put together a list of recommended products toward the end of the article.

How to set up a Starlink Mesh Node

If you’re wondering how complex it is going to be to set up a Starlink Mesh Node, here is the step by step guide:

  1. Find a place where you want to install a mesh node, then plug it in to AC power
  2. The Starlink app on your phone will prompt you to pair the newly detected node, tap Pair
  3. After about 30 seconds, the pairing is complete, and the mesh node is now ready to use

That’s it! You’ll automatically connect to the mesh node with the best signal from any wireless device you are using. If you want to check on the status of your mesh nodes, open the Starlink app and tap on Network. You’ll see your main router, and then any paired mesh nodes below.

Can you use an ethernet adapter with them?

Yes! The Starlink Mesh Nodes come with a place to plug in the Starlink ethernet adapter. Now you’ll be able to install a mesh node near your desktop PC and have a wired ethernet connection, just like if you were plugged into the main router. This feature is useful if you are forced to install your main router in an inconvenient location. It’s also useful for allowing more ethernet connectivity for stationary devices, freeing up Wifi traffic.

How many devices can connect to the Starlink router?

The Starlink router and mesh nodes can connect to up to 128 devices at one time.

Drawbacks with the Starlink Mesh Nodes

The Starlink Mesh Nodes are easy to install, but with that comes some major drawbacks compared to 3rd party mesh network hardware. Many software features that are common with mesh networks are not available. For example, you cannot rename devices on the network. You can’t view usage statistics for the devices. And you also cannot configure bandwidth limitations or traffic priority for devices. These are features commonly found in other 3rd party mesh network hardware. It is possible that Starlink will deploy some of these features in future firmware updates.

Another drawback of the official Starlink mesh product is the lack of Wifi 6 support. They run Wifi 5 (802.11ac) which is not the newest standard that is supported on many 3rd party mesh systems.

The final drawback to using the Starlink Mesh Nodes vs a 3rd party mesh system is the fact that they only support dual radio bands. The mesh nodes have a 2.4 GHz channel and a 5 GHz channel, and not a dedicated third 5 GHz band for node to node communication. Tri-band is superior to dual band in a lot of ways, and many of the cheaper 3rd party alternatives have it.

Signal boosters and Wifi extenders for Starlink

There is a big difference between a mesh system and a simple Wifi signal booster. Wifi range extenders take the signal from your main Starlink router and attempt to amplify it for additional coverage. Performance is generally poor compared to a proper mesh setup, and coverage isn’t seamless.

The main advantage of these simple devices is cost. Usually under $50, Wifi extenders like the TP-Link AC750 can offer a quick and cheap solution to Wifi coverage issues.

If you are needing to extend your Wifi, we recommend going straight to a mesh system. The Starlink Mesh Node is one option, but it is on the expensive side. The mesh network alternatives listed below are a more affordable way to boost your Wifi signal while maintaining a high level of bandwidth and performance.

Alternative mesh network products

At $130 each, the Starlink Mesh Nodes are rather expensive compared to equivalent 3rd party offerings. For a fraction of the price per node, customers can buy popular dual band mesh network products from retailers like Amazon. If you own the first generation round dish, you’ll be forced to use 3rd party mesh options, as the original Starlink dish is not supported with Starlink Mesh Nodes. For those two reasons, we’ve decided to round up a few product recommendations from Amazon, as alternatives to buying the official Starlink mesh system.

If you have the rectangular dish, you’ll need the Starlink Ethernet Adapter in order to plug in these mesh nodes. You’ll also need to enable bypass mode on the Starlink router.

Note: This article may contain affiliate links for the products mentioned

TP-Link Deco AXE5400 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Mesh System

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The TP-Link Deco AXE5400 Tri-Band WiFi 6E Mesh System is our highest performing recommendation. It features tri band radios and Wifi 6E, two big performance advantages over the Starlink Mesh Nodes. You’ll get two nodes, which is enough to cover up to 5,500 sq ft. Add on nodes are available if you need to further expand the system.

Setup is simple thanks to the Deco app, available on Android and iOS. As another plus compared to the Starlink product, you’ll get extra security settings, traffic prioritization, and device management all from the app.

All that said, this is the most expensive mesh system on our list. If you don’t need top of the line performance, consider one of the two more budget friendly options below.

Amazon eero 6 Mesh WiFi System

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The Amazon eero 6 Mesh WiFi System is the best value mesh system on our list. It is much cheaper than the Starlink Mesh Nodes, with enhanced configuration settings and features. Like the TP-Link product, you get 3 nodes to provide whole home Wifi coverage. This mesh system is dual band, but the eero 6 supports Wifi 6 which is an advantage over the Starlink product.

Setup is similar to the TP-Link and Starlink mesh networks, where everything is done via the eero app. Like the TP-Link system, Amazon eero has a lot more software features than the Starlink Mesh Nodes, such as traffic prioritization and statistics.

NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Whole Home Mesh WiFi System

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The NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Whole Home Mesh WiFi System is another great option for a whole home mesh Wifi system. You get a router + mesh extender that can cover up to 5,000 sq ft. The Orbi system features tri-band radios for maximum Wifi speed and performance, one major advantage over the Starlink mesh system.

Like the other options on this list, setup is done through the convenient app. The app gives you complete control over the configuration. Set up parental controls, guest Wifi access, and more. These extra features are one reason that we like 3rd party mesh systems over the Starlink solution.

Final thoughts

The Starlink Mesh Nodes are a game changer for Starlink customers hoping to implement a mesh network without the complexity of many 3rd party options. For $130, you’ll get enhanced Wifi coverage and the potential for an extra ethernet port. Many customers will appreciate the consistent styling and aesthetics of the mesh nodes, which look almost identical to the Starlink router.

Let us know what you think. Are you interested in purchasing one or more for your home? Do you plan to purchase the Starlink product or 3rd party?

Related: Best Aftermarket Wifi Routers For Starlink

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Tim Tulliio
Tim Tulliio
2 months ago

Thank you for the article. I have a Gen 1 Dish in Baja Mexico. It’s working great but I’m looking for more Wifi range. Nothing can be shipped to where we live so I have to travel with it on a plane then a 7 hour drive. So, I’d like to do this just once. If I go with the TP-Link Deco AXE5400 I don’t need anything else right? I’m going to replace the Starlink modem with the Deco one, then use their app to set it all up, which is similar to setting up the Starlink dish initially, right? Thanks again for testing out these modems/extenders.

Stephen
Stephen
19 days ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Sir, you and some of your respondents use the word “switch” without definition. Could you please clarify?

Lewis Hague
Lewis Hague
2 months ago

Hi Noah,

Moving into my fiancée’s converted garage in June, it doesn’t have an internet connection as it’s a separate building to main house (approx 20 metres away)… hopefully setting up Starlink as their internet is shockingly slow (rural area) and I need a fast connection for remote work.

If we set Starlink up in the main house, should the mesh system stretch the distance between the two buildings (placing each router in a window facing one another, approx 20 metres clear line of sight)… or would a third party mesh system be best?

Worst comes to worst we will get Starlink installed on the roof of the converted garage, but her family are keen to have Starlink on the entire property as the current BT landline connection is less than 20mbits.

Any help appreciated!
Thanks
Lewis

TOR
TOR
2 months ago
Reply to  Lewis Hague

You should be fine with just Starlink and extra routers for the Mesh Network. 20 meters is fine too.

There are two things the Dish doesn’t like and that is VIBRATION and OBSTRUCTIONS, Even a little obstruction will take a lot of speed out and that is the same for vibrations on the Dish.

Lewis Hague
Lewis Hague
2 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Thank you. I’m not sure about how a point to point system works compared to a normal Wi-Fi booster (TP-link) or mesh system, so need to look into this.

Lewis Hague
Lewis Hague
2 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Apologies, very confused by this. How does the Ubiquity access point connect to the Starlink router that’s in a different building, if the access point is powered by an Ethernet cable? There’s no Ethernet port in the garage so unsure of how this all connects.

I’ve looked on YouTube but still can’t make any sense of it. It says to connect the access point to your router via a cable, but what’s the point of purchasing an access point if you’re just going to plug it directly into your router, close-by?

Do I need to buy two Ubiquity access points? One for the house, one for the garage?

BillC
BillC
15 days ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

If you are ok with the cost of a bit over USD200, this is a very good option. I have 3 such sender-receiver “ethernet bridges” (2 nodes each) from Ubiquiti in service and they are great. I have had at least 3 bridges in service for the last 5 years and have lost 3 nodes out of 6 to lightning storms in spite of religiously following Ubiquiti’s installation recommendations. I use Nanobeam 5ac rev 1 and, more recently, rev 2. The rev 2 apparently increases surge tolerance vs the rev 1s. All of the failures were rev 1s. Set up is quite easy – there is a setup guide at ubnt.com and there are alot of good youtube videos.

One video that helped me was by a guy in the uk who wanted to connect the ethernet in his house to his workshop. His wife didnt want the small nanobeam dish on the house so he put it in the closet and shot through the wall of the house to the dish on his workshop. I dont remember the distance but I think it was around the 20m range. I have them going much more than 20m. The ones I have are speced to go 10km. I havent tried that.

There are other choices from Ubiquiti and others but I don’t have experience with those.

harold
harold
3 months ago

I have (2) Starlink Mesh Nodes. The Main router in on the main floor then one upstairs and on downstairs. I have a ethernet adapter and would like to connect it to the upstairs node and use it to connect a outdoor wifi extender to get wifi out to my shop. Is that doable off a node?

zach w
zach w
3 months ago

I have a Starlink router plus one Starlink mesh node. If I were to put the main router in bypass mode and use my own router, will the Starlink mesh node lose functionality?

Capt. Dread
Capt. Dread
4 months ago

I have just ordered the Starlink. I have some eero pro6’s. I currently have one connected my super slow att router with a cat5 and the others are around the house and work great. Television is on ethernet. So, do I get the Starlink ethernet adaptor, add a switch so I can plug in both the eero and house ethernet?

Colton M
Colton M
4 months ago

I can’t connect the mesh router to the main router. I’ve plugged it in and waited for it to connect through the app with no success. I’ve tried to pair it closely to see if the distance was to far but still nothing. I’ve tried going through everything online to get them to connect.

Cactus Web
Cactus Web
4 months ago

Thank you for pointing out (too late for me, though) that additional mesh nodes connect to the main unit, not the nearest node. I hope more people learn that before investing in more nodes. My main router is at the end of the house (due to cable access issues) with a node in the middle and I wanted to improve signal at the other end of the house with a second node. No luck as I discovered the hard way. So my next challenge is to put the main router in the garage (only practical cable access near the center of the house) and have a node in each end of the building. Hopefully that’ll work better.

Cat Dad
Cat Dad
5 months ago

Greetings. I’ve had two mesh nodes for approximately two months now and they are working great. As I have read other comments and questions, I concur that some devices connect to the main router even though a mesh node is only 15 feet and not 40 feet from the device. At times, the device or devices will change nodes just because it’s finnicky. I also have two switches for Ethernet to my computers upstairs and my entertainment downstairs and it works perfectly. I went with the starlink mesh due to the simplicity of not having to create a separate SSID and the ability to plug, play and go. I don’t need the extra features the other mesh systems provide so its worked fantastic for me.

Last edited 5 months ago by Cat Dad
Mike Gun
Mike Gun
5 months ago

HEY I bought a rectangle dish and 6 nodes for my property .
I want to set it up in multiple buildings so I bought extra cable & extra ethernet adapters.
is there a way to wire multiple routers to one dish and run the cable to each building ??

is there a better way to do what I am trying to do ?? any help would be grateful ..

Bill Popp
5 months ago

I have the square dish. I have a MIL house about 150ft from the main house, and about 240 ft from where I want to put the router. Can I connect this house to the router using Mesh? How far can the Mesh reach?

Tim Ishmael
Tim Ishmael
5 months ago

I have starlink but the main router is in a storage room above the garage. I put it there for 2 reasons.1) it was the easiest access point from my starlink antenna on the garage roof and 2) I was able to connect Ethernet cable t a demarcation box in the basement. I have all of tvs hard wired from this location. I ordered 3 mesh routers and 3 Ethernet adaptors. My original thought was to hardwire the mesh nodes throughout the house but the system did not work. I plugged them rough Wi-Fi and all connected to the main router and Wi-Fi signal was still red according to the starlink app. Looking for guidance.

Anatolii
Anatolii
5 months ago

Hello!
I have a 1st generation Starlink (round dish).

There is a need to expand the home Wi-Fi network using the tp-link re505x repeater

According to the instructions, I connect the repeater to the Starlink network, but the Internet is not transmitted through the repeater …

Is it possible to expand the network without an ethernet cable

I see a connection like this
https://photos.app.goo.gl/TFgqmHevQgAK2QDv5

At the same time, a direct connection to the Starlink network is available

What can you recommend for wireless connection of the Repeater – since there is no way to connect an ethernet cable

Thanks

deisha
deisha
5 months ago

HI
I just 2 new routers for starlink.
1 connected easy the 2nd one keep trying to connect. I have moved it all over the house and had no luck… Any help please

Dylan
Dylan
7 months ago

Hi. Thanks for this article. I’m wondering what my best option is. I have a second gen starlink (rectangle dish) and the router provides great wifi access through the house. We recently built a shed which has a home gym component and would love to get wifi over there. When we built the shed, we ran an ethernet cable with the power which is now plugged into the starlink router at the house via one of their ethernet adaptors and has a corresponding ethernet port in the shed. What device should I plug into that ethernet port to allow devices in the shed to connect wirelessly to the starlink? Cheers

Beth
Beth
7 months ago

got the deco axe5400, does one of the units have to stay connected to the starlink modem/router at all times, this is what is getting me confused also, when setting up do I say I do not have router or should I say yes

Beth H
7 months ago

need step by step, after I setup with app using starlink router and axe5400 mesh the mesh indicator went red when I moved to location where needed

Beth H
7 months ago

I got axe5400 working with setup. moved them to where I needed mesh and the indicator went red. what am I doing wrong

Beth H
7 months ago

I tried deco app got both axe5400 working on app, but after I moved to location I wanted them the indicator went red, I have starlink router and the 2 mesh devices. what did I do wrong

Beth H
7 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

I did but I didn’t realize it had to stay there, also do I have to put in bypass mode. do you recommend setting up the split for 2.4 and 5.

beth
beth
7 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

also I couldn’t setup the second device to tell it was upstairs it just automatically connected, did I do this right

Eric
Eric
8 months ago

You can rename the starlink mesh routers. That’s if you can get them to even connect. I have two of my three to pair but one intermittently goes into pairing mode. The third one will not pair no matter how many times I reset it. They have extremely short range, they are priced higher than other options and it appears Starlink has no customer support. Don’t waste your money on the StarLink Mesh . It sucks!

Eric B.
Eric B.
7 months ago
Reply to  Eric

Too late for me. My 2 starlink mesh nodes supposed to be delivered today.

Cary
Cary
8 months ago

So I just got notice that I can order my Starlink. I have an existing Google Mesh network. Can you confirm that if I order the Starlink Ethernet Adapter, I should be able to plug my Google Mesh into it? Then how do you switch the Starlink Wifi/Router into Bridge Mode?

Thanks for any insights here…

Kim Bay
Kim Bay
8 months ago

We have window coverings that are operated by a device that has to be hard wired into a network. Can that be plugged into the Starlink mesh with an ethernet cable?

Irene Kirczenow
Irene Kirczenow
8 months ago

Hi, I’m wondering what the range is for Starlink mesh nodes. I’m considering for exterior wifi cameras in the context of a small rural property to monitor stock. Both distance from router and to application ((theoretical clean line of sight).

RGA
RGA
8 months ago

We’ve lived in our large home on acreage for nearly 12 years now. The large corporate conglomerates didn’t trunk in T1 when they built the community. So, DSL has been our choice and as you can imagine, sucks. Waited nearly a year for our Starlink to arrive and it’s a GAME CHANGER. Immediately purchased a mesh node as our home is large. I wish Elon and his team built this YEARS ago. It’s changed the way we live. I operate a home based business and building invoices have saved me time and frustration. My wife works from home more now that she can connect to her remote servers fast and efficiently. One con though and it’s a minor one. I sit closer to the mesh node but somehow my mobile device connects to the main router. I may have to tweak the mesh nodes location as I belive it would offer the best performance for me. The second device connects to it fine BUT it’s line of sight. Furniture in-between it and my device BUT limited AC outlets/and a place to set it may be it’s reason it offers less than stellar connectivity. Starlink and it’s mesh node has changed our lives for the better…and that’s the bottom line.

Mark
Mark
6 months ago
Reply to  Noah Clarke

Do the Starlink nodes daisy-chain? My main router is not in a central location in my double storey house, and I have patchy coverage on the ground floor. I was hoping to use mesh nodes to extend the signal in this area, but if each node has to connect to the main router in a hub and spoke model, this will not work.

Faye Taylor
Faye Taylor
8 months ago

Hello, I am considering ordering Starlink for our Lake property. We are remodeling the basement, the ceiling between the basement and the upstairs is cement. Will a wireless node the basement work?

MICHAEL ONEAL
MICHAEL ONEAL
9 months ago

Will the starlink mesh system work with my Google Home App and allow me to control all my existing devices using Google Assistant as my Google mesh system does? I understand that Starlink nodes do not have microphones and do not expect to communicate directly through the Starlink nodes. An affirmative answer will allow me to pull the trigger.
I have a feeling of deep, heartfelt appreciation in the way you have informed in your article regarding the Starlink mesh system and even more so in the thorough and verbose follow-up in the comment sections that shows that you truly care that the folks that come to you for help leave satisfied, contented and informed. Thank you sooo much!