Starlink mini

[MCtree]

I’ve played with the Starlink a bit today. It’s going to be great. Just the wireless router letting me connect my Ecoflow devices and phone is going to be great (yes, I could have spent only $50 to do that). The better internet access it provides to my Tesla style head unit is also going to be very good. I had been doing this using my iPhone as a hot spot but that wasn’t reliable and the Android HU would not auto connect and often wouldn’t play nice with the iPhone. Now I can make updates much easier w/o having to find public WiFi or a decent LTE signal.

I don’t follow.
Why do you need the Starlink to connect to ecoflow? Or maybe, what ecoflow are you connecting to?
I have the delta 2 and it connects via Bluetooth.

And as a separate question:
I’ve only used my Starlink Mini in clear or lightly cloudy weather. Has anybody used it in heavy rain or snow?
I used the regular Starlink (pre-mini) in heavy rain and I was impressed how it continued to work. But I haven’t had the opportunity to test with the Mini.

 

[kcjaz]

I don’t follow.
Why do you need the Starlink to connect to ecoflow? Or maybe, what ecoflow are you connecting to?
I have the delta 2 and it connects via Bluetooth.

And as a separate question:
I’ve only used my Starlink Mini in clear or lightly cloudy weather. Has anybody used it in heavy rain or snow?
I used the regular Starlink (pre-mini) in heavy rain and I was impressed how it continued to work. But I haven’t had the opportunity to test with the Mini.

WiFi for the EcoFlow stuff (fridge, Delta2 and a River) isn’t necessary. BT mostly works but I’ve found that my phone looses the BT connection a lot when I’m packed up with gear and the phone looses line of sight with a the devices. I like to monitor the devices as I’ve had fridge cord come loose or the alt charge not charge or I want to adjust the rate of charge and can’t cus the BT drops. WiFi will be better. Right now my rig and Starlink is my detached garage and I’m in the house and can still still see the Starlink WiFi (no internet as it’s in the garage) and can still see the Delta2.

 

[MCtree]

WiFi for the EcoFlow stuff (fridge, Delta2 and a River) isn’t necessary. BT mostly works but I’ve found that my phone looses the BT connection a lot when I’m packed up with gear and the phone looses line of sight with a the devices. I like to monitor the devices as I’ve had fridge cord come loose or the alt charge not charge or I want to adjust the rate of charge and can’t cus the BT drops. WiFi will be better. Right now my rig and Starlink is my detached garage and I’m in the house and can still still see the Starlink WiFi (no internet as it’s in the garage) and can still see the Delta2.

Ah. Okay. That makes sense.
And good point about the WiFi having longer range. I may take advantage of that now that you mention it.

 

[kcjaz]

Got my SATGEAR rack mount (MM3) yesterday and just installed it. I’m having to move some stuff around in my rack and I had to move a load bar on my Dissent rack. The MM3 isn’t really made for my rack and I had to drill some holes to make it work. The mount is kind of silly expensive but I do like how it mounts the Starlink flush with the low bars and it’s got a removable case that holds the actual Starlink that’s pretty hellastout. Just four screws to take out to pull the starlink from the mount. I think for me that’ll be pretty useful.

You could just get the case with the handles and mount that directly on the rack. If you used rivet nuts, it would have the same functionality.

Nexus to figure out the cable routing. I got a free sec gear cable and it’s pretty Hellastout too. It’s much thicker in diameter than the Starlink cable so I’m a little concerned about running it through the door gaskets not sure if he rear door or one of the passenger doors is the best path to get the cable inside.

 

[Fisher23]

I run the StarLink High output one re-configured for 12 volts. It's fast. Usually 300. Usually just on stand-by but if I need it on it's there and fast.

 

[OffRoadScott]

Got my SATGEAR rack mount (MM3) yesterday and just installed it. I’m having to move some stuff around in my rack and I had to move a load bar on my Dissent rack. The MM3 isn’t really made for my rack and I had to drill some holes to make it work. The mount is kind of silly expensive but I do like how it mounts the Starlink flush with the low bars and it’s got a removable case that holds the actual Starlink that’s pretty hellastout. Just four screws to take out to pull the starlink from the mount. I think for me that’ll be pretty useful.




View attachment 4105267View attachment 4105268View attachment 4105269
You could just get the case with the handles and mount that directly on the rack. If you used rivet nuts, it would have the same functionality.

Nexus to figure out the cable routing. I got a free sec gear cable and it’s pretty Hellastout too. It’s much thicker in diameter than the Starlink cable so I’m a little concerned about running it through the door gaskets not sure if he rear door or one of the passenger doors is the best path to get the cable inside.
View attachment 4105272

I am probably going to do one of these on my 80 when I wire in the Starlink permanently Water proof cable pass through I will probably do it near the rear sliding windows AKA D pillar.

 

[Artie]

Got my SATGEAR rack mount (MM3) yesterday and just installed it. I’m having to move some stuff around in my rack and I had to move a load bar on my Dissent rack. The MM3 isn’t really made for my rack and I had to drill some holes to make it work. The mount is kind of silly expensive but I do like how it mounts the Starlink flush with the low bars and it’s got a removable case that holds the actual Starlink that’s pretty hellastout. Just four screws to take out to pull the starlink from the mount. I think for me that’ll be pretty useful.




View attachment 4105267View attachment 4105268View attachment 4105269
You could just get the case with the handles and mount that directly on the rack. If you used rivet nuts, it would have the same functionality.

Nexus to figure out the cable routing. I got a free sec gear cable and it’s pretty Hellastout too. It’s much thicker in diameter than the Starlink cable so I’m a little concerned about running it through the door gaskets not sure if he rear door or one of the passenger doors is the best path to get the cable inside.
View attachment 4105272

I know l making the jump to Starlink is a bit of a leap of faith but it’s really a game changer for so many reasons, there is no going back to phone hotspots after making the jump.

I am jealous of anyone on here that can mount anything permanent to their roof rack. My Dissent rack is a mary-go-round of bike racks, kayak racks, canoe, traction boards…

 

[kcjaz]

I run the StarLink High output one re-configured for 12 volts. It's fast. Usually 300. Usually just on stand-by but if I need it on it's there and fast.

Im sure this is a stupid question but isn’t the cable just a power cable? How does that affect data speed assuming there is enough power being supplied?

My Starlink came with 2 cables. One with water tight round DC connectors on both ends that uses the AC plug power supply and the other for use with the car charger with round DC on on one end to plug into the Starlink and the other USB C that goes into the round car cigarette charger adaptor.

When I run the Starlink from my EcoFlow battery, I see that it draws anywhere between 20 to 43 or so watts.

 

[kcjaz]

I’ve been playing with the Star Link and my EcoFlow devices. With my phone and the EcoFlow devices all connected to the StarLink, and the StarLink getting a sat signal for internet, it all works as anticipated. The devices talk to each other on the network and do not need BT. However, when I loose connection to the internet, all the devices seem to drop the StarLink wifi network. I then loose connection to them with my phone. The odd thing is my phone stays connected to the STarlink network (though of course has no internet). I thought the StarLink would work like a LAN router when it didn’t have a sat connection and that would allow the EcoFLow devices to still communicate on the network. The EcoFlow devices revert to BT when the internet is lost. It seems that the EcoFlow devices need the internet to communicate when on WIFI or the Starlink Mini somehow doesn’t function as a router w/o internet. Not sure if this is a StarLink or EcoFlow issue.

EcoFLow does have a WIFI Direct feature that turned on an EcoFlow WiFi network that in theory I can then connect my phone to but I have to do that manually.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

I’ve been playing with the Star Link and my EcoFlow devices. With my phone and the EcoFlow devices all connected to the StarLink, and the StarLink getting a sat signal for internet, it all works as anticipated. The devices talk to each other on the network and do not need BT. However, when I loose connection to the internet, all the devices seem to drop the StarLink wifi network. I then loose connection to them with my phone. The odd thing is my phone stays connected to the STarlink network (though of course has no internet). I thought the StarLink would work like a LAN router when it didn’t have a sat connection and that would allow the EcoFLow devices to still communicate on the network. The EcoFlow devices revert to BT when the internet is lost. It seems that the EcoFlow devices need the internet to communicate when on WIFI or the Starlink Mini somehow doesn’t function as a router w/o internet. Not sure if this is a StarLink or EcoFlow issue.

EcoFLow does have a WIFI Direct feature that turned on an EcoFlow WiFi network that in theory I can then connect my phone to but I have to do that manually.

So I'm confused. Your devices revert to bluetooth when the mini loses sat connectivity or when the mini is powered off and not standing up a wifi network?

 

[Sandroad]

Does the mini need a clear view to the north sky? My standard actuated Starlink really likes a north sky view for best speeds. I’m considering a mini for its lower power draw when I’m at an off grid campsite I use, but there is no clear north view.

 

[kcjaz]

So I'm confused. Your devices revert to bluetooth when the mini loses sat connectivity or when the mini is powered off and not standing up a wifi network?

Yes. That appears to be the case. I’m confused too. Could it be something to do with DCHP?

 

[Sajan]

Yes. That appears to be the case. I’m confused too. Could it be something to do with DCHP?

When starlink loses internet, are you seeing the wifi network on your phone?
I am not familiar with the starlink device and whether it turns off wifi when it loses internet..
But typically a Modem/Router/Access Point device provided by the internet provider doesn't cut off wifi because it doesn't have internet. Your wifi should still be up and your devices will stay connected to the device, just not able to get out to the internet.

If the starlink all-in-one device behaves diff....then grab a travel router like i mentioned earlier and setup wifi on there.

It could also be ecoflow devices needing internet to function (wouldn't be unheard of)...

 

[kcjaz]

When starlink loses internet, are you seeing the wifi network on your phone?
I am not familiar with the starlink device and whether it turns off wifi when it loses internet..
But typically a Modem/Router/Access Point device provided by the internet provider doesn't cut off wifi because it doesn't have internet. Your wifi should still be up and your devices will stay connected to the device, just not able to get out to the internet.

If the starlink all-in-one device behaves diff....then grab a travel router like i mentioned earlier and setup wifi on there.

It could also be ecoflow devices needing internet to function (wouldn't be unheard of)...

My phone always shows that I’m connected to my Starlink Wi-Fi network when there is no satellite connection. And as I said above, the Starlink app still shows I have five devices connected to its Wi-Fi network even when there’s a no satellite connection.

 

[MCtree]

Some of the older Ecoflow devices were more reliant on having access to the internet. Perhaps you have one of these?

As an aside, it’s annoying how Ecoflow kind of forces one to be on-line every thirty days to use the app. Not an issue if one has Starlink, but it could be bad if one wanted to go off-line for that long.

 

[Sajan]

My phone always shows that I’m connected to my Starlink Wi-Fi network when there is no satellite connection. And as I said above, the Starlink app still shows I have five devices connected to its Wi-Fi network even when there’s a no satellite connection.

That's good info, then this sounds like an ecoflow issue or behavior.

 

[Sajan]

Some of the older Ecoflow devices were more reliant on having access to the internet. Perhaps you have one of these?

As an aside, it’s annoying how Ecoflow kind of forces one to be on-line every thirty days to use the app. Not an issue if one has Starlink, but it could be bad if one wanted to go off-line for that long.

Yup..

 

[kcjaz]

Yup..

Yeah, I saw the complaints about the app needing to be on the Internet on Reddit. I’ve never had an issue maybe that’s because I’m usually at home with full Wi-Fi when I turn on the EcoFlow stuff before a trip just to make sure it all works, which logged me in or something and I’ve not been gone for more than 30 days before

 

[FrazzledHunter]

Yes. That appears to be the case. I’m confused too. Could it be something to do with DCHP?

DHCP?
I can't imagine it's DHCP but I'm not into the weeds of STARLINK's DHCP server. I can't imagine a DHCP server doing anything if internet is lost. Imagine the outcome if a DHCP server had already handed out a dozen IP addresses. The devices are already bound to an IP with a lease time. Imagine a new device coming on to any network but there is no internet. Why would a DHCP server refuse to give an IP address? The answer is it would give an IP address to keep the network managed/configured. Now a DHCP server could theoretically actually be on the internet (yikes!) but that's not our case with the mini.

So I can't imagine a DHCP server like this. Even if STARLINK were offline I would imagine the mini would give out IP addresses so a device could get on its WiFi network. Later, when connectivity to the STARLINK network was established by the MIni would you then see traffic to your devices.

I'm fairly certain of this as I have connected to the mini's wifi and screwed up the pointing at camp and losing internet. Yet I am still able to talk to the mini with the app (which is connected via wifi) to re-point the mini.

What it sounds like is happening is that your devices are insisting on a connection endpoint out on the internet and when they can't get it throw in the towel and revert to another connection strategy, i.e. Bluetooth. This is good or bad depending on your point of view I guess.

Take my phone as an example. When I'm connected to STARLINK's WiFi on my phone and listening to internet radio while driving I can lose internet simply by changing heading. However the dropout recovers as the mini reconnects, usually rather quickly. WiFi doesn't drop. If cell service were available then the phone would try that. So it mimics your devices and results in better connectivity and a happier camper.

So to recap it appears like your devices are using strategies to stay connected to the internet.

 

[kcjaz]

This is the response from EcoFlows AI assistant.

I understand frustration with the EcoFlow devices switching to Bluetooth when the Starlink internet connection is lost. Based on the information available, here are some insights and suggestions:

Understanding the Connection Behavior When your phone and EcoFlow devices are connected to a Wi-Fi network that loses its internet uplink (like Starlink), the app may lose its cloud connection. The devices might then revert to a local Bluetooth connection for control, as this is a common fallback mechanism.

Potential Solutions & Workarounds

1. Local Network Communication: Some EcoFlow systems support local area network (LAN) communication for device control without requiring an active internet connection. Please check your specific device settings in the EcoFlow app:
   
   • Navigate to your device's settings and look for network options.
   • See if there is a setting related to "Local Network" or "LAN" communication that can be enabled. This would allow the app on your phone to communicate directly with the devices over your local Wi-Fi network, independent of an internet connection.
2. Router Configuration: Ensure your Starlink router does not have features like "AP Isolation" or "Client Isolation" enabled. These settings prevent devices on the same Wi-Fi network from communicating with each other, which would break any potential local LAN control.
3. App Functionality Limitation: Please note that certain advanced app features, such as remote monitoring from a different location, firmware updates, or cloud-based energy management (like TOU), require an active internet connection and will not be available during an outage.

Recommendation First, check the network settings within the EcoFlow app for each of your devices (Delta 2, River 2) to see if a local LAN mode is available and enable it. This is the most likely way to maintain app control via Wi-Fi without an internet uplink.

Note: The above content is intelligent assistant generated and for reference only. Please verify the accuracy of the information carefully.

This is what it said to the same prompt the second time:

I understand your frustration with the connectivity issues when Starlink loses internet connection. Let me help you troubleshoot this step by step.

Network Configuration for Local Control:

1. Local Network Communication:
   
   • EcoFlow devices can communicate locally over Wi-Fi even without internet access
   • Ensure all devices are connected to the same 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network (Starlink router)
   • The app should maintain local connection through the router's internal network
2. Router Settings Check:
   
   • Confirm your Starlink router doesn't have AP isolation enabled
   • Disable any firewall settings that might block local device-to-device communication
   • Ensure multicast/broadcast traffic is allowed on your network
3. App Connection Method:
   
   • When internet is available, ensure devices are connected via IoT mode (not just Bluetooth)
   • Once configured, they should maintain local Wi-Fi connection even without external internet
4. Alternative Setup:
   
   • Consider setting up a dedicated local Wi-Fi network just for your EcoFlow devices
   • This would provide more stable local communication independent of Starlink's internet status

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Force close and reopen the EcoFlow app when connection drops
2. Check if devices appear as "offline" or disconnected in the app
3. Try accessing device controls directly through local IP addresses if supported

If these steps don't resolve the issue, there may be limitations in how the app handles pure local connections without any internet gateway available.

Note: The above content is intelligent assistant generated and for reference only. Please verify the accuracy of the information carefully.


I understand your frustration with the connectivity issues when Starlink loses internet connection. Let me help you troubleshoot this step by step.

Network Configuration for Local Control:

1. Local Network Communication:
   
   • EcoFlow devices can communicate locally over Wi-Fi even without internet access
   • Ensure all devices are connected to the same 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network (Starlink router)
   • The app should maintain local connection through the router's internal network
2. Router Settings Check:
   
   • Confirm your Starlink router doesn't have AP isolation enabled
   • Disable any firewall settings that might block local device-to-device communication
   • Ensure multicast/broadcast traffic is allowed on your network
3. App Connection Method:
   
   • When internet is available, ensure devices are connected via IoT mode (not just Bluetooth)
   • Once configured, they should maintain local Wi-Fi connection even without external internet
4. Alternative Setup:
   
   • Consider setting up a dedicated local Wi-Fi network just for your EcoFlow devices
   • This would provide more stable local communication independent of Starlink's internet status

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Force close and reopen the EcoFlow app when connection drops
2. Check if devices appear as "offline" or disconnected in the app
3. Try accessing device controls directly through local IP addresses if supported

If these steps don't resolve the issue, there may be limitations in how the app handles pure local connections without any internet gateway available.

Note: The above content is intelligent assistant generated and for reference only. Please verify the accuracy of the information carefully.

I'll try again today to figure it out. The AI responses potentially helpful but are AI and using more general knowkedge than EcoFlow specific knowledge. What you want is a AI specific product engineer that knows all the details of the product line but of course, no tech company is going to let that be on the internet.

@FrazzledHunter, all I meant by mt DCHP comment was a static vs. dynamic IP address issue.