Starlink was officially founded in 2015 and launched their first prototype low earth orbit (LEO) satellites in 2018. As of August 2022, Starlink has launched thousands of low earth satellites into orbit. Starlink internet service exited its beta program last year and is now officially available to the general public. Starlink uses a motorized phased array antenna to communicate with the Starlink satellite constellation.
Starlink has had a couple of generations of customer premise equipment, including the original round Starlink terminal (dish) and the later square Starlink terminal (dish). Starlink has also had a couple different wireless routers they have provided with their service. This article is specifically referencing the latest Starlink Wi-Fi router. The one that does not have a built in ethernet port.
One of the most common questions about the Starlink router is whether it has a guest network functionality.
Unfortunately the Starlink router that is included with your Starlink dish does not have guest network functionality. If you wish to set up a guest network on Starlink you will need to use your own third party router.
This is unsurprising, the Starlink router lack some of the most basic features that normal are included in a router such as the ability to create a guest network, enable port forwarding, or create DHCP reservation. For this reasons for most users, a 3rd party router is a much better option.
If you wish to use your own router with Starlink, I created a helpful guide on getting started. This includes how to enable bypass mode and other essential information about using your own router with Starlink.
How to Use Your Own Router With Starlink
Why Have Guest Network
There are a number of reason you may wish to have a guest network on your Starlink internet connection. Listed are a few of the more common reasons to have a guest network.
- Securely provide your guests with Wi-Fi access.
- Put IoT devices on separate network as recommended by FBI.
- Connect your kids devices to a separate network.
Securely Provide Your Guests With Wi-Fi Access
The most obvious reason that comes to mind for wanting a guest networks is for your guests to use. This is a great option because it allows your guests to securely use your Wi-Fi without putting your privacy and security at risk. An infected device that your guest could potentially bring in is isolated from all of your devices connected to the main Wi-Fi network.
Put IoT Devices on Separate Network as Recommended by FBI
Another reason you may wish to set up a guest network is to put your IoT devices on it. The FBI has strongly recommended that IoT devices get put on their own network due to their inherent security risks.
IoT devices are a particularly easy target for hackers looking for a way into a network. Often times security patches do not get released frequently enough for these lower dollar value devices. Unfortunately a compromised IoT device can make an easy gateway to other devices on your network with sensitive data on them.
By putting IoT devices on a separate network this risk is eliminated. A compromised IoT device can’t compromise the security of your smartphones, tablets, and computers when they are on different networks. There are several ways to accomplish this, using the guest network function on your router is often one of the simplest options available. That is, assuming your router has that functionality built in.
Connect Your Kids Devices to a Separate Network
Another reason you may want to have a guest network is to connect your kids devices to. As with guest devices, perhaps you want to keep your own devices safe from whatever your children are doing online. A guest network is one way to accomplish this. However, there are better options for this.
How to Use Guest Network With Starlink
To set up a guest network on Starlink you will need to use your own router,
Fortunately using your own router with Starlink is relatively straightforward. The first step is to purchase a router that meets your needs. If you already have a router that you are happy with you can skip this step.
You will also need to purchase the official Starlink ethernet adaptor. 3rd party ethernet adaptors are not compatible with Starlink. Make sure you buy from an official source.
Next you will need to enable bypass (bridge) mode on your Starlink Router.
Finally you will connect your Starlink router to your new router using an ethernet cable and the required Starlink ethernet adaptor.
Router Options For Starlink
You can use almost any router you want with Starlink. This could include basic consumer grade routers, mesh Wi-Fi routers, or even more advanced prosumer / business grade routers.
If you want a simple setup with great range look into the Netgear Orbi, Nest Wi-Fi or AmpliFi mesh products. They offer fantastic range at an affordable price. They are also dead simple to set up.
If you want more advanced functionality, look into the Ubiquiti Unifi product lineup. Their Unifi Dream Machine and Unifi Dream Machine Pro routers are a fantastic choice. They offer lots of advanced functionality at a great price. They are a little more technical to set up but there are lots of great tutorials on setting them up properly.
If you purchase a Unifi Dream Machine you get built in wireless. If you opt for the Dream Machine Pro, you will also need to purchase a wireless access point. The Unifi U6 Lite or Unifi U6 Pro are great options. They will seamless integrate with your Unifi Dream Machine Pro hardware, and unite everything into a clean easy to use dashboard.
Conclusion
The included Starlink router does not offer guest Wi-Fi network functionality. If you want a separate guest network, you will need to use a 3rd party router. In all likelihood you will want to use a 3rd part router anyway,s whether for better range or to connect additional devices. The included Starlink router is just very bare bones. There is very little configurability. For the most basic of needs, it is fine. For everyone else, a 3rd party router is a better choice.