The federal gov in Canada is either in progress of or has done it already to make internet service a essential service. I fully and firmly agree with you. To be internetless in today's world is to be at a major disadvantage.
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Starlink is very good
- Thread starter Brian Hall
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JayGilb
Major Contributor
My son installed and used Starlink for a year and a half before Gigabit fiber was installed in his rural location for approximately the same monthly cost.
He had no major complaints and thought the data speed was adequate.
He had no major complaints and thought the data speed was adequate.
That reminds me. Every little while the cable ISP that I use increased the data rates and the expense stays about the same for me so I get the faster speed package and the new improved gateway/modem. I'm up to ~1.5GB down and frankly I can't feel any difference with the last 3 speed upgrades. It's so fast that small improvements are not noticeable. I'm loving this though for sure.
I remember selecting and installing my first few telephone/fax modems and using them for many hours...LoL.
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Yes, watched these several times. Best to catch them soon after release as they spread out. There are phone apps to help you find them. After complaints they now coat them so they aren't very reflective. Don't think you'll see what is in that video since then. They also orient them differently to reflect less as they are moving into position.
JayGilb
Major Contributor
Actual internet data speed is rarely a bottleneck these days, it's always a slammed server or poor load balancing schemes.That reminds me. Every little while the cable ISP that I use increased the data rates and the expense stays about the same for me so I get the faster speed package and the new improved gateway/modem. I'm up to ~1.5GB down and frankly I can't feel any difference with the last 3 speed upgrades. It's so fast that small improvements are not noticeable. I'm loving this though for sure.
Yeah, I remember using 300 baud acoustic modems from home in the early days and it taking minutes just to establish a basic line prompt connection.
When I signed up back in 2022, they had just announced for all of the west coast. I waited to hear how things were going and they quickly reached capacity and started a wait list. I jumped on the waitlist and got my place in line for early March 2023.
The self-install isn’t too difficult, though it does pose some interesting challenges depending on your location.
I also had the challenge of needing to hard-wire my new mesh routers as our house is very long. I did 6 Ethernet drops in 3 different rooms using cat6a. I bought the ASUS XT8 zenwifi ax.
As our friendly OP did, I put the Starlink router into bypass mode and needed the Ethernet adapter to plug in the main ASUS.
I also installed a small patch bay and gigaswitch to manage routing the drops to the main location in our living room.
Overall, we have exceptional coverage from our garden and garage on one side of the house all the way to the bedroom and beyond on the other end.
For Starlink's part, we had a dish malfunction that they replaced at no cost to us, and refunded us for lost time. The customer support was poor during this time of expansion for them as a company, but when they got to us they handled it promptly and with sufficient humility; I didn't even have to ask for the refund they just processed it when they sent me the new dish and message apologizing for the situation. So that was refreshing.
If any are interested, I had this thread over on AH:
forums.audioholics.com
Nothing earth shattering.
The self-install isn’t too difficult, though it does pose some interesting challenges depending on your location.
I also had the challenge of needing to hard-wire my new mesh routers as our house is very long. I did 6 Ethernet drops in 3 different rooms using cat6a. I bought the ASUS XT8 zenwifi ax.
As our friendly OP did, I put the Starlink router into bypass mode and needed the Ethernet adapter to plug in the main ASUS.
I also installed a small patch bay and gigaswitch to manage routing the drops to the main location in our living room.
Overall, we have exceptional coverage from our garden and garage on one side of the house all the way to the bedroom and beyond on the other end.
For Starlink's part, we had a dish malfunction that they replaced at no cost to us, and refunded us for lost time. The customer support was poor during this time of expansion for them as a company, but when they got to us they handled it promptly and with sufficient humility; I didn't even have to ask for the refund they just processed it when they sent me the new dish and message apologizing for the situation. So that was refreshing.
If any are interested, I had this thread over on AH:
Starlink and Home Network Setup (and Help Needed)
I signed up for Starlink last year while it was unavailable, but knew it would be coming back fast to Cali so felt it was a no-brainer. The notice came back in mid-March that my time had come and they would ship my kit upon my confirmation. Done and done. Today was installation day: I got up...
forums.audioholics.com
Nothing earth shattering.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #67
The Ethernet adapter is no longer needed with the version they are shipping now. The Starlink router has two Ethernet ports on the back. Only one is really needed since most will probably use an external router and the Starlink router set to bypass mode.
Indeed.
They are also offering a new mesh router as well, iirc.
But even with the older gear, everything is pretty splendid.
When I first got hooked up, I was coming from 60-70mbps from Comcast bus/xfinity. Starlink was 130mbps down a year ago.
I clocked over 300 down this past January, and most tests are 220-260 right now.
Needless to say, I’m pretty happy with it.
I'm sooper curious what the future will bring or is possibly here already in the form of a back packable satellite up/down internet connection. Something that can be held in a small carrying case, put in a backpack and brought out wherever one may go. Another thing of intrigue was a company that hired me and overnight before I woke for my first day of employment emailed to me a non-disclosure agreement that had many unreasonable terms and so I quit before I went to work that day. They had a satellite system that one can simply drop on somewhat level ground and power ON. It then auto aligns itself with the source(s) and calibrates automatically and is used for oil and gas operations field work. It required about 20 minutes at the most to align itself and auto login. The data stream reports to the engineers at head office so they can monitor the operation of the equipment on site at a lease. The intention is that oil and gas workers are not to be trained or expected to manage such a task when they are already working overtime hours each day operating a lease and must get results fast so the play can be justified to the bean counters. It was a very nice package and could fit on a pallet.Indeed.
They are also offering a new mesh router as well, iirc.
But even with the older gear, everything is pretty splendid.
When I first got hooked up, I was coming from 60-70mbps from Comcast bus/xfinity. Starlink was 130mbps down a year ago.
I clocked over 300 down this past January, and most tests are 220-260 right now.
Needless to say, I’m pretty happy with it.
Count Arthur
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You poor sods in the US pay utter rip-off prices for an internet connection.
That and cel tel service. I pay ~ CAN $100/month for cel tel 5G service including my Samsung Galaxy S23 cel tel purchase plus another ~ CAN $105 for cable internet 1.5G speed at unlimited data per month.
I already got lambasted elsewhere for making some salient comments about capitalism and the exploitation of both worker and consumer… so I’ll let that dog lie.
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This one is great, all the satellites: https://platform.leolabs.space/visualization
RFLMAO... haha... I feel your pain.I already got lambasted elsewhere for making some salient comments about capitalism and the exploitation of both worker and consumer… so I’ll let that dog lie.
I worked contract piece work receiving 50% of the total labor rate in my jeans @ ~$55/hour to~$ 95/hour to ~$1000 per day if doing mass modifications for manufacturers (Like receiving 5300 electronic devices for MODing and I can do a lot of them in a day and make ~$500 in my jeans.) , straight 100% commission as a salesperson and was also a United Auto Workers of America dues paying member for awhile too. I wayyy prefer contract work or commission. I am not held back on the income level and the rate of work that I can produce. I can work ~6 hours in a day and make more than others and go to the park or surf the net instead of being at work if that suites me on that day or I can really go steady all day and get lotsa stuff done if required. It's all about being responsible and taking varying levels of responsibility.
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Outrageously cool and interesting!
Love it...
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The $70 total per month I pay for bidirectional 1GB fiber in Minneapolis seems totally reasonable. On the other hand, the $150 total per month I pay for the same thing at my rural cabin in NW Wisconsin stings a bit. It doesn't feel totally unrealistic considering the market size of where my cabin is at and the fact that I have 1GB fiber there, although I think it's still a bit harsh. But hey, 23ms round trip ping over my site-site VPN is pretty fantastic!
Foookin hell, my sim only 5g contract is £8 month for unlimited texts/calls and 30gb data (I’m lucky to use 1gb data a month), I still use my iPhone XS, no desire to change.
That's a wowzer number for sure. very nice!
Yes, Canada has one of the highest if not the highest cel tel plan rate fees going. LoL... A girlfriend in Germany has 3 cel tels because the plans are so affordable.