The Starlink Mini has Wi-Fi built in, which is perfect for the vehicle and the area right around it. Getting good coverage in a caravan, house, shed or across a worksite takes a bit more. Rural communications is what we've done since 1975, so this is our home turf.
How far the built-in Wi-Fi reaches
- Up to about 15m: best performance
- Up to about 50m: fine for most things in the open
- Beyond that, or through walls: noticeably weaker
Caravan and building walls, especially aluminium and foil insulation, cut Wi-Fi a lot. A dish on the tow vehicle roof might cover the campsite well but struggle inside the van.
Set up your Wi-Fi properly
- Set a password straight away. The Mini starts with an open network called STARLINK, so anyone nearby could use your data. Set your own name and password in the app's router settings.
- Use the guest network for visitors so you can turn it off later without changing your own password.
- Your Wi-Fi password and your Starlink account password are different. One connects devices, the other logs into the app.
Make calls with no phone coverage
Turn on Wi-Fi calling on your phone. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all support it, so your normal mobile number makes and receives calls and texts over Starlink, even in a total black spot.
On iPhone, also turn off Wi-Fi Assist (Settings > Mobile, at the very bottom). Otherwise your phone can drop off Starlink and onto weak mobile data without telling you.
Extending your Wi-Fi
When the built-in Wi-Fi isn't enough, there are a few ways to extend it. The Mini has an ethernet port under the small plug on the back, so you can connect your own router or network equipment.
Outdoor access point: camps, yards and worksites
A weatherproof access point spreads strong Wi-Fi over a wide outdoor area. It's ideal for a station homestead yard, a camp kitchen, a shearing shed or a worksite compound. See the Ruijie Outdoor Access Point.
Point-to-point bridge: reaching another building
Beams the connection hundreds of metres to another building, such as house to shed, office to workshop or homestead to cottage, without running a cable. See the Ruijie Point-to-Point Wireless Bridge.
Mesh router: inside the house or van
Fills a building with Wi-Fi with no dead spots. See the Ruijie Mesh Router.