How to Bypass Starlink Router? Starlink Internet comes as a specialized package that comprises a dish, tripod, cable, and router.
However, the included router is sometimes insufficient since it lacks advanced features.
While some people are fine with the onboard features, some would like to bypass the Starlink router and use third-party routers.
In this guide, I will explain why bypass mode is vital and show you the steps to bypass the Starlink router.
What Does Bypass Starlink Router Mean?
Starlink router bypass or bridge mode is a customization that allows you to use your router instead of the provided one.
Consequently, you gain network control, connect more devices, and enhance speed and general performance.
Note that you may be unable to eliminate the Starlink router in the rectangular dish since it powers the dish.
However, in high performance, flat high performance, RV In-motion, and original round dish, just replace the Starlink router with yours.
Stalink router
Why Do You Need to Bypass Starlink Router?
You may need a third-party router to replace the Starlink due to malfunction and performance issues below:
- Starlink routers lack WiFi 6 capabilities and instead use the WiFi 5 technology, which is not as fast. However, the router still supports all other WiFi chipset technology below WiFi5.
- While the Starlink router is easy to set up, it does not have a lot of customization options like third-party routers.
- You can only customize the router via the smartphone app, which can be challenging if your phone is ruined.
- The router also lacks status LED lights, vital when checking your network connectivity.
- They also lack ethernet ports, meaning you can only connect devices wirelessly.
- Lastly, its coverage is only 2,000 sq. ft, less than third-party routers, which have coverage of 3,000 to 6,000 sq. ft. As such, it can be expensive to use a mesh network or WiFi extender to enhance its coverage.
Third-party router
How to Bypass the Starlink Router
Prerequisites
Before you commence the bypassing process, ensure your dish is rectangular since other dishes don’t need bypassing.
Also, ensure you have a smartphone with the latest Starlink app installed. Lastly, ensure you have a stable Internet connection to enable logging into the Starlink app.
Required Accessories
You will require a Starlink ethernet adapter to connect the router with third-party routers.
The ethernet adapter provides ethernet ports which you can use to connect your desired router to the Starlink router.
You can purchase the adapter at Starlink shop for about $25.
Then, you will need the third-party router you wish to use instead of Starlink.
While any router can work, ensure yours has your desired features, including good range, WPA3 security, WiFi6, and speed.
Lastly, ensure an ethernet cable connects your router with Stalink.
Ethernet port connection
Steps to Bypass the Starlink Router
I will show you how to do the bypass procedure and set up your router-Starlink connection in three simple steps:
1: Connect Your Router to Starlink
- Unplug the cable connecting the Starlink router to the dish
- Now connect the ethernet adapter to the Starlink router
- The next step is to plug the Starlink dish cable into the ethernet adapter connector
- Wait for a few minutes for the dish to reboot
- Once the dish reboot is complete and Starlink online status is verified, connect the third-party router to the ethernet adapter. Use the ethernet cable and ensure one end is in the adapter and the other plugged into your router’s WAN port.
2: Configuring Your Router
- Plug your third-party router into the power socket and switch it on
- Now, set up your router using the process provided by the manufacturer (these steps may vary with model and make).
- Once done with configurations, connect your phone to the newly established WiFi and ensure it’s working.
- If you also configured the Starlink WiFi, you will notice you have two WiFi networks. One from your router and the other from the Starlink router.
- It’s time to merge the two networks using the bypass feature in the following step.
3: Enabling Bypass Mode
- Go to your phone and launch the Starlink app
- Click on the settings menu
- Scroll down and select the Bypass Mode
- Now slide the toggle to enable the mode
- Once the app prompts to confirm the mode setting, tap OK, and you are done.
How to Manage Starlink in Bypass Mode
Although you bypassed the Starink router, you can still access the dish settings using the Starlink app or the web portal.
You just need to use your phone to access the app or use a device connected to your third-party router network.
To access the dish settings via the portal, use http://dishy.starlink.com or http://192.168.100.1 while connected.
If the app does not work on your phone yet you are connected, try logging in via the portal before retrying.
If the web interface and the app do not work, establish a static route. Visit your router’s configurations and use the following settings:
- Network destination: 192.168.100.0
- Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
- Gateway:192.168.100.1
- Interface: WAN
Router configuration
Fix Bypassing Starlink Router Not Maximizing Internet Speed
If you experience slow speeds after bypassing your Starlink router, try the following troubleshooting solutions:
- Reboot your routers by unplugging them from the power socket, then replug them after a few seconds.
- Installed amplified and powered antenna to improve your signal reception.
- Turn off outdated network protocols and ensure you only use the latest ones.
- Switch your bandwidth from the slow 2.4 GHz to the faster 5 GHz.
- Ensure your router’s firmware is updated regularly for the latest and enhanced configurations.
Conclusion
Now you know how to bypass the Starlink router successfully. To turn off the bypass, factory reset your Starlink router.
For a successful factory reset, plug and unplug the power cable 6 consecutive times, waiting for a few seconds before each cycle.
Once you are done, you can now reconfigure your router.