Setting up Starlink Gen2 internet- any suggestions?

[zannej]

Oh, wanted to follow the thread but got confused...

Q. Have you used StarLink yet? If it's above i didn't see it. What's the verdict?

I'm thinking of changing to something different. The rumor is that we'll have cable in a year. But I've been hearing "fast internet" since Slick Willy and his clown show.

My only option is satellite of some type. Heck, my cell phone doesn't even work where I live.

Yes. I've been using Starlink since February. It is super fast but because we have an obstruction (giant 400yr old oak tree) and the pole we put it on is not stable enough, we drop signal every few minutes. It comes back up rather quickly, but it is 100x better than Viasat (which was better than Hughesnet).

Pros: Very fast, no data limits, quick reconnection after disconnects most of the time, cheaper than Viasat, can be portable & tracks the satellites by itself instead of having to be specifically pointed, going to 192.168.100.1 lets you view the modem status from a pc instead of having to use an app. From there you can do a speed test, check visibility, & get statistics of downtime/issues
Cons: Drop signal bc we don't have it in the best spot, getting extra parts/accessories takes months, customer service is pretty much nonexistent, modem does not have any ports for ethernet (part has to be ordered separately & takes a month or more to arrive), no light on modem to indicate if it is on

Despite the issues, I was able to load 6gb in 5min. Speeds vary depending on weather (wind makes it a bit unstable bc our pole is not stabilized) and on speed of the servers I'm connecting to.

We can stream videos, download updates and game patches, & generally use it without worrying about data limits. No fighting over who is hogging the usage. It feels much more "free".

Now, I've heard that the setup costs are now higher than they were when we purchased it but monthly bill should still be the same. It's $99/mo but we were paying more for Viasat for much much slower speeds. 1Gb would take HOURS to load. Trying to download 6Gb would have taken days. So, we are mostly happy with it but it could use improvement.

That said, I'm trying to decide between two crossover mounts up high.
This galvanized one (that is over $30)

or
This powdercoated steel one (that is only $20)

The latter one comes with its own wrench. It has no reviews though. The former one is larger but only 2.36mm thickness and latter is 3mm thickness.

Which one would you pick?

New diagram