I am sure you have a lot more questions! Don't worry we will do out best to answers as many as we can and this page is pretty long, but filled with loads of info and videos to help. If you would prefer one of our team to work out the right solution for you, please just jump to the bottom of the page and fill out the form.
Let's first talk about your Starlink install. If you have the rectangle dish, then you will notice that your Starlink wireless router doesn't have an ethernet port. For all of the solutions below, you will need to get the optional ethernet adapter from Starlink, which can be found here.
Not sure how all the bits you received from Starlink fit together - This video should get you going in the right direction.
When that question is asked, we first like to find out which of the following you are trying to achieve. Please note that these solutions won't give you stronger 3G/4G/5G connections. That is a different technology. The solutions below are for extending the wireless coverage of your current internet connection.
Please do also bear in mind that the following materials can massively decrease the distance wireless will travel along with the speed performance. It is important to understand a little more about the location you are wanting to increase wireless in and the makeup of any walls, floors or objects between buildings, before you can choose the right solution for you.
Metal
Blue Stone
Concrete
Dense Fooliage & Trees
Solid Wood beams and panels
You want to be able to use a wireless device (laptop, phone etc) over a greater distance than is being covered already by the solution you have in place.
In this instance, you would normally have a wireless router or access point already setup (possibly just your Starlink router) up and you are finding you have dead spots, or it does not reach as far as you would expect / need it to. Have a read below of the section - Extend my Wireless - To cover a greater area for more information on how to improve your setup. This as been split in to two sections. One covering mesh and extenders, the other using ethernet cabled wireless access points.
You want to be able to use wireless in a separate property / location - for example a shed, granny flat or garage that is not physically possible (or not cost effective) to connect using a physical ethernet cable.
This does have a little cross over with the question above. It is often thought that by increasing the power of a wireless access point, it will cover a greater area and therefore "allow" the signal to reach another building. Although in some instances this may work, various factors including physical distance and building materials used, play a significant role in performance. Creating a wireless bridge is often the most reliable and consistent way to approach this and will work for connections from 10m to several kilometers. This option can be extended to join multiple locations together in what is called a Point to Multi Point Wireless Bridge. Have a read of the section below - Extend my wireless - To another location, for more information.
Each one of these have a slightly different approach, but we hope to lay out solutions for all in the page below. Remember, if you are not sure, need some extra help or are just a little lost and need some direction, we are on hand to help. Give us a call (1300 910 949), start up a webchat (bottom right hand corner) or fill in the form (right at the bottom of the page)
What is the most powerful access point you sell?
This is a question we often get asked. As standard most access points have a published radius of about 50 - 75m. You need to bear in mind that many factors will impact this - the makeup of walls, density of brick, trees and plants etc. Please also take into consideration that having a strong access point won't mean better wireless, the connecting device is the weak link. See the power of more section below.
How to improve wireless in my house / How can I get a stronger wireless signal?
Improving your wireless coverage in your house, when you have Starlink, is often quickly fixed by replacing the Starlink router and adding extra wireless access points. These can be either wired to your new router, or in some instances can be wireless "repeaters" Please read the section below - Extend my wireless - to cover a greater area, for more information and options.
How can I extend my wireless range?
Improving your wireless range is often fixed by adding more wireless access points. These can be either wired to a new router, or in some instances can be wireless "repeaters" If you are looking to reach an outbuilding or cover several acres, then you will need to look at a number of access points or wireless bridges. The section below, Extend my wireless - to another location, should help.
What is a wireless bridge?
A wireless bridge is generally made up of two devices that are used together to create a network connection between two or more buildings, without the need to run an ethernet cable. Distances can often be from 10m to over 10km or more.. One device is attached to the outside of each property facing each other. There needs to be no obstructions in the way, ie buildings, tress etc. If you are looking to create a wireless bridge, please refer to the section below - Extend My Wireless - To Another Location.
In these two sections we are only going to focus on how to extend the wireless, inside and directly outside your property that already has wireless or needs it.
It is first important to note that wireless is actually about density not distance. We can often think that if we get a really powerful access point, we can then use that wireless on our devices, ie a laptop or a mobile over a greater distance. Unfortunately, the weakest link is the receiving device as it often only has a small antenna.
Maybe think of it as an adult and a child playing soccer. The adult kicks the ball as hard as they can and tells the child to run after it. Once it stops, they need to kick it back to the adult. It is just not possible as the child can't kick as far as the adult. This is the same in the wireless world. The signal can be transmitted a long distance, but the receiving device is so much weaker it can't send the data back, so it won't work until it gets closer.
To fix this issue we need to add more access points, which will in turn give us better coverage and better speeds as more devices will be closer to an access point.
As part of your Starlink setup you would have received a wireless router. In most instances this would have come without an ethernet port and probably will not cover as much of an area with wireless that you need it to. To create the best solution, we would recommend purchasing the ethernet adapter from Starlink and replacing the router.
The best solution is to add in wireless access points, ideally hardwired, using Cat6 ethernet cable back to your new router or switch. We would suggest an access point per level, as a minimum, and ideally an access point every 20m throughout. This will give you the best wireless connectivity. If you have brick or concrete interior walls then this may need to be every 10m.
If you are looking to cover an outdoor space, then use an outdoor wireless access point mounted to the outside of your property for the best results. Do remember though that the coverage will be dependent on the device connecting, so we would suggest it will cover no more than about 50 - 70m.
It may not be possible for you to run ethernet cables inside your property, maybe it is a rental, or you don't want the additional cost or trouble.
Depending on the makeup of your walls, their thickness and the materials used, you may find that an extender like the TP-Link RE650 may do exactly what you need.
If you need to cover a larger inside area over a couple of levels, or possible get outside or maybe to another building if it is close (less than 10m) then creating a wireless mesh will certainly be a great option to consider.
This video walks through how extenders and mesh networks can work and be setup with your Starlink router and what materials to look out for that will reduce your wireless coverage. You will also find some purchase options list below in the What do I need to order? - Wireless Mesh and Extenders section.
More access points are better than less. Hardwire them back to your router or switch for the best results. If you can't hardwire them, then you can consider creating a mesh or using an extender. A mesh can be a little less reliable, due to the make up of walls etc, but with the right equipment can be a great option. Use a good quality external access point if you want to cover an outside space like the Ruijie Reyee RAP 6262-G
We all like simple, ready to use solutions that are cost effective. For us using Ruijie or Ubiquiti products are some of the quickest ways of getting up and running. Expand the links below to read about each product offering and the options you need to build your wireless network expansion.
Remember, if you are not sure, need some extra help or are just a little lost and need some direction, we are on hand to help. Give us a call (1300 910 949), start up a webchat (bottom right hand corner) or fill in the form (right at the bottom of the page)
We all like simple, ready to use solutions. As you will have seen from the video most mesh solutions are setup and configured using a smart phone app. You just need to grab enough mesh points to cover the area you need without there being more than around 20m between any of them (depending on the thickness of your walls etc)
If you are looking for a basic repeater / extender without the need for the optional Starlink ethernet adapter, then the TP-LINK is a great starting point.