New Starlink Mini

[hblosser]

I have purchased a Starlink Mini which should arrive tomorrow. For now, I plan to run both the power cable and a CAT 6 cable out through the slide seals. I have my own wireless router I plan to locate inside the trailer. Does anyone have any suggestions for making a more permanent way of connecting through a wall?

My trailer is a 2015 Montana 3610RL.

 

[Mikendebbie]

My Gen 3 dish is on a telescoping pole mounted to the ladder. I run the cable thru the hose port in the wet bay, up and over the wet bay bulkhead wall to the router. I lay the power pack and the router on top of the basement bulkhead wall. The power pack plugs into an outlet in the basement. WI-FI signal is strong throughout the RV. This method requires no new holes or drilling thru the sidewall. I might find a wall mount for the router and power pack some day, but it’s free to stick it up on top of the basement wall.

In Starlink threads on IRV2, I have seen the connector below used as a waterproof through-wall connector. I’m sure if I researched a few more threads I would find more connectors.

 

[LeftOverParts]

Doing something similar is on the to-do list for our Gen2 system. For now, we use the front door or convenience center port. The older cable can be cut and fitted with Cat6 connectors.

For power, you could do something similar with a 120v bulkhead connector or a residential grade, covered outlet. Both the RJ45 and the power tap could be in a box under the trailer (at bumper, convenience center, front door, etc) for weather protection.

Here’s a bulkhead power connector and the RJ45 shown by Mikendebbie. All kinds of boxes available too.

 

[Desert5er]

I also use the hose port in the wet bay to run my cables. Router is in the basement as well. I bolted the top half of the Starlink pole to our rear ladder and put the dish up there. I know a lot of people use the Flagpole Buddy to make setting up easier, but with the occasional high winds and constant need for connectivity, I chose a more rigid approach. The cable runs through 3M clips along the underside of the trailer to keep the outside looking clean. We roll the cable up and stow it in the basement when we travel. I screwed one of those velcro extension cord keepers to the basement wall to keep it out of the way. We had a challenge where my wife had to be physically plugged in to the ethernet port for her work VPN to connect, so we bought a pair of Eero routers. The main router plugs directly in to the Starlink router in the basement and the satellite is in the house where we can plug in to ethernet.

 

[hblosser]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I will use the wet bay to route my cables for now.

 

[Route 66 Rambler]

We cut a hold in the side of the RV that is under the stove and behind the bottom drawer. Installed a Smart Plug with an ethernet insert. Then ran a cable inside the RV from the back of the Smart Plug behind the cabinet next to the stove, under the pantry and behind the fireplace. It come up behind the TV where we plug in the router. Also installed a plug with a switch so that we never have to "unplug" the router, just turn off the switch. Now the only thing we have to do do set up the the Starlink is plug in McFlatface outside the camper and turn on the switch. Only takes minutes. Since the mini has the router built in to the dish all you have to run is the ethernet. Get you cables from Mobile Must Have.

https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Power-Inlets/SmartPlug/SM36MJ.html

 

[foldbak]

I'm not using the Ethernet port. I just ran a power wire from behind the fire place using the existing wire penetration hole with a female end. The wifi is strong and works great. I also discovered last trip out that you do not have to be in alignment to receive a signal. A rig down the way from me had a lot of trees and he was pointing at the only open sky and had signal. he was 180 deg off alignment. I turned mine 180 out and it worked all week.

 

[Daryles]

I used Flag Pole Buddy to mount ours. For years we ran the cables through the windows. Finally installed "through wall" fittings on the rear wall.