starlink for beginners

[tcpbob]

i just bought a starlink mini from JB HIFI in australia. HAS ANYONE OUT THERE SET UP SUCH A DEVICE WITHOUT USING A PHONE! I have used other boat's starlink with no problem and none of them reported the problems i am having. when i bought it i made it clear i did not use a phone. now before that starts a ____ fight let me make my position clear. they are a trade off between privacy and convience. i made my choice, you make yours.
Anyway.. at the time i made the purchase i was assured that i could complete the setup by windows OS computer and then i was free to connect to my starlink mini with the secure OS i had used when using other's starlink.

all that appears to have been changed, or at least i can not find anything but the instruction to download the "APP" onto a phone.

I really really want the thing to work but the newest web pages seem to suggest it will work only through a phone to set up and to use.

would very much value other's expereinces regarding this.

[s/v Jedi]

You simply install the app on your iPad instead of phone.

[cram]

Install the app (ios or android) is step 1 of the manual... you'll need your own device or borrow someone else's. That being said, you'll want to have the app to configure wifi, troubleshooting, view stats, check dish alignment (this will be frequent on a boat) and contact support.

Way back when starlink started and with the gen 1 dish, it was possible to configure it via a web browser, not anymore .

Maybe buy a cheap used tablet??

[HeinSdL]

Out of interest, anyone seen the starlink constellations pass overhead at dusk? I have, it's bordering on disgraceful. By all means use it, but be aware that the overall costs are a lot higher than the subscription fees...

[SVTatia]

Another option is using a phone without a SIM card if you are concerned about privacy. You can still use the internet, but anonymously.

[skalashn]

Your Windows PC is probably not as secure as you think, unless it is air-gapped...but hey, whatever works...You could try installing the android emulator there and use the android app.

[wholybee]

No, you can't fully set it up without a phone. You could probably plug it in and it would work, but with a default wifi name and no password. And you would be unable to run various tests and troubleshooting without the app.

[tcpbob]

Good morning to you all from the other side of the globe.
I will respond to all in order.


Jedi… I look at an Ipad as just a big phone, running a similar system as a phone.
It is important to this discussion to note that I have personally used my laptop when I have used other people’s starlink, so I know for fact I can except the mini version of starlink where I can only suppose.


Cram…. Yeah, I am afraid you may be right but in very recent past it appears one could use a laptop at least for after setup control. Also last week I saw a set up page from starlink that had links to instructions for setup with windows but the links went nowhere. Then couple days later page was edited and those links gone. I sure wish I had taken a screenshot. it may be a situation of the company playing to vast majority of users and ignoring the vast minority? Dunno.


SVTatia yeah but… if the device is within range of a receiving station it can connect without a sim. Most that I have seen say you must have a sim for connection but can contact emergency resources without one. But I get your point. It would improve privacy but not guarantee it.


Skalashn I agree, windows is a horror show for security. I would never use it for web browsing but for set up only…. I would use a disposable internal drive to do it. Normally I use a a linux system with tor browser which I still regard as dangerous but best I can do and that is the system I have used when connecting to other peoples starlink, no worries. But it is the bloody set up….


Wholybee I fear you may be right in which case I will return the thing for a refund. The vendor has assured me of that but I will not do that until I explore every possibility and still hoping for more information. One possibilty is I may have bought the wrong version. I may have been better off with the 3 version of regular starlink, it was less money too as there may be a newer model of that coming soon.


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[nohal]

You must at least set the integrated router in the Starlink Mini to bypass mode. For that you need a phone or tablet with the Starlink app. You do not need to own that device, stop anybody on the street and borrow a phone form them or buy a phone (simcard not needed) and destroy it ritually after the act.
Then connect your own router meeting your own security requirements with the Ethernet cable.
Your account and subscription can be managed using a computer on Starlink website and no phone is needed for that.
I would myself probably wear a tin foil hat during the whole process to make it really secure though.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by tcpbob

Good morning to you all from the other side of the globe.
I will respond to all in order.


Jedi… I look at an Ipad as just a big phone, running a similar system as a phone.

What makes a phone is the cellular phone service, which is something that you don’t need to have in a tablet, which clearly differentiates the two. A tablet is a very portable computer, not a big phone… so your perception is false unless you don’t want computers either but then you don’t need Starlink

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

Out of interest, anyone seen the starlink constellations pass overhead at dusk? I have, it's bordering on disgraceful. By all means use it, but be aware that the overall costs are a lot higher than the subscription fees...

No, this is incorrect. The phenomena you describe isn’t the Starlink constellations.

First, there is only one Starlink constellation. Second, what you see is a fresh batch of satellites that was launched very recently. Such a batch is launched in one rocket and they are placed in a cassette and ejected from it all at once. Afterwards they slowly navigate to their positions in the constellation and you won’t see them anymore.

I much rather have Starlink satellites than government spying and military weaponized satellites.

[HeinSdL]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

No, this is incorrect. The phenomena you describe isn’t the Starlink constellations.

First, there is only one Starlink constellation. Second, what you see is a fresh batch of satellites that was launched very recently. Such a batch is launched in one rocket and they are placed in a cassette and ejected from it all at once. Afterwards they slowly navigate to their positions in the constellation and you won’t see them anymore.

I much rather have Starlink satellites than government spying and military weaponized satellites.

OK good so not so bad then from a visual perspective.

[leecea]

Not sure what security concern is the issue but according to recent research, a well equipped and determined organization can track StarLink.

Researchers analyzed war zones in Ukraine and identified at least 3,722 satellite-based broadband service Starlink terminals, exposing pre-deployment sites, and military movement.

[cram]

Another option, but still windows, is an Android emulator. Note that it may require position sharing... but then again EVERY Starlink dish has position sharing back to the mothership ....

https://www.androidauthority.com/bes...for-pc-655308/

If you are that concerned about privacy, no internet connection (Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, phone, tablet. laptop) will provide complete privacy if you have ANY connectivity (bluetooth, wifi, wireless mouse, etc...) ... given that YOUR data is getting beamed down to the earth in a fairly broad zone (several km), it would be possible for a bad actor to capture every bit sent to you via Starlink....

[tcpbob]

G'day Cram


i do not know what an emulator is.... and as far as security goes, i know privacy is difficult to attain and do not depend on the signal end as only source of security. i believe every step possible should be taken to hopefully defeat the "bad actors"or at least increase the difficulty.



what i am certain of is that the modern "smart phone" is the worst thing that has ever happened to personal privacy... ever. to use one is to live in a panopticon..



i was raised in a time when a phone was private unless a judge issued a warrant after considering convincing evidense that a crime has been committed. now google sells everything to anyone who will pay and they own android....



and i am a particular target. having been a publisher that exposed several issues the government and government supported industries did not like exposed.