# Where to install

> Picking a location, why the dish has to stay tilted, and how to clean it without wrecking it.

Source: https://joinnasnet.com/en/guides/starlink/install-guidance/
Last updated: 2026-08-18

---

## Overview

Placement decides how good your service is, and it is the one thing that is
expensive to change later. Everything else is software.

## Picking a location

The dish needs a clear view of the sky in the directions the satellites travel.
A branch, a pole or a roofline in the way causes interruptions rather than a
clean failure, which is why people live with a bad location for months without
realising it is the cause.

Use **Check for Obstructions** in the app at every candidate spot before you
drill anything. See [Obstructions](/en/guides/starlink/obstructions/).

Most people end up better served by a permanent mount somewhere high: a roof, a
pole, a wall. Permanent installation also protects the cable, which is the part
that fails first on a temporary setup. Mounts and accessories are available in
the Starlink shop once your kit is ready to ship.

## Keep it tilted

The alignment tool applies to the Standard 4, Standard 4 X and Starlink Mini,
which have no motor and rely on you pointing them.

Two reasons the tilt matters:

- **Coverage.** The dish reaches the most satellites when it is aimed at the
  part of the sky they cross.
- **Water.** Laid flat, the dish pools rainwater, and you get dropouts that
  look like a service problem. Use the kickstand.

See [App tools](/en/guides/starlink/app-tools/) for how the alignment tool
works.

## Cleaning

The radome is pure Teflon, which is why it is so slippery and sheds water on
its own. A microfiber cloth and glass cleaner is all it needs.

Do not:

- **Paint it.** Any coating on the radome ruins snow and rain shedding and you
  lose performance in exactly the weather where you need it.
- **Cover it** with cloth or anything else, for the same reason.
- **Apply hydrophobic treatments** such as NeverWet or RainX. They get
  recommended for other companies' dishes and they are not recommended here.

## Related

- [Obstructions](/en/guides/starlink/obstructions/)
- [Mounts](/en/guides/starlink/mounts/)
- [Weather](/en/guides/starlink/weather/)
- [Installers](/en/guides/starlink/installers/)