# Frequent interruptions

> Sporadic drops and fluctuating speeds, plus how to place a router so WiFi stops being the cause.

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

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## Overview

Intermittent problems look like sporadic drops, fluctuating speeds or brief
outages that fix themselves. They are harder to diagnose than a dead link
because everything looks fine by the time you go and check.

**Note the pattern as you go.** Time of day, weather, which room, which
devices. If you end up filing a ticket, that pattern is the most useful thing
in it.

## 1. WiFi checks first

More intermittent complaints come from WiFi than from the satellite link.

- Confirm WiFi is set up in the app under **Settings → WiFi settings**.
- **Split the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands.** Put high-bandwidth devices on 5 GHz, such
  as 4K TVs, consoles and computers, and everything else on 2.4 GHz. Do not
  crowd everything onto 5 GHz.
- Place the router centrally and in the open, away from walls, metal and
  interference.
- In a mesh, space nodes about **9 m (30 ft)** apart so they do not interfere
  with each other.
- In a large house or one with concrete walls, add mesh nodes. The built-in
  router alone will not cover it.
- **A Starlink Mini as primary home WiFi will not cover a large space.** Add
  extenders.
- Review connected devices in the app and disconnect ones nobody uses.

## 2. Check the app for alerts

Connect to the Starlink WiFi and open the app. Alerts name the fault. See
[App alerts](/en/guides/starlink/alerts/).

If you cannot connect to the Starlink WiFi, go to
[Suddenly offline](/en/guides/starlink/offline/suddenly-offline/).

## 3. Check the weather

Heavy rain, snow, storms and high winds all cause brief outages. Compare your
outage times against the weather; if they line up, that is your answer.

Clear snow or ice from the dish gently if it is safe. Starlink recovers quickly
once conditions improve, so retest afterwards. If it still misbehaves in clear
weather, keep going. See [Weather](/en/guides/starlink/weather/).

## 4. Check obstructions

Run **Check for Obstructions** in the app to build a fresh visibility map.
Intermittent blockage is the signature of a branch or pole that only some
satellite passes cross.

Check the app's outage history for patterns, and if the dish was moved
recently, confirm it is well placed, mounted and oriented. See
[Obstructions](/en/guides/starlink/obstructions/).

## 5. Check cables

Skip this on a Starlink Mini.

- Unplug the Starlink cable at the outlet, inspect it, plug it back in.
- Look for damage, kinks, weather exposure and bent pins.
- Check any ethernet adapter or extension.
- Try a different port if there is one.

Use official Starlink cables. Third-party cables cause compatibility faults and
void warranty coverage. See [Cables](/en/guides/starlink/cables/).

## Router placement

Placement matters more than most people expect.

**Central.** Put the router where the devices are, not where the cable happens
to arrive.

**Off the floor.** A table, counter, shelf or nightstand. Signal radiates
mostly along the plane the router sits in, so halfway up the room beats floor
level.

**In the open.** Not in a cabinet, a media console or a closet.

**Upright, on its base.** Never on its side. If problems started suddenly,
check whether it got knocked over.

**Same room, or one to two rooms away.** Thinner walls carry further. In older
houses with plaster, put the router near a doorway, since wood is less dense
than the wall.

**At least 6 m (20 ft) from interference.** Microwaves, refrigerators, metal,
concrete, brick, fluorescent lights, neighbouring WiFi networks and bad
electrical connections.

**Watch out for legacy devices.** A WiFi 6 router coordinates with WiFi 6
clients to cut congestion and latency. WiFi 4 and older devices cannot join in
and drag the network down. Move them to 2.4 GHz, or better, run ethernet to a
nearby mesh node.

## Tools that help

**Advanced Speed Test** measures WiFi directly, so you can see whether your
WiFi is delivering what the dish can provide. Keep the device still during the
test; beamforming needs a few seconds to adapt.

**The Network tab** shows signal strength per connected device, and the split
band setting lives in Settings. 2.4 GHz reaches further but picks up more
interference; 5 GHz uses shorter waves that struggle through walls but meet
less interference.

## Related

- [Slow speeds](/en/guides/starlink/slow-speeds/)
- [Obstructions](/en/guides/starlink/obstructions/)
- [Mesh](/en/guides/starlink/mesh/)
- [Weather](/en/guides/starlink/weather/)