Slow speeds

Separate a WiFi bottleneck from a service problem, and know what peak hours are supposed to look like.

Last updated Aug 18, 2026View as Markdown

Overview

Most “Starlink is slow” reports are WiFi problems, not satellite problems. The first job is to tell them apart, and the app’s Advanced Speed Test does exactly that.

If you are on a Roam plan, expect slower speeds than other plans, particularly at peak times and in busy areas. Roam is deprioritised by design.

Diagnose it first

Run Speed Test → Advanced in the app and take all three readings:

Test What it measures
Router → Internet What the service is actually delivering
Device → Router Your WiFi link alone
Device → Internet End to end, WiFi included. What other speed test sites report

If Device → Router is much lower than Router → Internet, your WiFi is the bottleneck. Fix the WiFi and stop investigating the dish. See Frequent interruptions.

Run the test on the 5 GHz band, close to the router, and keep the device still while it runs. Beamforming takes a few seconds to adapt to your position.

Narrow it down

Turn off any VPN and test again. A VPN slows the connection and is the single most common overlooked cause. If you will not disable it, test from another device that has the app and no VPN.

Is it every device or one device? If it is one device, the problem is that device’s connection.

  • On WiFi. 2.4 GHz reaches further but is slower; 5 GHz is faster but struggles through walls. Splitting the bands often fixes an individual device.
  • On ethernet. Check the cable’s printed markings. Anything below Cat5e limits your speed. Use Cat5e or better.

Split the bands

  1. Open the app and sign in.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Under Router → Networks, pick your Starlink WiFi.
  4. Turn on Split 2.4 / 5 GHz networks.
  5. Give one band a distinguishing name, for example a -2.4 or -5 suffix.
  6. Save.
  7. Reboot the router so it takes effect.

Remove third-party equipment. Routers, mesh nodes and switches that Starlink did not make are a real cause and Starlink’s troubleshooting for them is limited. Pull them out and test with Starlink equipment only. If speeds improve, you have your answer.

If you have to keep a third-party router in place, connect a computer by ethernet directly to the Starlink power supply, or put the Starlink router into bypass mode, so the test result means something.

Check it against expectations

Compare your result with the speeds listed for your area on the Starlink availability map. Within about ±10 Mbps of the listed figure is normal.

There is also an official Expected Speeds Per Service Plan chart.

Peak hours

Peak is typically 6 pm to 11 pm local time, when many users in your cell are online at once. Variable and reduced speeds in that window are expected behaviour, not a fault, and they are worse on Roam.

Starlink manages traffic dynamically and adds capacity by launching more satellites, so this changes over time.

Slow all day, not just at peak

Consistent slowness through the day points at your setup rather than the network.

  1. Check the app home screen for alerts about outages, obstructions or hardware.
  2. Confirm you are at the service address on your account. Mobile service is slower.
  3. On a Priority plan, check whether you have hit the data limit. Past it, you are capped at about 1 Mbps down and 0.5 Mbps up until you add data.
  4. Look at the dish for dirt, debris or anything covering its face. See Where to install.
  5. Power cycle the dish and router at the wall.
  6. Remove third-party hardware and test off-peak with the Starlink app and router.
  7. Confirm the device has good signal and is on 5 GHz. The Network screen in the app shows per-client details.

Getting help

If nothing above helps, submit a ticket through the app with screenshots of your speed test results and the dates and times you ran them.