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Starlink Question

Any 2002 to 2004 U320 owners using Starling - How do you get the cable for the router into the coach? It appears to me that the best way is through the engine compartment and under the bed.  I'm stumped.
Charlie and Mernie Matthews
2003 U320
2020 Chevy Equinox
18918

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #1 –
Does year matter? I have a 99 320. I've run mine in multiple configurations over the last two years. First was into the wet bay, through the middle fiberglass chamber with all of the hoses and wires (I think that's what they are), and then a hole through the floor into the living area under the cabinets. Second way was to put the router under the bed and drill a hole into the engine bay, and run it above the bay hatch and up the ladder. Third and current way is putting the router behind the bedroom TV, poke a couple holes into the bedroom cabinets, run the cable up through the air vents in the back near the rearview camera.

It kind of depends on how permanent or removable of a solution you are looking for. The easiest would be to put the cable through the window. You can also just put the router in the bay and run the cable outside and close the bay door.. Another would be to make a small divot under the bed lift and run the cable through the engine bay.
1999 U320 WTFE #5586
2014 Subaru Forester 6sp
4000 watts of solar
650 aH @ 24v

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #2 –
I just ran it through my drivers side window, but I primarily dry camp and have to pack everything up every trip. It's obviously not a good solution if the weather is bad and you need to keep the temperature manageable in the coach...unless you stuff something in the crack of the window.
Dylan and Aimee
2001 U320 4013
Unit# 5896
450 HP/IFS
 

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #3 –
Thanks for the info. Coming through the engine compartment looked like the best way to me, I just wondered if someone had figured out a better way.
Charlie and Mernie Matthews
2003 U320
2020 Chevy Equinox
18918

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #4 –
Mine goes through the same hole as the backup camera wires, into the bedroom cabinet, and then runs through all the cabinets to the router in the corner one. My dish is perma-mounted on the roof though.
1987 Grand Villa ORED
2001 U320 4010

Not all that wander are lost... but I often am.

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #5 –
IMG_6268.jpg

We have ours on a detachable flat mount on the roof of our coach with the cable run through the hole where the motorized dish was before I removed it.  Easy cable routing to a cabinet above the drivers seat to the router. 
Carl and Fran Isner
'04 U295 36'
Ford Ranger Toad

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #6 –
Star Mount Systems will modify your dishy with all the power and router components inside of a semi permanent flat mount.  If I were to go that route, I think I could bootleg the dish power supply without any additional holes in the roof or additional wiring.  $969.00 to modify so not cheap

  So other than being stupid expensive is there something I'm missing. 
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Elliott –
Mine goes through the same hole as the backup camera wires, into the bedroom cabinet, and then runs through all the cabinets to the router in the corner one. My dish is perma-mounted on the roof though.
Is your dish a Gen 3?
If so. Did you mount it flat on the roof or use the supplied angle bracket?

Thx Tim
Tim Dianics
Pam Sapienza
Vader PupZilla Labrador Canine Beast (AKA Pup)
Columbia, MO
1996 U320 4000
2021 Jeep Gladiator, Diesel

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #8 –
I have the standard and bought the dishy mount for my ladder rail.  Ran the wire down the ladder and used some twist ties to tie it to the ladder so it wouldn't move around and make noise.  Ran the wire on the ground just under the edge of the coach forward to the first bay on the curb side.  Router is sitting inside, plugged in to an A/C outlet in there.  Just close the bay door with the cable between the door and seal.  The seal isn't hard enough to smash the cable.  Easy setup and teardown.
Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #10 –
Down the ladder, down side of coach, receiver is in the wet bay sitting on the soap dish.
1993 U300 40ft GV SE
Build # 4344

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Bob & Sue –
Star Mount Systems will modify your dishy with all the power and router components inside of a semi permanent flat mount.  If I were to go that route, I think I could bootleg the dish power supply without any additional holes in the roof or additional wiring.  $969.00 to modify so not cheap

  So other than being stupid expensive is there something I'm missing.

We went the route of the Star Mount, very happy with it and super solid.  No degradation in signal
Carl and Fran Isner
'04 U295 36'
Ford Ranger Toad

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #12 –
I will pull the StarMount trigger if our new Verizon home modem fails us.
  So far it's done quite well. Had to reboot it a time or two but at 35.00 a month and a free modem I'm holding out.
Robert and Susan
 1995 36' 280 WTBI 8.3 3060r
 1200 watts on the roof, 720 Ah of lithium's
 Build # 4637. Motorcade # 17599
        FMCA  # 451505
        18  Wrangler JLUR

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #13 –
I mounted the SL router in the forward tv cabinet where my separate fridge/tv/bedroom outlets inverter circuit power is available, got tired of dangling cable from the cabinet through the driver window and duct taping it weathertight, so I took the plunge and cut the antenna cable.  Wired in a shielded waterproof connector in the left forward bay and ran the cable up through the main cable chase in the floor forward of the driver foot well, up the windshield post into the overhead cabinet to the router.  Used just enough cable to make that run, leaving over 60 feet for the antenna placement.

I have lots of the shielded connectors and crimper with me, so if anyone wants to cut the cable, I can assist anyone who's in Q.
2001 4010 U320 build #5865 "Bluto-d-Bus" since 09/18
2006 Honda Element ESP Toad
Full timing since 2016 in Western MT
Copilot: Sitka
1975 GMC 260 Avion: sold

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #14 –
For anyone contemplating Starlink, it looks like they have discontinued the Gen 2 dish now.  I'm sure you can still find them in the stores (bought mine at Best Buy) and maybe online, but be aware.  The mounts that are popular for the Gen 2's will not work with the new Gen 3 that looks to be designed to sit on a flat surface.
Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #15 –
Quote from: WS6_Keith –
For anyone contemplating Starlink, it looks like they have discontinued the Gen 2 dish now.  I'm sure you can still find them in the stores (bought mine at Best Buy) and maybe online, but be aware.  The mounts that are popular for the Gen 2's will not work with the new Gen 3 that looks to be designed to sit on a flat surface.

RVMobileInternet.com has an article on Gen 3  Starlink Discontinues the Gen 2 Standard Actuated Dish, Gen 3 Now the Only...

The Gen 3 appears to only have a kickstand (although the article mentions you can buy other mounts) and is not self-aligning.  You need to manually point Dishy using the app on your phone to help aim it.

At least they got rid of the proprietary cable to the dish and and have standard RJ45 ports on the router so you don't need to buy the ethernet adapter to hardwire to your preferred third party router.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320
 

Re: Starlink Question

Reply #16 –
Gen 3 also pulls more power to run it than Gen 2.  50w-75w for Gen 2, 75w-100w for Gen 3.
Keith
2003 U320 38' #6197