Last Updated on 23 December, 2025 by Robyn Dockendorf

Vanlife comes with many challenges: layout design, the van conversion process, space constraints, storage issues, electrical wiring, and much more. However, one of the biggest challenges is deciding how to get van life internet.

We use Starlink in our van and consider it one of the best van internet choices. I’ll walk through our experience with Starlink, how we set it up, why we like it, and the challenges that come with it.

Access to mobile internet is crucial for vanlifers working on the road. We’ve tried several options and found Starlink simple, mobile, reliable, and easy to operate. If you’re on the fence about Starlink, this article should give you a good idea of whether it fits your vanlifing style!

If you decide to go with Starlink, remember to use our referral code to get your first month free!

This post includes affiliate links, but rest assured that we only recommend items we would use ourselves. If you choose to make a purchase, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. There are no sponsorships; this is just the truth about our favorite finds.

8 Reasons Why Starlink is a Game-Changer for Van Internet

Whether you work remotely, run a blog, or both, access to reliable, stable internet is essential for vanlifers. Starlink is one of the best van internet choices for a few reasons.

1. Ability To Roam

When you get Starlink Roam, you’ll gain access to the internet no matter where you travel, as long as you stay on a single continent. It allows vanlifers to move from location to location while still having internet.

Since vanlife is all about exploring the world, this is a massive advantage over other internet choices.

2. Easy Setup

When you use Starlink, there are no confusing cables or wondering what all the blinking lights on the router are. It’s simple plug-and-play. Later in this article, I’ll briefly review how to set up your Starlink system in your van.

By the way, we have various wiring guides for your van on our blog! Check out how to wire your van and how to wire your DC to DC charger.

Another thing I like about Starlink is that you only have to download the app. It walks you through the setup step by step with simple language—no need to talk to customer service!

3. Pause Your Service Anytime

Another considerable advantage of Starlink Roam over other van internet choices is the option to pause service anytime. I’ve taken advantage of this multiple times when we stay with family for an extended period or take a break from vanlife.

You’ll only be charged for the days you used the internet that month and won’t be charged again until you restart your service.

To pause your service, it’s just a few steps on the app or desktop:

1. Sign in to your account.
2. Scroll down to ‘Your Starlinks’
3. Click ‘Manage’
4. Under ‘Subscription’ on the screen’s left side, click ‘Pause Service.’

That’s it! It’s super easy and takes effect immediately.

4. Reliable Internet

According to Yale University, as of December 2025, Starlink has over 9,000 satellites in orbit, offering a wide net of coverage across the globe.

We’ve been using Starlink for over two years and have found it very reliable. We only have problems if we park the van in a heavily forested area, as the satellite needs a clear view of the sky.

That said, we’ve parked in forested areas and still gotten good service on most occasions. When there are obstructions, the internet speeds may slow down or disconnect occasionally. However, we rarely run into this.

We typically run four devices on Starlink simultaneously – two laptops and two cellphones – and never notice speed drops, even when every device is connected and running simultaneously.

5. Multiple Options and Upgrades Available

Starlink constantly develops new and improved equipment. For vanlife, this means low-profile, compact designs. When we purchased our Starlink, we got the standard Gen2 actuated satellite, the only one available at the time. It’s bulky and definitely not low profile on the van roof!

Now (2025), Starlink offers the Standard Gen 3 satellite with a kickstand instead of the ‘X’ mount for a lower profile. They also recently released the Starlink Mini, which has a built-in router and can run on a USB-C adaptor.

Starlink’s technology and innovation are far ahead of other companies in terms of getting reliable internet on the go using easy-to-use technology for travelers.

6. Easy Storage

Even with our larger Gen 2 satellite, we found storing it in the van pretty simple. We created a holder for it above our electrical cubby and placed a piece of foam on top to protect the satellite. The wooden lid of the cubby goes over the foam, sealing the satellite in place.

We also have the router stashed in our electrical cubby, secured with a few strips of wood and a small bungee cord. We never have a problem with either piece of equipment, even when driving down bumpy roads.

7. Easy Customer Service

Have you ever dreaded calling your internet company’s customer service line? You have to wait 30 minutes to an hour to talk to someone who usually has to transfer you to someone else anyway, get disconnected, and start the whole process over again. Yuck.

Starlink’s customer service is simple. Use the app and scroll down to ‘support.’ Choose the option that best suits your issue, such as billing, orders, service plans, or troubleshooting. The app walks you through troubleshooting steps, so you never have to speak to a customer service representative.

On the other hand, if the app can’t answer or fix your issue, you can fill out a ticket and send it to customer service with a description of your specific problem. When a representative becomes available, they will contact you. I’ve found this process much more straightforward and have occasionally used it to troubleshoot issues. I typically receive a reply within a day or less.

8. Coverage

If you’ve ever looked at a coverage map for a mobile network, you’ve probably noticed a bunch of dead spots, especially in the West. Starlink has coverage over nearly the entire United States. There are small dead spots here and there, but nothing compared to other mobile networks.

This is huge for vanlifers who rely on the internet for work. If you depend on Verizon, T-Mobile, or other cellular companies, you’re far more likely to run into dead spots than you would with Starlink.

Installing Starlink in Your Van

If you have your Starlink kit and are wondering how to set it up in your van, I’ve got a step-by-step guide here!

If you haven’t activated your Starlink account yet, use our referral code to get your first month free, no strings attached (I also get a free month, so it’s a win-win!).

Now, onto the installation process.

Installing The Mount

As I said before, we have the X-shaped mount for our setup. We placed the mount on the roof of our van in the back corner on the driver’s side. If you have the Gen 3 router (which we upgraded to recently!), I’ll go over how to set it up with a mobility mount below!

We had to drill four holes into our van’s roof to properly secure the mount. I know – it’s terrifying! – but this way, you can secure it and forget about it while driving. If you have the new Gen 3 kickstand, I’ll teach you how to install it using a mobility mount.

Another option is to use super strong magnets to hold your mount on the roof. I have heard of people successfully doing this, but I personally didn’t feel very confident about it and wanted to use good old-fashioned hardware for mine. Nonetheless, I’ll discuss this option, too!

Gen 2 Mount – Bolting In

Here’s how to install the mount on your van’s roof for Gen 2:

1. Place the X-mount where you want it on your van’s roof. Remember that when you place the satellite on the mount, you’ll want a clear view of the north sky, so choose your location carefully. I wouldn’t recommend mounting it on the side of the van or near any obstructions like a ceiling vent or solar panels.
2. Mark your pilot holes using a marker on each end of the ‘X.’
3. Use a 7/32 drill bit to drill each pilot hole.
4. Use Rustoleum or similar and apply it to each hole to prevent rust. Allow the Rustoleum to dry.
5. Place the X-mount over the holes and use 1/4″ sheet metal or lag screws to secure the mount to your van’s roof.
6. Use waterproof caulking on and around the screws and ends of the mount to create a waterproof barrier. Allow the caulking to dry completely.

Gen 3 Mount Using Mobility Mount

To mount a Gen 3 satellite to the roof of a van, you’ll need to purchase the mobility mount from the shop. Once it arrives, you’ll notice it comes with everything you need, including lag screws, bolts, nuts, a screwdriver, and a washer.

1. Choose the mount’s location. Opt for an area free of obstructions such as roof vents, storage bags, or solar panels.
2. Remove the kickstand from your Gen 3 satellite (squeeze the release tab and pull it away from the satellite).
3. Place the mount where you want it and mark the holes using something that will show on the metal, such as a marker. There are four holes in total.
4. Use a 3/16 drill bit to drill the holes in the van roof.
5. Use Rustoleum or similar around and in the hole to prevent rust. Allow the Rustoleum to dry.
6. Use the provided screwdriver or a drill to secure each lag screw in place. Remember to place the washer on the screw before securing it in place with the drill.
7. Place the nuts on the other side to secure the lag screws in place.

At this point, you would connect your satellite to the mount and tighten the two locking screws to secure the mount in place. If you need to take off the satellite, you would need to unscrew the locking screws before removing it. However, because the Gen 3 is so low profile, you shouldn’t need to remove it while driving.

Another option is to buy a standard X-frame mount for the Gen 3 from the shop, but this would require removing the satellite each time you drive.

Mounting Using Strong Magnets

A third and final option for mounting the Starlink satellite on your van’s roof is to use strong magnets. Magnets with over 100 lbs of strength can hold your mount steady to the roof, even on the highway. Like I said, I didn’t trust it, but I’ve seen plenty of people use this strategy successfully!

Strong magnets can be purchased online from retailers like Amazon, Ace Hardware, and niche van retailers. Aim for magnets that have a 1/4″ screw so that you know it will fit snugly against your X-frame or mobility mount.

Installing the Router

Every van build is different, so your router placement will depend a lot on how you set up your electrical compartment and how your van’s layout looks. Try to install your router in an accessible location that isn’t buried under a bunch of things. This will help strengthen the signal.

We installed our router by using a few pieces of wood to secure it and attaching a small bungee cord to keep it upright. It works well and can be applied to most van builds. Leave space at the bottom for the Starlink and power cord to come out.

Our router is installed inside our electrical compartment. Even though there is a wooden lid over it, the signal is still strong, and we’ve never had problems using WiFi inside or outside of the van.

Wiring Through Van Roof

Wiring through your van’s roof is always a little more involved. Below is what we did for our Starlink wiring.

Here are the items you’ll need to install the Starlink cable through your van’s roof:

• Starlink Cable
• 1″ spade bit & drill
• Rust prevention (like Rustoleum)
• Entry gland or conduit with 1″ opening
• Thru-hole pipe with threads
• Locking nut
• Plumber’s putty
• Caulking

1. Find an appropriate location to drill through your van’s roof for the wire. You will attach a gland over the wire to protect it from the weather, so leave enough space between the mount and your gland when choosing where the hole will go.

2. Mark the hole.

3. Use a 1″ spade bit to drill a hole into the roof (The cable may be small, but the choke on the end of the cable is about 7/8″).

4. Use Rustoleum or similar and coat the hole to prevent rust. Allow the Rustoleum to dry.

5. Assemble the entry gland/conduit outlet.

6. Screw on the locking nut to secure the gland in place.

7. Feed the Starlink cable through the conduit.

8. To prevent leaks, seal the entry gland on your van’s roof with caulking. Allow the caulking to dry completely.

9. Install your satellite on the mount and plug in the Starlink cable (this will give you an idea of how much slack you need through the entry gland/conduit).

10 Give yourself an extra inch or two of slack, then seal the conduit/entry gland hole with plumber’s putty. This will also seal your wire in place, so make sure you have enough slack!

The one annoying thing about the Gen 2 (and really, it’s not that annoying) is that you have to disconnect and store the satellite when driving. Because of this, wiring needs to be done with inclement weather in mind.

When your satellite is not connected to the mount, the wire will be exposed to the elements.

For whatever reason, Starlink does not sell waterproof boots for the end of the wire. You’ll have to go to a third-party retailer to find one. We got ours on Etsy, and it works perfectly. Make sure to install this on the end of the wire that connects to the satellite anytime you store your satellite.

Wiring From Van Roof to Router

Wiring to the router is pretty simple once you get the wire through your van’s roof. Use cable clamps or similar to hold the wire in place as you feed it toward the router.

Our kit came with a 50-foot cable, so we had a ton of extra cable between our satellite and router. We just coiled it up and created a large saddle clamp to hold it in place behind our insulation and walls.

You can leave the wire connecting to the router plugged in at all times. That way, once it’s plugged in, you can set it and forget it.

Wiring From The Router To A Power Source

This part of the wiring process is also relatively simple. Use cable clamps or similar to hold the cable in place as you feed it from the router to a power source in your van’s electrical system, such as an inverter. The Starlink Gen 2 and 3 run on AC, so if most of your van is DC, you’ll have to install an inverter to run your Starlink.

Alternatively, you can get a converter to change the power supply from A/C to D/C, which is what we did to avoid the need for an inverter.

Running Starlink consumes a decent amount of power. If we have our internet on all day (for example, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.), it can drain our batteries by about 35% per day if we also have solar coming in. If we have little to no solar, our batteries can drop as much as 50-60%.

We rarely use the internet all day, so its power consumption is usually acceptable.

Storing the Starlink Dish (Gen 2)

Storing the Starlink dish is simple when you’re ready to pack up and hit the road. Go to ‘settings‘ in the app and click the ‘Starlink‘ tab. Scroll down to ‘Stow‘ and swipe to the right to stow the dish. This puts it in an upright position that is the easiest to store.

Unplug the Satellite, place the rubber boot on the end of the cable, and store the satellite in a secure place inside the van. As I mentioned, we store our satellite above our electrical equipment with foam to protect it.

If you have the Gen 3 or a flat mount, there’s no need to store the dish!

Downsides to Starlink

We’re pretty big fans of Starlink. However, you need both sides of the story before making an informed decision, right? So, let’s review some of the downsides we’ve experienced with Starlink.

Cost

One of the most significant downsides to Starlink is the high price tag that comes with the equipment and the monthly service cost. When we purchased our Starlink (Gen 2, circa June 2023), it cost us around $680 to order the kit. That includes shipping ($50) and tax.

A monthly service plan for Starlink Roam costs us $165 per month. This is far pricier than most other van internet options, such as mobile hotspots, signal boosters, and routers. While we find it worth it and can afford it at this time, many vanlifers will find the price tag too high, and that’s understandable!

Delays In Getting Replacement Equipment

When we first ordered our Starlink, we tested it at our house before hitting the road. It worked great! We installed it on the van, and again, it worked perfectly. A few weeks into vanlife, the internet just stopped working.

The troubleshooting steps on the app weren’t cutting it, so I had to contact customer support. They shipped us a new router a few days later, thinking that was the issue. We had to wait for it to be shipped, installed, and tested, but the internet still didn’t work.

Their next option was to send us a whole new kit. Granted, it was at no cost to us, and this ended up fixing the issue, but it was a pain to go back and forth and wait for things to be shipped to us while we were on the road, especially since we needed the internet to work.

They gave us a free month to make up for the issue, which helped. But be aware that if you have problems, it may take a while to resolve them because you must get new equipment shipped to you—there are no brick-and-mortar stores.

Since we got a replacement kit, we’ve had no issues on the road.

Can’t Use While Driving (Gen 2)

When you use a mobile hotspot or router, you don’t really have to do anything to prepare to drive. In fact, these can be used while driving. With Starlink’s Gen 2 dish, you have to stow the satellite, disconnect it from the Starlink cable, remove it from the mount, and store it somewhere secure while you drive.

This hasn’t been a huge deal for us, as it only takes a few extra minutes to install/take down the satellite, but it’s definitely an additional step to add to your checklist before you pack up and leave a camp spot.

Starlink offers some service plans that allow your satellite to remain on your roof while driving, but this option is only available in some places and has an even higher price tag. If you use the Gen 3, its low profile allows you to leave it on the roof while driving, but you still cannot use the internet if you drive over a certain speed.

Power Consumption

If you rely on solar alone to power your camper van, Starlink may not be the best option because it consumes a fair bit of power. It will consume about 170 watts for 1-5 minutes when initially plugged in. For the first hour, it’ll use about 65 watts, give or take. When it finally settles down, it consumes about 45 watts of power per hour for as long as it’s connected.

This high power consumption can quickly drain a small house battery setup. As I mentioned, our Starlink drains our batteries by about 35% per day if we run it all day (which we usually don’t). During peak sunshine, we can plug our Starlink in and still have about +10 amps, but this only occurs for a few hours each day when the sun is near its zenith.

Other Van Internet Options

If Starlink isn’t the right fit for you, there are plenty of other options, from cell phone plans to public WiFi. No internet option is perfect; sometimes, combining van internet options is best to ensure full coverage.

Here are some other options for accessing van life WiFi:

• Using Public WiFi: One option for getting van internet is to utilize public WiFi. Places like McDonald’s, Barnes & Noble, Panera, Starbucks, Target, Dunkin’ Donuts, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Subway, Tim Hortons, and many others offer free WiFi. Just be aware that speeds vary at each location.
• Cell Phone Hotspot: Many cellular plans offer unlimited data plans with hotspot capabilities. You turn your hotspot on and connect your laptop to your phone’s WiFi. Unfortunately, this only works when you have enough cell phone signal, so it could be spotty in remote locations with fewer cell towers.
• In-Vehicle WiFi: Many newer vehicles are equipped with the same antennas as your smartphone and can broadcast a WiFi signal that you can connect to and use, similar to a router.
• Cell Router: Another option is to buy a cell router and use a SIM card to piggyback on your cell phone’s data plan. SIM cards are considered additional phone lines, so they come with an extra charge. The router will also only provide a signal where you have a cell signal.
• Mobile Hotspot: Some cellular companies, like Verizon, offer mobile hotspots equipped with specific gigabyte limitations per month, but they can be taken and used anywhere, similar to your phone’s hotspot.

These are just a few options for camper van internet for those who need it to work or enjoy traveling.

So, Is Starlink The Best Van Internet? Our Conclusion!

Choosing a van internet option is a challenge. You want something portable but sturdy, functional but affordable, reliable yet compact. There’s no right answer, but for our internet, we’ve found Starlink to be the best way to get internet on the road.

Do you have a van internet option that works best for you? Let us know in the comments below! We love learning about new possibilities and ideas that might help future vanlifers choose the best van internet option for them.

If you decide to go with Starlink, remember to use our referral code to get your first month free!

Until next time, keep adventuring, and give your furbags an extra pet from us dirtbags! For more vanlife tips and tricks, check out our vanlife blog!