Starlink Mini regularly delivers 100+ Mbps in field tests, but real-world throughput varies with local cell load, obstructions, weather, and power stability. Starlink’s network reports median download speeds near ~200 Mbps in some markets, yet users can experience slowdowns where many terminals share a cell or when the network enforces congestion controls.
Concrete tuning checklist (practical & actionable):
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Site selection: choose an unobstructed sky view (dishes need clear line-of-sight to multiple LEO satellites). Even thin tree canopy or vehicle roof racks can drop throughput. Use the Starlink app’s sky-view tool to confirm. Avoid shared-cell congestion windows: in high-density areas (events, marinas) speeds can dip — schedule heavy uploads (backups) off-peak. Starlink is a shared wireless medium; peak-hour slowdowns are expected until more capacity is added.
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Power stability: Starlink Mini is optimized for low power but sensitive to input ripple; use PD-rated cables and avoid cheap inverter chains — DC-to-DC or PD supplies reduce energy loss and transient resets. Reviews repeatedly flag power as a major operational cost for mobile use.
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Use Router Mini / indoor mesh for better cabin coverage: if indoor Wi-coverage is the bottleneck (not backhaul), add a local mesh node or the Starlink Router Mini to reduce indoor loss.
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Monitor & adapt: instrument with the Telemetry API to detect trending drops and proactively remediate (move terminal, reboot, or switch to alternate link).
For commercial deployments, consider an SLA playbook: controlled testing at the planned site during peak hours, documented throughput baselines, and fallback plans (cellular backup or scheduled upload windows).