Troubleshooting Your Satellite Internet Connection

Before you worry about your satellite dish, it's highly recommended to rule out your home Wi-Fi network. Often, the "internet outage" you are experiencing is just a local router glitch.

1. Check for Internet Outages: Most providers have a network status page you can check on your mobile phone, if possible. Downdetector.com is also a reliable tool for checking widespread outages.
2. Power Cycle Your Devices: The oldest trick in the book is still the most effective. Unplug your router and modem (or your all-in-one gateway) from the power outlet for a full 30 seconds, then plug them back in. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for the system to fully boot up and reconnect.
3. Check Physical Connections: Ensure that the ethernet cable connecting your satellite terminal to your router is securely clicked into place. Look out for damaged, bent, or chewed cords.
4. Isolate the Device: Try connecting to the internet on a different device. If your smartphone connects but your smart TV doesn’t, the issue lies with the TV's network settings, not your internet connection.
5. Clear Cache & Check Geolocation: If a specific website or streaming app won't load (saying "not available in your region"), clear your browser cache. You can also visit a site like whatismyipaddress.com to ensure your IP geolocation hasn't temporarily mismatched.
6. Turn Off VPNs and Third-Party Network Gear: Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can interfere with connectivity and dramatically slow down satellite internet. Temporarily disable any VPNs. If you are using a complicated setup with secondary routers or network switches, bypass them and connect directly to your primary router to test the connection.
7. Perform a Factory Reset: If you've completely lost access to your network because you forgot your Wi-Fi password, you will need to perform a factory reset on your router. Keep in mind that this will disconnect all your current devices, and you will have to set up your network name and password from scratch.

Because Starlink relies on a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, its hardware and troubleshooting processes differ significantly from those of traditional satellite providers.

1. Use the Starlink App to Diagnose Issues

The Starlink mobile app is your absolute best tool for troubleshooting. Before climbing onto your roof or contacting support, open the app. The app allows you to securely reboot your system remotely, run advanced speed tests (testing both the speed from the satellite to the router, and the router to your phone), and check for system alerts or localized outages.

2. Check for Obstructions

Unlike traditional geostationary satellite dishes that only need a view of the southern sky, Starlink requires a very wide, clear Field of View (FOV) to track satellites as they move across the sky.

• The Fix: Use the augmented reality (AR) feature in the Starlink app to scan the sky. Even a single tree branch or roof peak encroaching on the dish's line of sight can cause micro-drops in your internet connection. If the app flags an obstruction, you will need to relocate the dish to a clearer area.

3. Managing Snow and Extreme Weather

Heavy snow and ice can block satellite signals, but Starlink hardware is designed to handle it.

• The Fix: Starlink dishes feature a built-in "Snow Melt" feature. The dish naturally heats up, melting away snow and ice blockages. You can configure this setting in the Starlink app to run automatically or toggle it on manually. Do not attempt to aggressively scrape ice off the face of the dish, as you could permanently damage the surface.

4. Advanced Starlink Network Fixes

If you are still experiencing latency or connection issues, consider these Starlink-specific network tips:

• Avoid Layer 2 Switches Before the Router: Starlink specifically advises that you connect only one Layer 3 router directly to the Starlink user terminal (dish). Remove any Layer 2 network switches or multiple routers placed between the dish and your primary router, as this can trigger network configuration errors.

Run a Traceroute: If you are experiencing high latency or audio drops on specific platforms, you can run a traceroute using your computer's Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) to see where the connection is getting hung up.

Still experiencing problems?

Starlink's customer support system has a 24/7 hotline and app UI feature to get service faster. It can be reached by calling 888-GO-STARLINK (888-467-8275), which will immediately connect you to an AI voice interface you can speak to and describe your issue. You'll be able to work on finding a solution, or schedule a time to receive a call from a human support agent.

Troubleshooting Viasat and Hughesnet

If you use a legacy geostationary satellite provider like Viasat or Hughesnet, your troubleshooting steps will differ slightly due to data limits and the nature of the physical dish.

• Check Your Data Cap: The most common cause of "broken" or incredibly slow internet on Hughesnet and Viasat is maxing out your monthly priority data allowance. Once you hit your cap, speeds are heavily throttled. Check your provider's app to see if you need to purchase a data token.
• Lower Your Streaming Quality: If videos are constantly buffering, go into your streaming app settings and lower the video quality from HD/4K to Standard Definition (480p/DVD quality). Viasat even features a "Video Data Extender" you can toggle on to do this automatically.
• Do Not Adjust the Dish Yourself: Geostationary satellite dishes must be pointed with pinpoint accuracy at a single satellite thousands of miles away. If a heavy storm or falling branch knocks your Viasat or Hughesnet dish out of alignment, do not try to realign it yourself. Call customer support to schedule a professional technician.
• Hughesnet customer service: 1-866-347-3292
• Viasat customer service: 1-866-945-3258

Viasat and Hughesnet specific troubleshooting tips

If none of these have worked for you so far, go ahead and check out our Hughesnet Troubleshooting guide or our Viasat Troubleshooting guide to get specific tips on your satellite internet providers.

More satellite internet tips

Satellite internet service can’t deliver the lightning-fast connection speeds of fiber or cable internet, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to put up with a sluggish connection. If your internet package is fast enough to support moderate video streaming (at least 15 Mbps), you should be able to watch Netflix or YouTube occasionally without buffering.

Unusually slow satellite internet is caused by a few common issues. Try these troubleshooting tips to get better Wi-Fi speeds and faster streaming on your satellite connection.

Pare down the number of devices

The most common cause for a slow satellite internet connection and slow internet generally is having too many devices connected to the internet, hogging too much data. 

Satellite internet connections are not robust enough to support use on multiple devices, especially if video streaming is involved. And anytime your connection starts slowing, the best way to speed it up is to turn off other devices.

If you’re checking social media on your phone while streaming something in one room, and other family members are streaming at the same time, then your internet connection will slow down—especially if you have 25 Mbps speeds or slower. You'll see the buffering symbol a lot, and the stops and starts can get bad enough that dialogue will be impossible to understand. When using satellite internet, try to use one screen at a time. Getting cable or satellite TV might also be a good option.

Monitor your data usage

Another common cause for slow satellite internet speeds is reaching your data cap before the end of the month. Most satellite internet plans offer a limited amount of full-speed data each month. Once you reach your monthly data cap, your internet provider will slow down your internet connection. 

If you max out your data allotment before the end of the month and you are stuck with slow internet speeds, you can fix this issue by paying for additional data. Alternatively, you can just wait until the first of the month, when the data allotment will reset. 

If you frequently run out of data, consider upgrading your plan to a higher data limit or carefully budgeting your data each month. You can also consider switching to a different provider. You might have other providers available in your area that don’t have data caps. Fixed-wireless, cable, and DSL internet providers offer plans with more data than satellite internet plans. 

Cable and DSL often offers unlimited data—which can save a lot of hassle. It pays to learn about the best rural internet options in your area. You can find out which providers cover your area by typing your address below.

Fed up with slow internet? Upgrade your plan

Of course, if you’ve tried all these speed-increasing tips and your internet speed still isn’t enough, it might be time to buckle down and get a new internet connection and internet plan. If you haven’t changed providers in a while, you might have new options available in your area now. Use our zipcheck below to find out.