18/07/2026
At the start of last week, we installed our first Starlink Mini X, and overall I came away impressed.
With Starlink recently refreshing its product range, the Mini X is now the dish supplied with the basic 100 Mbps package. From an aesthetic point of view, it's a fantastic piece of kit. The compact design looks smart and unobtrusive, making it far more appealing than previous generations of satellite equipment.
However, there were a couple of aspects that I found disappointing from an installation perspective.
Firstly, the requirement for the fixed 15-metre power cable significantly limits where the dish can be positioned. It can also be challenging to route and conceal the cable neatly, making it harder to achieve a discreet and professional-looking installation.
Secondly, I was disappointed that Starlink still doesn't offer a standardised connection method that would allow installers to use their own Ethernet cabling directly to the dish. Instead, customers are required to purchase Starlink's proprietary Ethernet solution. Aside from being an unattractive colour, it again introduces limitations around cable lengths and flexibility, particularly when integrating with third-party routers and mesh Wi-Fi systems.
Those frustrations aside, the performance was excellent. The system delivered exactly the speeds Starlink promises, and the setup process was straightforward. Starlink continues to be a game-changing solution for many of our rural customers, providing reliable high-speed connectivity where traditional broadband options simply aren't available.
This isn't a criticism of Starlink as a service—I think the technology is remarkable and has transformed internet access for countless people. I simply wish Starlink would address a few practical installation issues to make the hardware easier to deploy as a permanent, professional solution.
