Internet connectivity in remote areas can be a challenge, but recently SpaceX’s Starlink has emerged as a viable solution for many spots on the globe — including the Ukrainian frontlines. Unfortunately, in 2021 Starlink released a new version of their hardware, cost-optimized to the point of losing some nice features such as the built-in Ethernet RJ45 (8P8C) port, and their proposed workaround has some fundamental problems to it. [Oleg Kutkov], known for fixing Starlink terminals in wartime conditions, has released three posts on investigating those problems and, in the end, bringing the RJ45 ports back.
Starlink now uses an SPX connector with a proprietary pinout that carries two Ethernet connections at once: one to the Dishy uplink, and another one for LAN, with only the Dishy uplink being used by default. If you want LAN Ethernet connectivity, they’d like you to buy an adapter that plugs in the middle of the Dishy-router connection. Not only is the adapter requirement a bother, especially in a country where shipping is impeded, the SPX connector is also seriously fragile and prone to a few disastrous failure modes, from moisture sensitivity to straight up bad factory soldering.
For a start, [Oleg] has cracked the original adapter open and shows us the internals, even reverse-engineering the schematic and the SPX pinout! The adapter itself is a fundamental failure point to be tackled, so that’s where the next two hacks come in. First, he shows us how to add a LAN port without requiring the adapter. This requires you to tap into some test points or even QFN pins and add your own Ethernet transformer, but once you do that, you can get rid of the adapter for good. He shares breakout boards you can order and assemble to make this job way easier, and shows how to integrate the LAN connector into the shell.
What if the SPX connector has failed you completely? You’re in luck, the last of the three write-ups is about getting rid of the SPX connector even for Dishy wiring purposes, and that is a way simpler mod. All in all, the three articles are full of diagrams, tips and tricks, so whether you’re looking to learn more about hardware you own, mod it to improve convenience, or perhaps even repair a broken SPX connector, you’re in for a treat! Before the conflict had [Oleg] take a plunge into the Starlink repair depths, we’ve seen him build a wideband SDR station, reverse-engineer Tesla car LTE modems and Bluetooth speakers alike, and there’s much more to bee found at his blog.
Elon, Elon, Elon, what a talent to create good first products and then turn around them to screw your customers.
Create a product, sell at a loss, gain market share, cost optimise, profit
We need a catchy, more up-to-date version of, “embrace, extend, extinguish”
Ordered Starlink to be used in remote location – never materialized… Good!!! I have discovered that I can shrink my (family) bandwith needs (only for holidays) from 1Gbit to 20Megs (max from local isp) ;)
As of 1 month ago, the only hardware Starlink is offering has Ethernet ports built-in.
Except that in most nations Gen 2 is still the only hardware available at the time of your post…( there is a whole world outside the USA that needs the Olegs of this world..)
We have 80 sets here, of different generations. I wasn’t even aware they existed without an ethernet port. Here in the Netherlands, I can’t get the Gen 2 anymore.
There is like maximum 1000 people in the world outside of the US that will even attempt to understand this hack. Every single one of them would be better off setting up a WIFI bridge. Nobody needs this…as cool as it is.
There are millions that will just buy a gen 3 when they can.
He doesn’t create anything. He’s just a carnival barker, drawing attention to what others are doing, and then pocketing the money.
“Not only is the adapter requirement a bother, especially in a country where shipping is impeded”
but you’ll be able to acquire
“breakout boards you can order and assemble to make this job way easier”
In a country where shipping is impeded.
Many vendors sell a breakout board. One (fickle) company sells that Starlink adapter.
Nice way to quote out of context to make your point. Here is the full quote: “He shares breakout boards you can order and assemble to make this job way easier, and shows how to integrate the LAN connector into the shell.” Can you point to me where it’s stated that breakout board is going to be delivered to a country where shipping is impeded?
But the reply was not assuming shipping to be impeded, the article is. To then concurrently assume that shipping for the parts would NOT be possibly likewise impeded is the flawed logic. I’ll stand with Ted on this one.
I might be reading into it a bit too much but in this context I assumed that sharing breakout boards meant sharing the design files and BOM so we at home can get those boards manufactured and delivered to us.
And correct me if I’m wrong but I would assume in a war torn country it’s easier to get piece of PCB with ethernet port and few passives than get proprietary adapter shipped from the States. Like just grab a random switch and tear it apart easier.
Flawed logic is to compare sourcing of a single-company-manufactured adapter *plus* the onboard port in the Starlink Terminal that has to be replaced when i.e. water damage causes corrosion, to ordering a PCB (which might as well be manufactured in UA) then finding some RJ45 connectors and magnetics.
I have made several PCB designs that you can order from a PCB building service, but that I make by etching copper-clad board, and using locally available products. Pretty sure that Oleg can do that as well. Might well have done the prototyping on perfboard.
For the rest of us, getting something made to order might still be way easier than getting the adapter, or replacing the uplink connector.
” Unfortunately, in 2021 Starlink released a new version of their hardware, cost-optimized to the point of losing some nice features such as the built-in Ethernet RJ45 (8P8C) port, and their proposed workaround has some fundamental problems to it.”
Cost has always been people’s complaint about Starlink. Getting a cheap phased array is a minor miracle.
And getting a cheap phased array from a company that doesn’t want to screw you over is a major one.
I think if I had a choice between living without internet in a place where only Starlink was available or subscribing to a service from a company that is now knowingly selling it’s service to the Russian military for use against Ukraine…
I would move.
* – Judgement not applicable to people actually living in a country that is under attack and have to use Starlink in their attempt to defend themselves
Sorry, not sorry to anyone who doesn’t like seeing “politics” in comments. Everything has applicable ethics sometimes, even hacks.
I just hope both sides have fun
I’m sure they’ll have a blast.
We do, 0/10 do not recommend
Gen 3 has TWO ports!
Came here to say the same thing!
And no more proprietary connector. Though the PoE implementation still isn’t standard, due to the antenna drawing more current than PoE+ supports.
More than POE++?
So… I don’t see the issue with the Ethernet adapter option offered. It works. If you’re saying that is not weather proof, you’re right – it’s not meant to be. Ethernet plugs are not weather proof. The other connector though? I’d trust that to be more weather proof than cracking open the router and adding my own hacked-in ports.
There are three links to three different tweets on how this connector fails in practice, that RJ45 is less likely to fail in. And, I don’t know about your skills personally, but this looks solid to me, and having seen Oleg’s engineering practices, I’d trust his mods with my life – as you can see, a large number of people actually do =D