SpaceX Rolls Out ‘Third-Gen’ Starlink Wi-Fi 6 Router to Small Group in US

SpaceX has quietly revealed a third-generation Wi-Fi router for Starlink, and is inviting a few users to try it out—for a price.

The company uploaded a photo and setup guides for the new “Gen 3 router” on the official Starlink.com support page. This comes days after the FCC granted an equipment authorization for a new Wi-Fi 6 Starlink router. 

(Credit: Starlink.com)

(Credit: Starlink.com)

The support page confirms the router comes with 802.11ax networking (Wi-Fi 6) capability—a feature the current Starlink routers lack. But the documentation(Opens in a new window) says there are two additional Ethernet ports on the back, which are covered by a removable panel. 

“They may be used to connect wired mesh or other devices such as TVs, computers, smart devices, etc. If you need more, you can buy an Ethernet switch to create additional ports,” the Starlink support page says.

The router also comes with a dedicated factory reset button between the two Ethernet ports.

(Credit: Starlink.com)

The new router works with first- and second-gen Starlink dishes, along with high-performance Starlink hardware. But if you want to use the router with a second-generation dish, SpaceX’s setup guide notes(Opens in a new window): “You will need to use an Ethernet adapter and the provided Ethernet cable. An Ethernet adapter can be purchased from the Starlink shop.” 

This is because the second-gen hardware removed the Ethernet port in favor of a single proprietary connector. So owners have had to buy a $25 adapter from the Starlink shop to add the Ethernet connectivity. 

For now, SpaceX is only offering the Gen 3 router to select beta testers. “At this time, the ability to purchase the Starlink Gen 3 router is by invitation only to a small group of early customers in the US,” Starlink says. “We are unable to accommodate order requests from customers who did not receive an invitation. Stay tuned for updates on the wider release of this product!”

(Credit: Starlink.com)

Price wasn’t mentioned. But on Reddit, someone said(Opens in a new window) they received an invite and were asked to pay $200 to try the hardware. So it’s not cheap, although other Wi-Fi 6 routers are pricey too.  

According(Opens in a new window) to the Reddit user, SpaceX also wrote in the invite: “The new Gen 3 router introduces Wi-Fi 6 and tri-band radios to Starlink. With improved range, performance, and device support, the Starlink Gen 3 router will extend your Wi-Fi network throughout your home to provide a more consistent and reliable connection with faster speeds.”

That said, SpaceX will need to drastically improve satellite internet speeds on Starlink so the Wi-Fi 6 router can fully leverage its capabilities. Actual downloads speeds on Starlink have settled to around 66Mbps for subscribers in the US, far below the 1 and 2Gbps top speeds for the router, according to the FCC.