If you are a Starlink user who wants to know whether you can play online games uninterrupted in an RV, you have come to the right place. We will drill down all the details you need about Starlink speeds for online gaming and how to improve connection speeds.
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite internet service that provides high-speed internet to remote locations. It is owned and operated by SpaceX, a private space exploration company founded by billionaire Elon Musk.
The Starlink satellite on the roof connects to dozens of satellite stations, giving you high-speed and low latency links without internet contractors. Considering Elon Musk is behind the idea of combining your at-home satellite with satellites in space, you can imagine how good it can be.
What are the benefits of Starlink
There are many benefits of Starlink, including the following:
- High-speed internet: Starlink provides up to 1 gigabyte per second (Gbps) much faster than traditional satellite internet services. This means that you can stream high-definition videos and play online games without buffering.
- Affordable: Starlink plans start at just $110 per month, a bit cheaper than other high-speed internet options like fiber optic.
- Available in most locations: Since Starlink uses a network of satellites, it can provide internet service to even the most remote locations on Earth. This makes it perfect for people who live in rural areas or travel often.
Bottom line: Most Starlink satellites are in lower orbits to reduce latency issues. However, lower orbit satellites cover less area.
What are the disadvantages of Starlink?
There are a few disadvantages of Starlink, including the following:
- Limited availability: Starlink is currently only available in selected countries including the US, UK, Germany, Belgium, and a few more. The service will be rolled out to more countries in the future, but it is unclear when this will happen.
- Weather dependence: Since Starlink relies on satellites, bad weather can sometimes cause service disruptions. This is especially true for areas with a lot of clouds or rain.
- High latency: One downside of satellite internet is that there is usually a higher degree of latency, or lag, than other types of internet. This means you might be unable to play online games or make video calls as smoothly as possible with a different type of connection.
Do you know how fast the Starlink internet is?
Many people who have tried Starlink say it is the fastest internet they have ever used. Here are some things that you can do with Starlink that require a lot of speed:
- Downloading movies and TV shows
- Playing online video games
- Streaming live video
According to internet reports, Starlink offers 50-200 Mbps speeds on their residence package, which is massive compared to LAN connection at home. Plus, Starlink business promises higher rates, up to 350 ms. However, some users have reported that their Starlink speeds are slower, which can be due to network congestion, wrong placement of satellites on the roof, or bad weather.
Starlink is best-suited for remote and rural locations that are devoid of LAN cables. According to Ookla’s June reports, Starlink speeds increased 38% in the United States and 58% in Canada. Here is a country-by-country comparison of Starlink speeds as of June 2022:
United States
Downloading speeds: 90.55 Mbps
Uploading speeds: 9.33 Mbps
Canada
Downloading speeds: 97.40 Mbps
Uploading speeds: 10.70 Mbps
Mexico
Downloading speeds: 105.91 Mbps
Uploading speeds: 19.10 Mbps
Australia
Downloading speeds: 124.31 Mbps
Uploading speeds: 11.71 Mbps
New Zealand
Downloading speeds: 118.70 Mbps
Uploading speeds: 13.09 Mbps
Chile
Downloading speeds: 110.49 Mbps
Uploading speeds: 21.05 Mbps
What Happens If I Play Battlefield 2042 via Starlink?
A Starlink user shared his experience playing Battlefield and was happy with the connection. According to the user, there were no high latency issues; the only problem was the game itself.
What Happens If I Play Warzone via Starlink?
Some Starlink users on Reddit complained about lagging issues and high latency when they were playing Warzone. Starlink customer service didn’t respond well to the complaints.
What Happens If I Play MS Game Studios Rise of Nations via Starlink?
A Starlink user complained about hosting a server and allowing friends to connect to his private network. However, hosting servers aren’t related to downloading speeds or latency and happen because of CGNAT (Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation). You are behind CGNAT on Starlink and can’t use IPv6 addresses to connect with your friends with IPv6 addresses.
How to Avoid Lags on Starlink Routers
You will notice good internet speeds on your Starlink connection compared to ADSL and optic fiber. Playing FPS or MMO games may not cause trouble on Starlink, regardless of the connection package you purchased. However, hosting servers or opening ports to connect to external servers can be an issue on Starlink due to CGNAT.
The easiest way to get around CGNAT and port forward games on Starlink is to use a VPN with a port forwarding add-on. Read our guide to know everything you need to know about CGNAT and how to open ports behind Starlink.
The purpose of creating Starlink by Elon Musk
Starlink will save lives ♥️ @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/DqjUWk90hc
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) September 7, 2022
The bottom line
The perfect blend of high internet speeds, low latency, and internet availability in remote locations is enough to pick Starlink over other ISPs. But, if you are involved in hosting servers, forwarding ports, or connecting to remote servers every day, the best thing to do is configure Starlink routers.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Starlink internet available?
The regions include the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, France, Belgium, Germany, the UK, Austria, and the Netherlands.
What are Starlink internet fees?
Starlink internet fees are $110 per month. However, there is a $599 upfront cost for the equipment. Additionally, users are not charged for excessive data usage over their allotted amount. Starlink offers several different data plans, so users can choose the one that best fits their unique internet needs.
How much does Starlink business cost?
Starlink business costs $500 per month. For this price, you get access to unlimited data and speeds of up to 200 Mbps. There is also a one-time installation fee of $2,500.