How to Set Up a Starlink DHCP Reservation for Stable Local IPs

A DHCP reservation gives a device the same private address on your home network whenever it asks the router for an address. That makes a NAS, printer, camera, Home Assistant box or other local service easier to find without turning it into a public internet service.

This guide covers the network decisions that matter on Starlink: which router should own DHCP, how to reserve the right device, what to do when the menu is missing, and what a reservation does not fix.

Menu names and features vary by Starlink hardware, third-party routers and service region. Use the controls shown by your exact router and keep a backup of important network settings before changing them.

The short answer

1. Identify the device that is actually providing DHCP addresses.
2. Find the target device's current private IP address and the correct MAC address.
3. Create an IP reservation, DHCP reservation or static lease in that router.
4. Renew the device's network lease, then confirm the address and test the local service.
5. If the router has no reservation feature, do not invent settings in the Starlink app. Use the router's documented static-address method or move routing to compatible equipment.

A reservation is local network housekeeping. It does not create a public IP, bypass CGNAT or make port forwarding work from the internet.

What a DHCP reservation does

Your router normally leases a private address to each device for a limited time. A reservation tells it to keep assigning the same address to one device, identified by its network adapter.

That is useful when:

• A NAS or server is used by mapped folders or backup jobs.
• A printer, camera or smart-home hub is easier to manage at a known address.
• A VPN subnet router or local dashboard needs a stable destination.
• You want a predictable address for troubleshooting.

The address is still private, such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x. It is not the public address seen by websites, and it does not make the device reachable from outside your home.

Before you start

Write down:

• Which device is connected to the dish and provides the main LAN.
• Whether a second router is in router mode, access-point mode or bypass mode.
• The target device name, current private IP and MAC address.
• Whether the target uses Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
• A way to reach the device locally if the address changes during testing.

Keep one phone or computer connected to the same trusted network. Do not perform the change during a meeting, backup or other activity that cannot tolerate a short interruption.

1. Find the router that owns DHCP

Only one device should normally hand out addresses on a single LAN.

• If the Starlink router is the main router, its client list and network settings are the first place to check.
• If a third-party router is connected in full router mode, that router may be the DHCP authority for devices behind it.
• If a second device is in access-point or bridge mode, it should pass DHCP requests to the main router rather than run its own DHCP service.
• If Starlink is in bypass mode, your own router normally owns DHCP, Wi-Fi and firewall duties.

Do not create a reservation on an access point when the upstream router is the device assigning addresses. Reserving the same device in two routers can create confusing conflicts.

2. Identify the target device

Open the DHCP client's list or connected-device list on the correct router. Match the device by more than a friendly name when possible:

• Confirm the current private IP.
• Confirm the MAC address shown by the device or its Ethernet adapter.
• Check whether it is connected by Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
• Make sure it is not on a guest network.

Some phones and computers use a private or randomized Wi-Fi MAC address. For a device that must keep a stable reservation, confirm which address the router is actually seeing. Do not publish a MAC address or router screenshot containing personal details.

3. Create the reservation

Router menus use different labels, including DHCP reservation, IP reservation, static lease and address reservation.

A typical process is:

1. Open the router's LAN, DHCP or connected-device settings.
2. Select the target device.
3. Choose the reservation option.
4. Reserve its current address, or choose an address that the router documents as valid for reservations.
5. Save the change and wait for the router to confirm it.

Prefer a reservation tied to the correct MAC address instead of relying only on a device name. Do not choose an address from another subnet, and do not manually pick an address that can collide with the router's automatic pool unless the router documentation explains how that pool works.

4. Renew and test

The reservation may not take effect until the device requests a new lease.

1. Disconnect and reconnect the device, or use its network settings to renew the lease.
2. Check that it receives the reserved private address.
3. Open the local service by address from a second device.
4. Restart the target device and confirm the address remains the same.
5. If it is a NAS, printer or server, test one real task such as a small file transfer, print job or local dashboard login.

If the service works by IP address but not by name, the reservation is probably fine. The remaining problem is local discovery or DNS, not the Starlink connection.

If the reservation option is missing

Some Starlink-managed router interfaces may not expose every advanced LAN control. Do not assume that bypass mode, a factory reset or a random app setting will add it.

Use one of these documented paths:

• Keep the current router as the DHCP authority and use its supported reservation feature if available.
• Configure a manual private address on the device only when you understand its subnet, gateway and DNS settings. Follow the device and router documentation, and avoid colliding with the router's DHCP pool.
• Use a compatible third-party router as the main router, with Starlink bypass mode only when your hardware supports it and you are ready to manage DHCP, Wi-Fi and firewall settings there.

Changing to a second router in ordinary router mode can create double NAT. That may affect device discovery and remote access, so choose the network design before moving the reservation.

What a reservation does not fix

A stable local IP will not repair:

• Starlink service interruptions, obstructions or damaged cables.
• Weak Wi-Fi or a device that is asleep or offline.
• DNS failures or a blocked application.
• Double NAT or provider-side CGNAT.
• The absence of a public or static internet IP.
• An unsafe remote-access design.

For remote access, first make the service work locally. Then use a private mesh VPN or another authenticated outbound method where appropriate. Do not expose a NAS, camera or router admin page just because it has a predictable local address.

Quick checklist

• [ ] I know which router provides DHCP.
• [ ] I matched the correct device and MAC address.
• [ ] The reservation is on the trusted LAN, not a guest network.
• [ ] I renewed the device lease.
• [ ] The reserved address survived a reconnect or restart.
• [ ] I tested the local service before attempting remote access.
• [ ] I did not confuse a private reservation with a public or static IP.