Tips & Tricks

When other devices work normally, start with the affected device and its local connection. A good router-to-internet result does not measure that device's Wi-Fi performance.

Starlink's Advanced Speed Test distinguishes device-to-router and device-to-internet results. Its troubleshooting advice includes checking Wi-Fi bands, VPN use and Ethernet cabling.

What should I try?

Our practical test sequence is:

1. Test the affected device and a working device in the same place, close to the main router.
2. Check which Wi-Fi network, band and mesh node each uses.
3. Repeat without background downloads. If permitted, compare without a VPN; do not disable a work-required security service.
4. Restart the affected device and check its operating-system and network-driver updates.
5. For a wired computer, compare another known-good cable or port and bypass a dock temporarily.
6. Record the exact test labels and results.

Avoid changing the whole network or factory resetting the router as your first response to a single-device fault. If the problem follows that device onto another internet connection, that is useful evidence for its manufacturer or IT support.

Related answers

• Why the app speed test differs from a laptop
• Why Starlink is fast near the router but slow elsewhere

Sources

• Starlink: slow-speed troubleshooting
• Starlink: speed-test measurements

Inspired by a Reddit question about one slow gaming computer. Practical testing order is our editorial recommendation.

Reviewed: 31 October 2026. App controls vary by hardware and version.

If the same device works well beside the router but poorly in another room, local Wi-Fi coverage is a likely cause. That comparison is a useful clue, not a complete diagnosis: household traffic and internet conditions may also change between tests.

Try this controlled check:

1. Use the same phone or laptop and the same test service.
2. Test beside the main router, then in the problem room, with the tests close together in time.
3. Keep other activity similar. Pause an optional large download or backup for the comparison.
4. Repeat the pair of tests. Record speed and whether your normal activity, such as a video call, actually improves.
5. If possible, compare a second device. A problem affecting only one device may need attention on that device rather than the whole network.

Starlink's router guidance recommends avoiding major physical barriers and placing equipment above floor level. Try a better router position before buying additional hardware.

Our practical interpretation: a repeatable room-to-room difference points towards the local network; poor results everywhere call for a broader check of app alerts, equipment and the internet connection. A more expensive service plan will not remove a thick wall between your router and laptop.

Read how to improve Starlink Wi-Fi without changing your plan and our router-placement checklist.

Official reference: Starlink Gen 3 router placement guidance. This document describes a specific hardware combination; use the matching guide for setup instructions.

Reviewed: 23 September 2026.

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