If you have a Starlink stuck on booting issue, don’t worry. In this article, we will help you understand why this happens and what you can do about it.
When your Starlink is stuck on booting, it can be very frustrating.
Some users claim that they tried to make it work for hours, but all they got was the light indicating that power was there.
When you encounter the same problem, have patience. We will help you get through this.
To fix your Starlink stuck on booting, first check the app for outages. If there are no outage reports, reboot your router to clean out its short-term memory and get rid of temporary glitches. If this doesn’t work, restore your device to its factory settings.
Determining the culprit for a stuck Starlink is important to help you decide the best course of action.
So, before we proceed to the solutions, here is everything you need to know.
Why My Starlink Stuck on Booting
If you are wondering, “why is my Starlink stuck on booting” the most common reason is that Starlink is offline.
Check if the cable is firmly connected to the Dish and to the router. Sometimes, it doesn’t seat well, causing the booting problem.
1. Dish Still Initializing
If your Starlink has been booting for 20 minutes, the dish may be still initializing. The Dish takes about 30 minutes to power and establishes a network connection.
2. Too Many Obstructions
Trees, hills, and other structures can deteriorate the satellite signal. You will receive intermittent signals, and your router will keep booting.
3. Dish Not Put Into Stow Mode
The dish wasn’t placed in Stow mode, causing damage to the Dish or router while in transit. So, when you set it up, it stays on booting.
4. Software Issues
Sometimes, the dish fails to update its firmware and gets stuck in an old version with bugs and glitches.
These are the possible causes of your Starlink being stuck in booting mode.
Let us now proceed to the troubleshooting steps.
How to Fix Starlink Stuck on Booting
Before we move on to more elaborate solutions, let us discuss how long does it take Starlink to boot.
Without issues, the whole process of unboxing to having speedy Internet takes about 20 minutes.
After unpacking, place the antenna in an area with a good view and provide a 230V connection.
The antenna will orient itself and search for satellites after a few seconds. Then, your Internet connection is ready in about 1-2 minutes.
If your Starlink is stuck on booting, try rebooting your router. Turn off all power, then turn the Dish back on.
This fixes the issue most of the time. But, if it doesn’t, follow the procedures below.
Solution #1: Check the App for Any Outages
If your app displays the error message Starlink is Offline – Booting, its startup phase is not yet complete.
It’s either still rebooting or initializing its systems. For the most part, it’s unable to acquire a signal from the Starlink constellation.
The most common reason this happens is there’s an outage with Starlink, and there’s no internet.
Your dish will definitely continue to boot since it won’t be able to detect a signal.
The good news with Starlink and outages is that it’s not guesswork since the app will let you know if you’re experiencing some downtime.
Here’s how to check the Starlink app for outages:
- Open the Starlink app on your phone.
- Go to Stats.
- Select Outages.
- Check if there’s an outage in your area.
Note: If you find out that there is an outage or maintenance activity in your area, there’s really nothing you can do but wait until the service is back up.
Solution #2: Power Cycle Your Starlink Dish
Now that you have determined that the Starlink service is up, we can now move on to a different solution.
Power cycling your dish should give it a chance to reboot and discharge.
This should reset your dish’s current state and reacquire the internet signal the moment it starts up again.
It’s also possible that your dish has not properly acquired its position so it’s still having a hard time determining how to connect to the Starlink constellation.
This is one of the simplest steps you can take to resolve this issue.
Here’s how to power cycle your Starlink dish:
- Unplug your Starlink dish.
- Wait for 5 minutes.
- Plug your Starlink dish and wait for 20 minutes.
- Wait for your dish to initialize and boot successfully.
Note: Your Starlink’s booting process can take a while, just make sure to be patient and wait for the dish to connect.
Solution #3: Reposition Your Dish Using Sky Scanner
Your Starlink app comes with a tool that allows you to scan the sky and check the coverage of your dish.
It can even detect obstructions giving you an estimate on how many internet signals your Starlink dish can receive.
It’s a useful tool that makes it easier for your to reposition your dish.
You’re also going to save time and effort since changing the position of your dish is now a lot easier with the scanner tool.
Here’s how to use the sky scanner tool on your Starlink app:
- Open the Starlink app on your phone.
- Tap on the Check for Obstructions feature.
- Go outside and stand in the place where you want to put your dish.
- Wait for the app to scan.
- Check the results to determine if you’re in the best spot for your dish.
Note: If it detects any obstructions, it will display most of your data before it can head out.
Solution #4: Check the Connections Between Your Dish and Router
Your Starlink comes in a kit with everything you need. The hardware you will get are the dish, router, cables, connectors, and other accessories. Connecting them means linking the dish to the router.
They also make it incredibly easy since the dish uses a single hybrid cable that transmits data and power.
There are just two ports on your router, and you want to ensure that these are secure so your dish can successfully transmit data to your devices.
Here’s how to check the connections between your dish and router:
- Unplug the connection cable from the base of the dish.
- Unplug the other end of the connection cable from the base of the router.
- Unplug your router from the power port.
- Plug the connectors back tight and secure.
- Listen to a click to know that the connection cables are successfully installed.
Note: You’ll only need to plug your dish into the router as the hybrid cable is capable of supplying trouble to them.
Solution #5: Stow Your Starlink Dish
There is a right way to store your Starlink dish. There is a chance that it will display Starlink stuck on booting error if it can detect an incompatibility with its previous state.
If you’re moving your Starlink from one location to another, it’s important that you don’t forget to stow it.
Stowing your Starlink signals to your dish to reacquire the signal the next time it starts up. It will stay on the booting message for a while, and you can now change the settings.
Here’s how to put your Starlink into Stow Mode:
- Open the Starlink app on your phone.
- At the bottom of the page, look for Settings.
- Tap on it and then go to Starlink Options.
- Select the Stow button.
Tip: Your dish will move when you send the command to stow it.
Solution #6: Factory Reset Starlink
Starlink offers you a way to reset its setup in the event that it doesn’t work properly.
Resetting your router to factory settings means that any configuration errors are also going to be removed and deleted.
That being said, you’re going to lose some connection settings.
Here’s how to factory reset your Suddenlink.
- Connect your router properly.
- Find the Reset button found at the back of the supper.
- Use a paper clip or a pin to poke the Reset button.
- Press and hold the reset button.
- Wait for the lights to turn off and then on again.
Note: You will need to reconfigure your router before reconnecting to the network.
That’s it!
If your Starlink is stuck on booting, feel free to contact Starlink support. They will be able to help you determine if you need to send your devices back to available of the sin.
They will advise you whether you’ll need to get your router repaired or replaced.
Read Next: Starlink Connected Without Internet? – Fixed
Bottom Line
Now that you know the causes of the Starlink stuck on booting error, you can fix it yourself.
All you need is to follow the proven solutions carefully so you can fix this issue with your internet in no time.
Kevin has over five years of experience working in various Tech startups and providing Technical solutions. He has contributed to many Tech publications and websites. Check out more about him here.