YouTuber MikeOnSpace came up with an ingenious idea to turn his own car into a mobile WiFi internet router that moves.
In order to do so, he decided to strap a Starlink satellite dish to the roof of his car.
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First of all, we need to take a moment to explain what Starlink is, and what it can do.
Starlink is a service that provides internet access across the globe using a constellation of satellites.
The satellites are operated (and manufactured) by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space company.
The whole point of the system is that it’s ready to provide internet access in areas where infrastructure on the ground isn’t sufficient to ensure a stable connection, for one reason or another.
Starlink currently serves more than 50 countries, and SpaceX has just announced the addition of 40+ satellites to its ‘fleet’.
In recent months, the company launched the new Starlink Roam feature, allowing people to use the satellites on the go.
Mike came across reports of people using Starlink Roam from their RV trucks and decided to try it himself.
In theory, Mike knew Starlink Roam should work without a hitch, even when you’re on the move.
As per Starlink terms and conditions, the only thing to bear in mind is service is only guaranteed in your home location, ie in your country.
Mike began hacking and modifying his dish to make it more portable.
He removed some of the redundant bits and pieces and grabbed a rubber-coated magnet to attach the dish to the magnet, and the magnet to the roof of the vehicle.
Once on the highway, reaching a cruise speed of 80 mph (130 km/h), the real test begins.
First, Mike needs to make sure the dish stays securely attached to the roof.
And second, he obviously needs to see whether it works or not.
Even at 80 mph, the signal is strong and service remains stable and reliable.
Cruising down the highway, Starlink still guarantees a 257 MBps (MegaByte per second) download speed and a 13 MBps upload speed.
For reference, that’s faster than the average household internet connection in Canada.
