Switching blog
Switch-over day: move every device to Starlink's Wi-Fi without re-pairing
A device-by-device plan for switch-over day: what reconnects by itself, what needs a minute, and what Starlink's network handles differently.
Key takeaways · current to
- Most phones, TVs and smart plugs reconnect by themselves if Starlink's Wi-Fi uses exactly the same network name and password as the old router.
- Starlink's app takes network names of 4 to 32 characters and passwords of 8 to 32, so check that your old ones fit before switch-over day.
- Saving a new Wi-Fi name or password in the Starlink app disconnects every device, and Starlink doesn't show the password again.
- Starlink's Wi-Fi routers don't support port forwarding, and Residential service has no public IPv4 address, so gear that relied on port forwards needs another route.
- Keep the old service running until every device on your list has been checked on Starlink.
On switch-over day, give Starlink’s Wi-Fi the exact network name and password your old router used, then switch the old router off. Most phones, TVs and smart plugs reconnect on their own. What’s left is a short list of gear that won’t: devices plugged in by cable, anything set to a fixed address, and anything that relied on port forwarding.
This post covers the devices only. Unboxing, placing and aiming the dish are in the Starlink setup guide.
Before the kit arrives: list everything on your old network
Ten minutes with a notepad now saves an evening of hunting later.
- Get the device list. Your old router’s app or settings page usually shows connected devices. If it doesn’t, walk the house room by room: TVs, streaming sticks, the thermostat, doorbell, cameras, printer, smart plugs and speakers, game consoles, the alarm panel.
- Note how each one connects. Wi-Fi, or a cable to the router.
- Note anything special. A fixed address you set by hand, a port forward, or a login you’ll need if it has to be set up again.
- Write down the old Wi-Fi name and password exactly, with capital letters and spaces.
Then hold them up against Starlink’s rules for Wi-Fi names and passwords: per its support article, a network name needs 4 to 32 characters and a password 8 to 32. If your old password is shorter than 8 characters, you can’t copy it.
There’s a neat fix for that. Change the old router’s password to a new one that Starlink will accept a week before the kit arrives, while the old internet still works. Reconnect your devices to it at your own pace. On switch-over day, Starlink gets the new password, and the devices follow.
If the old router had a guest network that visitors or smart gadgets used, note its name and password too. Starlink lets you add a guest network.
Use the old network name and password
You set Starlink’s Wi-Fi name and password in the Starlink app, under Settings, then Router, then Networks. Starlink’s help center notes a few things worth knowing before you press save:
- Out of the box, the network is open. The default network name is STARLINK, and in Starlink’s words, “By default, the Starlink network is not password-protected until you set a password.”
- Saving disconnects every device. That’s expected: they then look for the network they know.
- The password isn’t shown again. Starlink doesn’t display it later, and the fix for a forgotten one is a factory reset of the router. Keep your written copy.
Type the name and password exactly. “Smith Home” and “smith home” are different networks to a thermostat.
Turn the old router off first
If the old router is still broadcasting the same name and password, some devices will stay attached to it. Avoid that in one of two ways:
- Power the old router off before you save the name in the Starlink app. This is the simplest choice once Starlink has passed your evening tests.
- Rename the old router’s Wi-Fi (add “-old” to the name) if you still want to compare the two services on a laptop. The setup guide uses this method.
Then give it a few minutes and start down your list.
Devices that need attention anyway
Wired gear
A smart TV, console, desktop computer or smart-home hub plugged into the old router by cable doesn’t care about Wi-Fi names. It needs a cable into the new setup.
Check the setup guide for your Starlink kit to see which router and cables come with it, and whether you’ll need an extra adapter or a network switch for several wired devices. You can also keep your own router behind Starlink: Starlink says “You can use your own router or a mesh system with Starlink”, connected by Ethernet to your router’s WAN port. If your own router should run the Wi-Fi, Starlink’s bypass mode turns off the Starlink router’s Wi-Fi. Be careful with it, because “The app cannot turn bypass off”; only a factory reset does.
Devices with a fixed address
If you gave a printer, network drive or camera a fixed IP address on the old router, that address may not fit the new router’s network. Switch the device to automatic addressing (often labeled DHCP) before switch-over day, while it’s still on the old network and easy to reach.
Printers
A Wi-Fi printer usually rejoins if the name and password match. Computers may need the printer added again if its address changed.
One less obvious catch: Starlink blocks outgoing connections on TCP port 25 for all customers. Older scanners and some alarm panels send email that way. If scan-to-email stops working, look up your email provider’s settings for sending on another port, if it offers one.
Anything that used port forwarding
Starlink’s IP help article is clear on this: Residential service uses CGNAT for IPv4, “The ‘default’ IPv4 CGNAT policy does not allow inbound traffic”, and “Starlink WiFi routers do not support port forwarding or firewall rules for IPv4 or IPv6.” IPv6 works natively on every plan, and public IPv4 addresses come only with the Local and Global Priority plans.
So a game server, a home security recorder viewed from outside, or remote desktop that relied on a port forward needs another route. The gaming, cameras and port forwarding section of replacing DSL with Starlink covers the options.
Cameras and smart-home hubs on Starlink
- Cameras with a cloud app generally connect out to their maker’s servers, so they keep working once they’re back on Wi-Fi. Check live view and alerts on your phone with Wi-Fi turned off, so you know it works from outside.
- Hubs for lights, locks and sensors are often wired to the router. Move the cable first, then check that each device on the hub responds.
- Gadgets that won’t rejoin may only work on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band. Check the Starlink app’s router settings and the device’s own help page.
- Power cuts: Starlink notes that its router may factory-reset after six power cycles in a row, which clears the Wi-Fi name and password. Keep your written copy handy, so you can put the same name and password back and every device returns on its own.
- Alarm panels and medical alert devices that dial out over a phone line are a separate job. Keeping your home phone number covers them.
The device checklist
| Device | Reconnects by itself? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Phones, tablets, laptops | Yes, if the name and password match | Nothing. Remove the “-old” network later. |
| Smart TVs and streaming sticks | Usually | If not, rejoin from the TV’s network settings. |
| Smart plugs, bulbs, thermostats | Usually | If not, check the 2.4 GHz band and the device’s app. |
| Wi-Fi printers | Usually | Re-add on computers if the address changed; check scan-to-email. |
| Wi-Fi cameras with a cloud app | Usually | Check live view on mobile data. |
| Wired devices (console, desktop, hubs) | No | Move the cable to the Starlink router or your own router. |
| Devices with a fixed IP address | No | Switch to automatic addressing before the switch. |
| Anything that used port forwarding | No | Find another route; Starlink’s routers don’t forward ports. |
| The old provider’s phone adapter | No | It belongs to the old service. Move the number first. |
Keep the old service until everything checks out
Tick each device off your list on Starlink, then use the house normally for a few evenings, including the busy hours. Only then finish the switch: move the phone number if you have one, cancel the old service, and send back its equipment before the deadline. The switch planner puts those dates in order, and returning old equipment lists what goes in the box for each provider.
Questions people ask
Can I use the same Wi-Fi name and password on a new router?
How do I change the Starlink Wi-Fi name and password?
Why can't I reach my camera or game server from outside the house on Starlink?
Do I have to turn off my old router?
My scanner stopped emailing scans after the switch. Why?
Where these facts come from
We took every figure and rule on this page from the pages below. Terms move often, so confirm with the provider before you cancel or order.
- How do I change my WiFi network name (SSID) and password? (Starlink help center)
- What IP address does Starlink provide? (Starlink help center)
- Can I use my own router with Starlink? (Starlink help center)
- What is bypass mode? (Starlink help center)
- Snow, heavy rain, wind, lightning or extreme temperatures (Starlink help center)
- Standard 4 X Setup Guide (Starlink help center)
Checking method: each price, fee and rule here links to the provider’s or regulator’s own page, dated the day we read it. No internet provider pays for a place on this site; the only income is the Starlink referral explained on our money page. Our fact-checking · How we make money · Corrections