Netgear Orbi With Starlink: How to Set It Up With Bypass Mode

Starlink's own router is a single Wi-Fi box, often placed wherever the cable comes in, so many Starlink homes add a Netgear Orbi system for coverage. Plug the Orbi straight in without changing anything, and you get two routers and two Wi-Fi networks: double NAT, devices hopping between networks and smart devices going missing. The fix is simple.

Step by Step

1. Check your Starlink router. The current Gen 3 router has two Ethernet ports on the back, under a cover. Older Gen 2 kits, with a rectangular dish, need Starlink's Ethernet Adapter.
2. Set up the Orbi first as a normal router, and write down its Wi-Fi name and password. Giving it the same name and password as your Starlink Wi-Fi means devices reconnect by themselves.
3. Turn on bypass mode in the Starlink app's router settings. This switches off the Starlink router's own Wi-Fi and routing.
4. Connect the main Orbi unit to one of the Starlink router's Ethernet ports, and restart it.
5. Check the Orbi app shows you're online, then test every room.

All Orbi Features Keep Working

Because Starlink is bypassed rather than the Orbi, the Orbi stays in router mode, so its parental controls, guest network and security features all work as normal. Don't put the Orbi into Access Point mode with Starlink: bypass mode is the right way round.

Things That Still Work Differently on Starlink

• Port forwarding: standard Starlink plans use CGNAT, so port forwarding won't work even with your own router. Use the camera maker's app or a VPN such as Tailscale for remote access. See CCTV cameras keep going offline.
• Starlink mesh units pair with the Starlink router's own Wi-Fi, so they don't work in bypass mode. Use Orbi units instead.
• Starlink as a backup: if you also have broadband, a router that takes two connections can switch between them automatically. See Starlink and broadband together.

Still Not Right? Quick Checks

• Two Wi-Fi networks? If bypass mode isn't on, devices may join the Starlink Wi-Fi instead of the Orbi. Turn on bypass mode in the Starlink app.
• Restart in order: the Starlink router first, then the main Orbi unit once Starlink is online, then the other units.
• Main unit next to the hub, connected by cable. Other units about halfway to the weak areas, not in them.
• Use cables between units where you can. Wired connections between mesh units give much better speed than wireless.
• Smart plugs and cameras won't connect? Many only use 2.4GHz. See smart device won't connect to Wi-Fi.

How We Handle It

We set up Netgear Orbi with Starlink once the dish is installed: bypass mode, mesh placement for full coverage, smart devices and cameras reconnected, remote viewing that works on Starlink, and Starlink combined with broadband if you want a backup. See our Starlink setup and support.

Related Reading

• Starlink Problems and How to Fix Them
• Switched to Starlink? Why Your Devices Stopped Working
• TP-Link Deco With Starlink
• Amazon Eero With Starlink