Off grid internet usually comes from satellite or a cellular signal, and the deciding detail is often electricity, not speed. Starlink lists average draws from 20–40 W for its Mini to 75–100 W for its Standard 4 kit, figures that belong in your battery and solar budget before you order.[1] Plan type and seasonal pauses matter next.[2][3]
This guide is for a cabin, homestead or tiny house that is not connected to utility power. If you travel in an RV instead, our RV internet guide fits better.
Choose the connection that fits the site
Start with what the site can physically support, then check the plan rules.
| Option | Works best when | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Satellite (Starlink Residential) | The cabin is a fixed site with open sky | Residential is meant for the registered service address.[2] |
| Cellular home internet | A carrier qualifies the cabin address | T-Mobile checks the address and network capacity.[4] |
| Phone hotspot | Light use or a short stay | Hotspot data rules; see our hotspot guide. |
Satellite. Starlink's Residential plans are designed for one fixed, land-based location. Using the service at another address or while traveling needs a Roam plan.[2] Sky view and mounting decide the rest; our satellite internet guide covers obstructions and orbit types.
Cellular. Do not judge indoor service from a coverage map. The FCC's mobile map shows coverage outdoors or in a moving vehicle, not inside buildings.[5] Home plans are also tied to place: T-Mobile limits its main home plans to the approved address, and Verizon says its 5G Home equipment works only at the service address.[4][6]
Size the power budget
Starlink's figures include the dish, router, power supply and cables, measured as AC input averages, and they change with temperature, location and use.[1]
| Starlink kit | Average draw | Idle draw |
|---|---|---|
| Mini | 20–40 W | 15 W |
| Standard Actuated | 50–75 W | 20 W |
| Standard 4 / 4 X | 75–100 W | 20 W |
The table above uses Starlink's published power specifications.[1]
Use this worksheet with your own hours:
- Pick the high end of the average range. Running hot or cold changes draw, so plan on the upper figure.[1]
- Multiply by hours on. A Mini at 40 W for 8 hours uses 320 watt-hours; a Standard 4 at 100 W around the clock uses 2,400 watt-hours.[1]
- Add idle time if you leave it on. Idle still draws power: 15 W for the Mini and 20 W for the Standard 4.[1]
- Add the cellular gateway or other network gear. Read the wattage on each power adapter rather than guessing.
- Give the total to your solar installer along with your winter sun and cloudy-day needs.
Measuring the real draw with a plug-in power meter during a normal day gives a better number than any spec sheet.
Cold cabins and seasonal use
Equipment ratings matter in unheated buildings. Starlink rates its dish for -22°F to 122°F outdoors, but its router and power supply only for 32°F to 86°F indoors.[7] A cabin left unheated in winter may need the router stored or kept in a heated space.
Starlink also suggests unplugging the kit and disconnecting the cable when it will sit unattended and unused for long periods, or during lightning storms.[7] Build that into your closing-up routine.
Pausing service has trade-offs:
- Starlink Standby Mode: available on Roam and Residential plans, except some promotional offers and kit rentals, for a small monthly fee with low-speed data up to 500 Kbps.[3] It does not hold your place on a Residential plan, so if the area is at capacity you may not get the same plan back.[3]
- Verizon 5G Home: vacation suspension lasts up to 90 days at $10 a month and is allowed once every 12 months.[6]
- T-Mobile Home Internet: no annual contract, but address eligibility can change as more customers join, so canceling and reordering next season is not assured.[4]
Ask each provider for its current pause terms before buying hardware.
Off-grid ordering checklist
- Address: Can the provider find the property? If you lack a street address, the FCC map lets you search by town and zoom in, and you can file a location challenge for a missing building.[5]
- Plan type: One fixed site, or several? Residential satellite is for the registered service address.[2]
- Power: Daily watt-hours calculated from the worksheet above.
- Temperature: Where the router and power supply will sit in winter.
- Pause terms: What a seasonal break costs and what you could lose.
- Backup: A second option, such as a phone hotspot, for outages.
For broader rural choices, including fiber from local co-ops, see the rural internet options guide.
Compare options for your property
The ZIP lookup gives area-level options only. Our comparison line is for shopping new service, not support for equipment you already have. Ask the provider to confirm service at the exact property.
Before ordering, check Starlink availability at your address and what Starlink costs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best off grid internet option?
It depends on the site. Satellite suits open sky and enough power; cellular suits a cabin address a carrier will qualify.[2][4] Compare both on plan rules and measured power, not headline speed.
Can I use one Starlink Residential plan at home and at my cabin?
Not as a Residential plan. Starlink says Residential service is intended for the registered service address and a Roam plan is needed elsewhere.[2]
Can I run Starlink on solar power?
Starlink publishes average and idle draws you can add to a solar and battery budget.[1] Have a qualified installer size the system for your winter conditions.
Sources
- Starlink Help Center: How much power does my Starlink need?. Starlink Help Center, How much power does my Starlink need?, accessed October 20, 2026. ↩
- Starlink Help Center: What are the Residential plans?. Starlink Help Center, What are the Residential plans?, accessed October 20, 2026. ↩
- Starlink Help Center: How does pausing service work?. Starlink Help Center, How does pausing service work?, accessed October 20, 2026. ↩
- T-Mobile 5G Home Internet FAQ. T-Mobile, 5G Home Internet FAQ, accessed October 20, 2026. Address eligibility and location rules. ↩
- FCC BDC Help Center: How to Use the FCC's National Broadband Map. FCC Broadband Data Collection Help Center, How to Use the FCC's National Broadband Map, accessed October 20, 2026. ↩
- Verizon Support: Using wireless 5G Home Internet FAQs. Verizon Support, Using wireless 5G Home Internet FAQs, accessed October 20, 2026. Vacation suspension and service-address rule. ↩
- Starlink Help Center: snow, rain, wind, lightning and extreme temperatures. Starlink Help Center, weather and temperature ratings, accessed October 20, 2026. ↩
Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed; our data from FCC/Census as dated. FCC data as of December 30, 2025; Census ACS 5-year 2020-2024. Editorial policy