STARLINK + CELLULAR FAILOVER - ZERO DOWNTIME CONFIG

STARLINK + CELLULAR FAILOVER - ZERO DOWNTIME CONFIG

Last Updated: November 2024
Tested on: GL.iNet Slate AX (GL-AXT1800), Beryl AX (GL-MT3000)

THE PROBLEM

Starlink drops for 2-3 seconds during satellite handoffs every 4-15 minutes. This kills Zoom calls, VPN connections, and any real-time application.

THE SOLUTION

Instant failover to cellular that switches faster than applications notice.

HARDWARE NEEDED

• Starlink (any generation) • GL.iNet router ($59-129) or any OpenWrt device • Phone hotspot or dedicated cellular modem • Cat5e/Cat6 ethernet cable

STEP-BY-STEP SETUP

  • Open Starlink app → Settings → Advanced
  • Enable "Bypass Mode" (disables Starlink router)
  • Power cycle Starlink (unplug 20 seconds)

2. ROUTER INITIAL SETUP

  • Connect Starlink ethernet to WAN port
  • Power on router, connect to admin panel (192.168.8.1)
  • Update firmware to 4.0+ (critical for failover timing)

3. CELLULAR BACKUP CONFIG

  • Go to: Network → Multi-WAN → Add New
  • Connection Type: "Wireless Repeater"
  • Connect to phone hotspot (2.4GHz more stable than 5GHz)
  • Set as "Backup" priority

4. FAILOVER TIMING (THE SECRET SAUCE)

Admin Panel → Network → Multi-WAN → Settings

Track IP: 8.8.8.8
Track Method: ICMP (Ping)
Ping Interval: 2 seconds
Ping Timeout: 1 second
Lost Count: 2 pings
Recovery Count: 10 pings

5. ADVANCED OPTIMIZATION

SSH into router (or use advanced settings):

uci set mwan3.wan.failure_latency='1000'
uci set mwan3.wan.recovery_latency='100'
uci set mwan3.wanb.initial_state='offline'
uci commit mwan3
/etc/init.d/mwan3 restart

TESTING YOUR SETUP

  1. Start continuous ping: ping -t 8.8.8.8
  2. Unplug Starlink ethernet
  3. Should see <3 seconds of lost pings
  4. Plug back in - should auto-recover in 20-30 seconds

SUCCESS METRICS

✓ Failover in under 3 seconds ✓ Zoom calls don't drop ✓ VPN maintains connection ✓ Gaming stays connected (higher ping temporarily)

TROUBLESHOOTING

"Failover takes 10+ seconds" → Reduce Track Interval to 1 second, Lost Count to 1

"Keeps flip-flopping between connections" → Increase Recovery Count to 20 pings

"Cellular won't connect" → Try 2.4GHz only, disable 5GHz on phone hotspot

PRO TIPS

• Use USB tethering for even faster failover (sub-1 second) • Add second cellular backup for triple redundancy • Monitor data usage - cellular backup can burn through caps

Need help? Grab a Pro-Time session if you need it working in the next hour. (https://techsolve.llc/consulting)

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