Starlink Not Working After a Power Outage? Start Here

If your Starlink died with the power and has not come back, check three things, in this order: the Wi-Fi router wiped its own settings, the dish is still starting up, or a piece of hardware did not survive the surge. Starlink’s own weather guide says “The Starlink router is designed to factory reset after 6 consecutive power cycles, which can inadvertently occur during power outages.” A grid that cuts out and comes back six times in a row can therefore leave you with a default network called STARLINK and none of your settings, even though nothing is broken. Starlink’s reset page documents that six-cycle method for its Gen 2 Router.

Work down this table before you call anyone:

The second half of this page covers the other question people type into a search box during a storm: how long Starlink runs on a battery, and what to plug it into so the next outage never reaches your router.

Why does Starlink Wi-Fi reset after a power outage?

On the Gen 2 Router, six quick power cycles is also the reset button. Starlink’s factory reset instructions for the Gen 2 Router are, word for word: “Power cycle (unplug from power and then plug back in) 6 times in a row on roughly a 2-3 second interval (about as fast as you can probably manage to plug and unplug it).” A grid that drops and restores itself several times in a row does the same thing without you touching the plug.

The Gen 2 Router is the one whose only light is on the bottom; “There are no lights on the front of the router,” and its “power supply is built into the router.” Starlink’s weather guide states the six-cycle behavior for “The Starlink router” without naming a model, while its reset page lists the six-cycle method only for the Gen 2 Router and its mesh nodes; the Router 3 and Router Mini reset with a button pressed “using an object like a paper clip,” and the Starlink Mini resets when you “Press down firmly until you hear a click and hold for 3 seconds.” If you have a newer router and your network name is still gone, treat it as the same fix.

The fix takes two minutes:

1. On your phone, join the network named STARLINK. “Default WiFi network name appears as ‘STARLINK’ in device WiFi settings.”
2. Open the Starlink app and go to Settings, then Router, and enter your old network name and password.
3. If you have Gen 2 mesh nodes, reset those too: “If you have any Starlink Mesh nodes connected, you will need to factory reset them after resetting your primary router.” The method is the same six power cycles; then connect your phone to the primary router’s network, open the app, and wait for its PAIR MESH NODE prompt, which Starlink says appears “After 1-2 minutes.”

Starlink’s weather guide gives the same order in its post-storm checklist: check whether the Wi-Fi network has reset, then “set up your WiFi password and network name again using the Starlink app.”

Why does Starlink say Booting or Searching after the power comes back?

Because the dish is starting up from scratch. Booting “indicates the Starlink is rebooting or completing initialization,” and Starlink’s instruction is to “Power cycle your Starlink and wait at least 20 minutes while the dish initializes and acquires position.” Searching means “the dish is looking for satellites to connect to”; the instruction there is to power cycle “and wait at least 30 minutes. The dish may be downloading an update.”

So after an outage, power cycle once, then give the dish at least half an hour before you escalate. If you carried the dish indoors for a storm, it has to go back out first: “Ensure the Starlink is located outside with a good view of the sky.” If it is still stuck on Booting or Searching after that, both pages send you to a support ticket from the app. For the alerts that line up with dropouts once it is online, and their fix order, see Starlink Keeps Disconnecting? What the App Alerts Mean.

Did the power outage fry your Starlink?

Not necessarily, and a dark router is not proof. On the Router 3 and the Router Mini, “No Light” can mean no power, but the light also turns off by design once the router has had a good connection for an hour. Check the app before you assume the worst.

If the app cannot reach anything, Starlink’s suddenly-offline guide gives the order:

1. Power cycle properly. Disconnect both ends of the power cable, remove power from the power supply, and “Leave everything disconnected for at least 10 seconds,” then reconnect. (Starlink notes the guide does not apply if you use a third-party router.)
2. Light on, still broken: factory reset the router. (On a Starlink Mini, Starlink says to “interpret as the device light.”) If that does not fix it, “create a support ticket as your router has likely failed.”
3. Light off: “Try different outlet after power cycle.” If nothing changes, Starlink’s wording is that the “power supply and/or router may have failed,” and the next step is a ticket.
4. Check the cables. Look for damage or loose connections, including any Ethernet adapter. (Starlink Mini owners can skip this step; the guide says to disregard it for the Mini.)

After a storm, Starlink also says to check the outdoor hardware for damage from debris or water, and “If the cable does get wet, ensure the cable fully dries out before reconnecting your Starlink.”

How long will Starlink run on a battery during a power outage?

Hours, not days, unless the battery is big. Starlink’s power page publishes average draw for most kits, measured at the wall, and those figures cover the whole system: “The Starlink specs below include the Starlink, WiFi router, power supply, and cables.”

The V5 and Performance (Gen 3) rows come from a V4-vs-V5 comparison and the Performance kit’s spec sheet, not the power page, and neither says whether its figure includes the router and power supply. If your kit uses a separate router, allow a little extra. Starlink’s weather page is where the current Performance kit is named Performance (Gen 3).

To turn that into hours, use the formula Jackery publishes for its own units: “Working time = Explorer’s capacities * 0.85 / operating power of your device.” Jackery does not explain the 0.85; read it as an allowance for the energy lost between the battery and the outlet. Starlink notes that its “specs are based on AC input power averages,” so its watts are what the dish draws from an outlet, including a power station’s outlet.

Here is that formula run for three example capacities from Jackery’s spec pages, a 288 Wh Jackery Explorer 300 v2, a 1,070 Wh Explorer 1000 v2 and a 2,042 Wh Explorer 2000 v2:

Each cell is capacity × 0.85 ÷ the kit’s high draw (short end) and low draw (long end). A Standard 4 X at the top of its range on the 1,070 Wh station, for example: 1,070 × 0.85 = about 910 usable watt-hours, divided by 100 W, is about 9 hours. The three are rated for 300 W, 1,500 W and 2,200 W of continuous AC output. That clears every average in the table, with one exception: for the Performance (Gen 2), Starlink’s install guide says to “use a Pure Sine Wave inverter rated minimum 500W,” and a 300 W station falls short, which is why the table marks that cell not advised.

If the outage is also the rest of your house going dark, add every other load to the same battery before you trust the table. The method, with fridge and CPAP numbers, is on What Size Power Station Do You Need?.

Does Snow Melt drain the battery faster in a winter storm?

Plan as if it does. Starlink says “the power utilization can vary depending on the temperature, location, and utilization of the Starlink,” and its Snow Melt page says the Pre-heat mode “may increase power consumption” without giving a figure. In a snowstorm outage, read the short end of each range in the table above. Leave Snow Melt on Automatic, which “detects snowy conditions and heats only when needed,” rather than Pre-heat, if the battery has to last the night. What each mode does, and how much snow each dish can clear, is on Does Starlink Work in Snow?.

Should you use a UPS, a power station, or a generator for Starlink?

Starlink’s maritime and mobility install guide for the Performance (Gen 2) recommends a UPS: “It is recommended to power the Starlink and any downstream router from a power source protected by an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) to protect the Starlink from power spikes and surges and to provide continuous power to the Starlink through minor dips (brownouts) or short power outages.” That guide is written for one kit. Applying it to any Starlink on grid power is this page’s own reading, and the logic is simple: a router kept on steady power through the dips is not being power cycled by them.

The three options solve different problems:

A desktop UPS is built for the flicker problem. A CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD, a common 1,500 VA tower unit, lists a “Typical Transfer Time 4 ms,” sine-wave output on battery, and two 12 V / 9 Ah lead-acid batteries. Two 12 V, 9 Ah batteries hold about 216 Wh on paper (12 × 9 × 2), so even a perfect conversion would run a 100 W Standard kit for a little over two hours, and real batteries deliver less than their label. CyberPower’s own figures are 10 minutes at half load and 2.5 minutes at full load, and it warns the “Runtime curve is approximate and varies based on battery age, level of charge at test, environment, and other variables.” Treat a UPS as the thing that stops the reset, not the thing that gets you through the night.

A power station can do both jobs if it has a pass-through or UPS mode. Check the switchover time before you rely on it. Jackery’s Explorer 300 v2 page quotes the feature two ways: its FAQ says that when the grid goes down, “the power switches to the internal battery in just 20ms, keeping your router or PC from rebooting,” while the same page’s feature list claims a “UPS with ≤0.01s response.” Plan on the slower number, then test your own setup: with Starlink running from the station, pull the station’s wall plug and watch whether the app stays online.

One more trap on small stations: auto-off. The same Jackery FAQ says Energy Saving Mode “will automatically shut down all outputs after 6 hours if the power consumption remains below 25W for AC”. A Starlink Mini averages 20 to 40 W and idles at 15 W, and the Standard kits idle at 20 W, so any of them can sit under that line for hours on a quiet night. Turn energy saving off on whichever station you use, or check what its version of that setting does.

A generator is the usual answer when an outage runs for days. The trade-offs, including where a generator can safely run, are on Power Station vs Generator.

Can you run Starlink from DC and skip the inverter?

Yes on some kits, which takes the inverter out of the chain.

• Starlink Mini: it runs from USB-C. “You will need a USB Power Delivery (“PD”) source with a rating of 100W (20V/5A) for the Starlink Mini to operate optimally. Starlink Mini will not work with USB PD ratings below 65W (12-48V).” It also “runs on 110VAC or 12-48VDC, 60W.” Power-bank runtimes for the Mini are worked out on Starlink Mini: Buy It, Rent It, or Keep It on Standby?.
• Standard 4 and Standard 4 X: Starlink sells a Standard DC-DC Power Supply that removes “the need for an inverter when powered from your RV, car, boat, or battery pack,” though it is “Available only in select markets.” The Advanced Power Supply also works with these kits and accepts AC or DC.
• Performance (Gen 3): its Advanced Power Supply takes “100-240VAC, 12V-56VDC” and, per the spec sheet, “supports DC input with a backup battery for uninterrupted operation.”
• Performance (Gen 2): if you feed it from a DC source through an inverter, the install guide says “use a Pure Sine Wave inverter rated minimum 500W.” That line is written for this kit.

How do you protect Starlink from power surges?

Starlink’s advice is short. Its weather guide lists “(Optional) Set up a surge protector to safeguard against any unexpected power surges.” Its lightning guidance says Starlink “meets the U.S. National Electrical Code (NEC) grounding requirements,” that an external lightning protection system “may reduce susceptibility to lightning,” and this: “For added protection during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug the product from the wall AC outlet and disconnect the Starlink cable. This may prevent damage to the product from lightning and power line surges.”

For a hurricane, the weather guide goes further: “If it is safe to do so, we recommend to bring your Starlink and cables indoors.”

Before the next outage: a five-minute checklist

1. Write down your Wi-Fi network name and password. If the router resets, you will retype them in the app.
2. Put the router and the power supply behind a UPS (the setup Starlink’s Performance Gen 2 install guide recommends) or a power station with a tested UPS mode.
3. Test it. Pull the backup’s wall plug and watch the app. Turn off any energy-saving auto-off.
4. Size the battery from the runtime table, using the short end of the range if snow is forecast.
5. Set Snow Melt to Automatic, the setting Starlink recommends.

Starlink power outage questions

Does Starlink work during a power outage?

Only if it has power. Starlink rates its kits on “AC input power averages”: the dish, router and power supply run from the wall, so a house-wide outage takes them down unless they run from a battery or a UPS.

Why did the Starlink router reset after the power went out?

Starlink’s weather guide says the router “is designed to factory reset after 6 consecutive power cycles,” and a flickering grid can supply them; its reset page documents the method for the Gen 2 Router. Join the STARLINK network and reset your name and password in the app.

How do I restart Starlink after a power outage?

Unplug both ends of the power cable, leave everything disconnected for at least 10 seconds, reconnect, then wait at least 20 minutes if the app shows Booting or at least 30 if it shows Searching.

Can a power outage damage Starlink?

A lightning strike or a surge can. Starlink says unplugging during a lightning storm “may prevent damage to the product from lightning and power line surges.” If the router light stays off on a different outlet after a power cycle, Starlink’s guidance is that the power supply or router may have failed, and the next step is a support ticket.

Will Starlink run on a UPS?

Yes. Starlink’s Performance (Gen 2) install guide recommends one for “minor dips (brownouts) or short power outages.” A desktop UPS buys minutes, not a night: CyberPower lists 10 minutes at half load for its 1,500 VA example. For a night, you need a power station.

The short version

If Starlink is down after a power cut, look for a network called STARLINK first, because a flickering grid can reset the router, then power cycle once and give the dish at least 30 minutes. For the next outage, a Standard 4 X draws up to 100 W and a Mini up to 40 W; by Jackery’s formula, a 1,070 Wh station covers about nine hours for any kit averaging 100 W or less, and a UPS in front of the router keeps the flickers from reaching it.

Sources (19)

• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: Does weather impact my service quality?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: How do I factory reset my router?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: What do the lights on my WiFi router / power supply mean?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: App Says Starlink is Offline - Booting
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: App Says Starlink is Offline - Searching
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: Suddenly Offline - Troubleshooting
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: I live in an area with snow, heavy rain, wind, lightning, or extreme temperatures - can I still use Starlink?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: How much power does my Starlink need?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: Differences between Starlink V4 and Starlink V5
• starlink.com Performance Specification Sheet (PDF)
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: How can I power my Starlink Mini?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: Does Starlink offer DC-input power supply options?
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: Maritime / Mobility Install Guide - Performance (Gen 2)
• starlink.com Starlink Help Center: How do I adjust snow melt mode?
• ca.jackery.com Jackery: FAQ (runtime formula)
• jackery.com Explorer 300 v2 product page
• jackery.com Explorer 1000 v2 product page
• jackery.com Explorer 2000 v2 product page
• cyberpowersystems.com CyberPower: CP1500PFCLCD product page