The short answer
“Router unreachable” means the Starlink app can’t talk to your Starlink router. Most often the phone simply isn’t on the Starlink Wi-Fi: the app always shows this message when you check it remotely over mobile data. Join the Starlink Wi-Fi, give the app local network permission, then check the router’s power and cables. In bypass mode the message is normal.
What “router unreachable” means
The app reaches your Starlink in two ways. On the Starlink Wi-Fi, it talks to the router directly. Away from home, on mobile data, it works in remote mode, shown by a small cloud icon next to the Starlink name. Remote mode can’t see the router, so the app always reports it as unreachable, even while the dish is online and the internet at home works.
Starlink hasn’t published a definition of “Online but router unreachable” that we could check. In practice it describes that split: the dish is reporting in, but the app can’t reach the router. Our Starlink troubleshooting guide covers the other app messages.
Why is my Starlink router unreachable?
The usual causes: the phone is on mobile data instead of the Starlink Wi-Fi; the app lacks local network permission; bypass mode is on (expected, not a fault); the router has lost power; a cable is loose or damaged; or the router itself has failed.
How to fix “your Starlink router is unreachable”
- Join the Starlink Wi-Fi. Connect your phone to it and turn off mobile data while you troubleshoot. Many phones quietly switch to mobile data when Wi-Fi seems to have no internet, which puts the app back in remote mode.
- Allow local network access. On an iPhone, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Local Network, and switch it on for Starlink. On Android, open the app’s permissions and allow anything it requests for nearby devices or the local network.
- Check the router has power. If the Starlink Wi-Fi name is missing from your phone’s list, check the router’s power cable, the socket, and that the inverter or UPS is on.
- Check the cables. With the power unplugged, push every plug you can safely reach fully home and look for cuts or crushing; leave the dish end on the roof to an installer. On a Gen 3 kit the dish cable goes into the router port marked with an antenna symbol. Our guide to Starlink cables and replacements covers damaged cables.
- Restart the router. Unplug it from power, plug it back in and allow about 15 minutes before judging.
- Factory reset, as a last step. A reset wipes your Wi-Fi name and password and brings back the default open “STARLINK” network, so every device must reconnect. The steps differ by kit (below).
- Test for a faulty router. If you have a Starlink mesh node, factory reset it and use it in place of the main router. If that works, the router is probably faulty, and Starlink support can arrange a replacement. Our Starlink Wi-Fi and mesh guide explains how nodes pair.
If the app now reaches the router but pages still won’t load, go to Starlink connected but no internet.
Router unreachable in bypass mode or with your own router
In bypass mode the Starlink router stops doing Wi-Fi and routing and hands the connection to your own router, so “Router unreachable” in the app is expected. A violet light on Router 3 confirms bypass (it switches off after about an hour), and Starlink’s guides say only a factory reset takes you out of it. With a third-party router you can still see the dish’s status in the app by adding a static route on that router; our guide to bypass mode and using your own router gives the settings.
Gen 2, Gen 3 and Mini: what is different
Gen 3 (Router 3) and Standard 4
The Gen 3 router’s reset button is on the back, between the two Ethernet ports, under the rubber cover; Starlink says to press it with a paper clip. On this kit the router also powers the dish, so a dead router takes the dish offline too. The newer Standard 4 kit pairs the dish with a Router Mini and a power supply with separate ports for each; restart the power supply as well. We have not found Router Mini reset steps from Starlink, so look up your router in the Support section of the Starlink app, or contact us.
Gen 2 (Standard Actuated)
The upright Gen 2 router powers the dish, so it must stay in the set-up even with your own router. It has no Ethernet port (wired links need the Starlink Ethernet Adapter) and no reset button. Reports disagree on how many power cycles reset it, so look up your router in the Support section of the Starlink app, or contact us.
Starlink Mini
The Mini’s router is built into the dish, so “router unreachable” on a Mini usually means your phone isn’t on the Mini’s Wi-Fi or the Mini has lost power. Check the DC cable and power supply first. To factory reset it, press the reset icon on the back firmly until it clicks, hold for 3 seconds, and wait for the light to blink quickly and then go off.
When to get help
If the router shows no light from a socket you know works, or it keeps dropping off after a reset, it may be faulty. Our Starlink support service can diagnose the router, set up mesh Wi-Fi properly or configure a third-party router, anywhere in Nigeria. Call 0802 859 5303 or WhatsApp us, 24 hours a day.
Starlink router unreachable FAQs
Why does the app say router unreachable when I’m away from home?
The app is in remote mode over mobile data, which can’t see the router. It doesn’t mean anything is wrong at home.
Is “Starlink unreachable” the same as “router unreachable”?
Not quite. “Starlink unreachable” points at the dish rather than the router, and guides report it while the dish is unplugged or rebooting. Look between the router and the dish: the cable, the power, or a dish that is still starting up. Our guide to Starlink going offline explains those states.
Does router unreachable mean my internet is down?
Not necessarily. Open a website on a device on the Starlink Wi-Fi. If it loads, your service is fine.
Will a factory reset delete my Wi-Fi name and password?
Yes. The router returns to an open network called “STARLINK”, and you set a new name and password from there.