The short answer
In most homes we visit, a slow Starlink is a Wi-Fi problem, not a satellite problem: the device is too far from the router or behind concrete walls. Run the Starlink app’s speed test, which can check the dish link and your Wi-Fi separately. If the dish link itself is slow, the usual causes are obstructions, evening congestion, used-up priority data or a damaged cable.
Check first: is it the dish or your Wi-Fi?
A Starlink connection has two halves: dish to satellite, and router to your device. Find the slow half first.
- Run the test in the Starlink app. Its speed test has an advanced option that tests the dish link and your Wi-Fi separately (labels vary by app version). A good dish result with poor Wi-Fi means the problem is inside your building.
- Test beside the router. If speed jumps in the same room, distance and walls are the cause.
- Test with a cable. Plug a laptop into the router. The Gen 3 router (now called Router 3) has two Ethernet ports under a cover; the older Gen 2 router needs Starlink’s Ethernet Adapter. On a Starlink Mini, the port is on the dish itself.
- Test morning and evening. A big gap between the two points to network congestion, not your equipment.
Why is my Starlink slow? The causes we find most
In the order our installers find them:
| Cause | Typical sign | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi range and walls | Fast near the router, slow upstairs | Move the router; add an access point |
| Obstructions | Calls freeze every few minutes | Raise or move the dish |
| Peak hours and busy areas | Fast mornings, slow nights | Move big downloads to late night |
| Priority data used up | Slower at busy times late in the billing month on a Priority plan | Check usage; ask us about a bigger allowance |
| Too many devices | Slow when everyone is home | Pause backups and updates |
| Cable or router fault | Slow even when wired; a cable warning in the app | Inspect, reseat or replace the cable |
| Heat and heavy rain | Slow at hot midday or in a downpour | Check alerts; wait out the rain |
Wi-Fi range and walls
Starlink rates Router 3 for up to about 297 m² of coverage and the Starlink Mini’s built-in Wi-Fi for up to about 112 m². Those are best-case figures: every block wall and concrete floor cuts the signal, so a duplex often needs a second access point. Starlink advises keeping mesh routers no more than two rooms apart, away from concrete walls and large mirrors, and off the floor. Our Wi-Fi and networking guide covers mesh nodes and access points.
Peak hours and busy areas
Starlink’s standard plan terms say Priority data gets precedence over Residential and Roam data, and that Residential users “are most likely to be impacted during peak usage hours”, which in practice means evenings. Roam has the lowest priority, so it slows first. In Nigeria, Starlink has handled crowding mainly by closing Residential to new customers in most locations, including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, rather than by published speed limits, but its Fair Use Policy still allows it to “temporarily reduce speeds if the network is congested”.
Priority data used up
Most new customers in Nigeria are on a Priority (business) plan, such as our small business plan with unlimited data. Priority plans include a monthly allowance of priority data. On the Nigerian accounts we sell and manage, once a Priority plan’s priority data is used up, the service carries on with unlimited standard data at lower network priority, which can feel slower at busy times. Residential plans in Nigeria are reported as unlimited. Our guide to whether Starlink is unlimited in Nigeria explains each plan.
The other causes
Starlink says objects such as a tree branch, pole or roof “will cause service interruptions”: a blocked patch of sky costs you a moment each time a satellite passes behind it. See how to clear Starlink obstructions, and check how many devices Starlink can handle if the house is full of phones and TVs. A crushed or damaged cable can keep working at reduced speed, and the app may warn of a poor cable connection; if the service drops out completely, see why Starlink keeps disconnecting. Heat shows as a “Thermal Throttling” alert, and heavy rain is covered in our rainy season guide.
Why is my Starlink upload speed slow?
Upload is lower than download on Starlink, often by a wide margin. Starlink’s standard terms give typical uploads of 10 to 30 Mbps, and our own handover tests have ranged from 10.8 to 35.2 Mbps. Video calls and live streams depend on it:
- Pause cloud backups (Google Photos, iCloud, WhatsApp chat backups) during calls and streams.
- Wire the streaming computer to the router.
- Clear obstructions: short drops hurt live uploads more than downloads, which can buffer.
Is Starlink slow today? Check for an outage
If nothing has changed since yesterday, open the app before touching the equipment; Starlink’s own troubleshooting order starts with its alerts. A “Service Outage” alert means the problem is on Starlink’s side, and rebooting won’t fix it. Our Starlink troubleshooting guide explains the other messages. If pages won’t load at all, see Starlink connected but no internet.
What speed should you expect in Nigeria?
Ookla’s tests put the median Starlink download in Nigeria at 63.69 Mbps in Q2 2023, then below 50 Mbps in Q1 2025 and Q1 2026. Our own installations have measured 121 Mbps on a two-storey home and 91 Mbps on a flat parapet: single readings at handover, not promises. Our Starlink speed guide for Nigeria explains what is normal.
When to get help
If the dish link is slow with no outage, the dish may need moving; if only the Wi-Fi is slow, you may need another access point. Our Starlink support service can diagnose it and send an installer anywhere in Nigeria. Call 0802 859 5303 or WhatsApp us a screenshot of your speed test, 24 hours a day.
Slow Starlink FAQs
Why is my Starlink so slow at night?
Evenings are peak hours, when Starlink’s standard terms say Residential users are most likely to feel congestion; on a Priority plan, the same can happen once the priority data is used up. If mornings are fast, your equipment is probably fine.
Why does my Starlink keep buffering?
Usually from short drops caused by a partly blocked view of the sky, or from weak Wi-Fi in that room. Test beside the router, then run the obstruction tool.
Will a new router make Starlink faster?
Only if Wi-Fi is the bottleneck. If the dish link itself is slow, a new router changes nothing.
Does restarting Starlink improve the speed?
It can clear a stuck router, so try it once. It won’t fix congestion, obstructions or a used-up data allowance.