Can I get a static IP address from Starlink?

Okay, regarding whether Starlink provides static IP addresses, let me break it down for you. This isn't a simple "yes" or "no" answer; it depends on the situation.

Does Starlink Provide Static IP Addresses?

Let's put it this way: for the vast majority of us regular home users, the answer is: No, not by default.

When you set up Starlink, connect to the internet, you'll receive a dynamic IP address, and this IP address is part of Starlink's "large internal network."

This sounds a bit complicated. What's a "large internal network"?

You can imagine Starlink as a super-large apartment complex.

• Your home (your router and all devices): One household in the complex.
• Starlink (your internet service provider): The property management of the complex.
• Public IP address: The address of the main gate of the complex, like "100 XX Road." This is a unique address that can be found on the global internet map.
• Private IP address: Your apartment number, like "Building 5, Unit 101." This apartment number is only known to the property management (Starlink); people from outside cannot find you directly.

Starlink uses a technology called CGNAT (Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation). Simply put, an entire complex (all Starlink users in a certain area) shares one or a few main gate addresses (public IPs). The property management (Starlink's routers) is responsible for managing all data ingress and egress, ensuring that mail received at "100 XX Road" can be accurately delivered to "Building 5, Unit 101" where you live.

What's the impact on normal use?

• Unaffected scenarios: Your daily browsing, watching Netflix, playing games (most games), video calls, etc. These are all instances where you actively access "outside" services from "home," and there are absolutely no issues.
• Affected scenarios: If you want to access a device at "home" directly from "outside" (e.g., from work or on the road), problems arise. For example:
  • You want to access your home NAS (Network Attached Storage) to download a file.
  • You want to check your home surveillance cameras.
  • You want to set up your own website or game server for friends to play on.

In these situations, because your device only has an "internal apartment number," people from outside don't know which room behind the "100 XX Road" main gate is yours, so access fails.

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But what if I really want to access my home devices from outside? Are there solutions?

Yes! Starlink offers a few options, but most require additional payment.

1. [Premium Solution] Upgrade to "Priority Data" or Business Plan

• What it is: This is like buying a "street-facing detached villa" directly within the complex. You have your own independent house number (public IP), and this house number is fixed (static IP).
• Pros: You get a fixed, public IP address that can be accessed directly from anywhere in the world. It's stable, reliable, and you can do whatever you want with it.
• Cons: Very expensive! This is primarily for businesses with commercial needs, such as companies that need to establish stable network connections in remote areas. For average home users, it's extremely cost-ineffective.

2. [Practical Solution] Purchase the "Public IP" Add-on for Home Plans

This is a more accessible option recently introduced by Starlink, chosen by many users with "geeky" needs.

• What it is: You still live in the apartment complex, but you apply to the property management for a "window that can be found directly from outside." Starlink will assign you a public IP, but this IP is dynamic.
• What "dynamic" means: It means this IP address might change. For example, if you restart your router, or if Starlink performs network maintenance, they might assign you a new IP address. It's like your window being on the south wall today, but it might open on the north wall tomorrow.
• Pros: The price is relatively acceptable (currently $20 USD per month), and it solves the fundamental problem of "inability to access from outside."
• Cons: Because the IP changes, every time you want to access your home from outside, you first need to know what the new IP address is for that day.

How to solve the changing dynamic IP problem? Use a DDNS (Dynamic DNS) service. You can think of it as an "address book." You register an easy-to-remember domain name (e.g., my-home-nas.ddns.net), and then set it up on your router. Every time your home's public IP changes, your router will automatically update this "address book," telling the DDNS service: "Hey, my new address is xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx." This way, no matter where you are, you just need to access that fixed domain name my-home-nas.ddns.net, and DDNS will automatically direct you to your home's current correct IP address. Problem solved!

Summary

So, if you're just a regular user, don't worry about the IP address; Starlink works pretty much like regular broadband. If you have higher demands, be prepared to pay for the "Public IP" service, and then spend some time setting up DDNS, and you'll have a lot of fun.