Starlink’s Mesh Makeover: New $40 Router Mini + Gen 3 Router Price Drop
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Starlink is giving its mesh WiFi lineup a makeover, launching a brand new $40 router and slashing the price of their flagship Gen 3 router by 33%. Expanding your Starlink WiFi coverage has never been more affordable, but now you have a tough decision to make.
New $40 “Router Mini” Launched
The first part of Starlink’s new mesh strategy is the affordable “Router Mini”. Recently launched in the Starlink shop for just $40, it’s an inexpensive way to add WiFi coverage to your home. The Router Mini costs about the same as a WiFi extender or booster, but has much better performance and is easier to set up.
The Router Mini lives up to its name, measuring just 5.4” x 3.3” x 1” (138 x 83.6 x 27 mm). That’s about the same footprint as a modern smartphone. Inside you get dual-band WiFi 6 technology that covers around 1,200 sq ft. On the outside you will find a WAN port, LAN port, power input, and a factory reset button. The Router Mini comes with a removable stand that can also be used as a wall mount.
On the front you’ll find the familiar Starlink logo, which depicts an orbital transfer ellipse from Earth to Mars. I wrote about the Starlink logo in my post 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Starlink. There is also a status LED in the lower left corner.
Despite being called the Router Mini, this new mesh WiFi router isn’t exclusively for the Starlink Mini antenna. The Router Mini can easily pair with other Starlink routers in a wired or wireless mesh configuration. It can also pair with the Mini’s internal WiFi router. Adding a Router Mini to your Starlink network is an easy way to add WiFi coverage to stubborn areas that aren’t getting a good signal from the main router.
Check out my Starlink Mesh Guide for more information on pairing and setting up a Starlink mesh network.
Gen 3 Mesh Router Price Drop
Starlink’s mesh makeover also involves a significant price drop for the flagship Gen 3 Mesh Router. Originally launched at $199, the Gen 3 router is now just $80 in the Starlink shop. That’s the second price reduction this year, down 33% from the $120 price we’ve seen for the past several weeks.
The Gen 3 Mesh Router is aging at this point, but the specs are still acceptable in 2025. It’s a tri-band WiFi 6 router with an impressive 3,200 sq ft of coverage. In my Gen 3 router review, I got 4 times the WiFi speeds compared to the older Starlink Gen 2 router. The Gen 3 router can act as the main router in your Starlink system, or it can pair as a mesh access point in a wired or wireless configuration.
At just $80, the Gen 3 router offers an affordable way to increase the WiFi coverage in your home. It’s also a good upgrade for older Starlink systems, bringing the WiFi technology up to modern standards.
Router Mini vs Gen 3 Mesh Router
With all Starlink routers now priced under $100, customers looking for affordable mesh WiFi will have a tough decision to make. Do you get the Router Mini for $40, or spend extra and go for the flagship Gen 3 Mesh Router?
The Router Mini is intended for small spaces and low demand WiFi networks. It’s a great choice for extending WiFi to a corner room or garage. The tradeoff for the low price is a weaker WiFi antenna, which covers significantly less area compared to the full size Starlink routers. It’s also dual-band instead of tri-band, meaning wireless mesh performance will not be as good compared to the Gen 3 router.
With the Gen 3 router you pay twice the money, but get nearly triple the WiFi coverage compared to the Router Mini. The Gen 3 router is best for larger homes and Wifi networks with a lot of devices connecting simultaneously. The additional mesh Wifi band improves wireless mesh backhaul, allowing for better speeds and connection reliability between mesh nodes.
Here’s how I would decide: If you just need to cover an extra room, or want a better travel router for your Starlink Mini, get the Router Mini. If you need to cover a larger area, or you want to upgrade an older Starlink router, get the Gen 3 router. If your situation is more complex than that, feel free to leave a comment below and I will try to help you out. You can also post your question in my new Starlink forum.
How is Starlink Lowering Prices?
I’m excited about Starlink lowering prices on their mesh WiFi routers. It makes them extremely competitive, and a great value compared to aftermarket alternatives. But it got me thinking, how in the heck are they lowering prices at a time when most companies are doing the opposite with technology?
Part of the answer is on the regulatory label on the back of every Starlink router. Starlink still manufacturers the antennas in the USA. They used to make the WiFi routers here, too. But Starlink has recently started expanding the manufacturing of some accessories overseas, to places like Vietnam, Thailand, and even China.
The Gen 3 routers that I own are all made in the USA. I purchased them in late 2023 and early 2024. But if you buy a Starlink Gen 3 router today, you’ll notice that it’s now made in Vietnam. The same goes for the Router Mini. By moving production overseas, Starlink can save quite a bit of money on manufacturing. Perhaps they are passing the savings on to customers by reducing prices.
One wildcard is the ongoing tariff situation. Imports of Starlink routers from Vietnam currently face 10% tariffs, but that could soon increase to nearly 50% in July. If that happens, it would certainly cause Starlink to adjust pricing, or move manufacturing for some markets.
Final Thoughts
I find myself saying this a lot, but it’s a good time to be a Starlink customer. You now have two affordable options to expand your WiFi coverage. The $40 Router Mini is great for covering smaller areas, while the $80 Gen 3 Mesh Router is suited for larger homes and more demanding WiFi networks.
Stay tuned for my full Router Mini review that’s coming in a few weeks. If you aren’t already signed up, join my email newsletter to have new articles sent directly to your inbox!
Do you have an idea when a new “mini” dish is coming out? Im new to the starlink technology. I know it’s been a few years since it’s been introduced. If i get the current mini. Will get more than 100 mbps speeds in the next few years? Thanks
The Mini came out less than a year ago, so I don’t expect a new Mini soon. The Mini is currently capable of more than 100 Mbps, but it largely depends on your location. I’ve had speed tests over 250 Mbps on my Mini. Speeds improve with more satellites deployed, so I think it’s reasonable to expect 100+ Mbps with the current Mini over the next few years.
We recently installed a pool, and the pool equipment sits at the back corner of the house and uses wifi for communications. The signal strength is low for the pool equipment, while we have full strength inside most of the house using Starlink. The Gen 2 router is in the attic. Should we consider buying a mini and placing it in a location closer to the pool equipment, or instead upgrade the router to Gen 3? Or should we buy a range extender that could be put outside on the back wall?
The Gen 3 router just got bumped back up to $120. At $80 I would say just get a Gen 3 router to use as the main router, and set bypass mode on the Gen 2 router. But at just $40 the Router Mini is a really great option for something that just needs a better signal. That’s what I would try first if you are satisfied with how the Gen 2 router is performing for devices in your home. Place the Router Mini a couple rooms away from the Gen 2 router, somewhere closer to the pool equipment. That should help it a ton.
I just received a mini for our RV and want an access point that can stay onboard and function as a hub for smart switches (Shelly set up), smart TVs etc. The RV might be parked next to the house WiFi during summer season, parked in a storage facility with WiFi (for security) off season, and with Starlink while traveling. Will the Starlink mesh add-ons function as such? Is there such a beast available?
The Starlink mesh routers aren’t up to the challenge, but I think a travel router would do the trick. It sounds like you would have multiple internet sources. WiFi from your home in the summer, storage facility WiFi during the off season, and then Starlink when the RV is in use. You’ll want a router than can handle multiple internet sources. I’ve been looking into GLiNet routers, and they seem like a good option for you. They have the ability to take any WiFi signal, like from the storage facility, and then repeat the signal on your own private WiFi network. Once you save the connection details in the router configuration, you’ll be able to switch between internet sources (public WiFi, your Starlink, etc.) seamlessly. All your devices would connect to the GLiNet router, and then the router does the work managing all these internet sources.
As far as Starlink goes, you would plug the Mini into the GLiNet router with an Ethernet cable, turn on bypass mode in the Starlink app, and then manage the network through the GLiNet router. Should be able to plug in your smart switches and other devices to the GLiNet router as well, they have multiple ports.
How can l get Gen 3
I have the STARLINK – Standard Kit AX Tri Band Wi-Fi System and am in a 1,000 sq.ft. house. For some reason, my Wyze Cams do not stay connected, even from the living room to my bedroom. The only reason I switched from my former internet with a maximum download speed of 15 Mbps was to keep my cameras stable. It’s better now, but still not good. The bedrooms, back side of the house and basement often show 0 bars signal strength. I’m still looking for a more successful resolution for my cameras. When I do Starlink’s Speed Test, I generally get between 150-300 Mbps. Any suggestions?
What I would try is to go into the Starlink app, tap Settings, tap your network, then split the 5Ghz and 2.4Ghz networks. Manually connect your cameras to the 2.4Ghz WiFi network that is created. That’s what I had to do to solve connectivity issues with some of my cameras. In a small home and at a small distance, there should be no other reason that the cameras get a weak signal (unless your interior walls are stone/brick/concrete).
Do you have the information on the power supply specs for the Mini Router ?
Regards Tony.
It’s a 9V ~1.6A wall adapter.
How do I install the Gen3 router?
It depends on which generation Starlink dish you have, but I have an install guide for all the Starlink models here: https://www.dishytech.com/starlink-gen-3-router-review/#installation-and-setup
Sadly, the new Router still isn’t available in Australia, but they have dropped the price to $120 AUD for the Gen 3 Router (it was about $280).
It is great that they are reviewing pricing of hardware and expanding manufacturing options.
How is any of this going to affect the monthly rates? After buying the equipment, which we will never own, there is still a charge for the use of the equipment.
After you buy the equipment you fully own it, you aren’t leasing it or anything like that. Yes, there is a monthly service charge if you decide to use Starlink services. I don’t know of any other internet service that does not cost money.