Boat Wi-Fi and Starlink Installation
Good internet on board means working from the boat, streaming at anchor and keeping an eye on your systems remotely. Boat Wi-Fi usually comes from a marine 4G or 5G router with external antennas, and more owners are adding Starlink. We handle the installation: mounting, cabling and, above all, powering it properly from your battery system.
Marina Wi-Fi is often weak at the far end of a pontoon. A router with a roof or pushpit antenna picks up mobile signal far better than a phone inside a hull.
We work from Shoreham Airport and fit equipment aboard between Brighton and Southampton.
Marine Wi-Fi routers
A 12V router with an external marine antenna gives the whole boat a Wi-Fi network using a mobile data SIM. Some routers can also pick up shore Wi-Fi and rebroadcast it inside. The antenna is mounted high and clear, and the cable run is sealed where it enters the boat.
- 12V 4G/5G router with a fused supply
- External antenna mounted high and sealed at deck entry
- A boat network for phones, laptops and monitoring
Starlink on a boat
Starlink dishes draw considerably more power than a router, and many kits are designed to run from mains. Running one from an inverter works but wastes energy; DC power solutions can be more efficient where the equipment supports them. We look at your battery capacity and charging, plan a clear mounting position and route the cable neatly so the dish and power supply suit the boat.
Marine inverter installation · Lithium battery upgrades
Remote monitoring over Wi-Fi
Once the boat has an internet connection, a Victron Cerbo GX can report battery and shore power to VRM so you can check the boat from home. Bilge alarms and cameras can use the same network.
Quote first
Tell us how you use the boat and what you want connected. We look at mounting, cabling and power, then give a written quote. Data plans and subscriptions are arranged by you with the provider.
Planning power for connectivity
Antenna position makes a bigger difference than the router itself. Mounting high on a pushpit, arch or mast gets the antenna above coachroofs and neighbouring boats, and a short, good-quality antenna cable keeps signal loss down. Sealing the deck entry stops water following the cable into the boat.
Routers draw little, but they are usually left running for days, so their standby draw adds up on a boat left on a mooring. A switch or timer can turn equipment off when it is not needed, while leaving monitoring running. With Starlink the energy budget matters more, and the battery bank and charging may need upgrading for a boat that spends long periods away from shore power.
We look at the whole picture, from mounting and cable entry to battery capacity, so that internet on board does not come at the cost of flat batteries.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get Wi-Fi on my boat?
The usual answer is a marine 4G or 5G router with an external antenna and a data SIM. It gives the whole boat a network.
Can you fit Starlink on a boat?
Yes. We plan the mounting, cable route and power supply so it suits your battery system.
Will Starlink drain my batteries?
It is a heavy load. We check capacity and charging and recommend the most efficient way to power it.
Do you supply the data plan?
No. Data and Starlink subscriptions are arranged directly with the provider.
Get your boat online
Send the boat details, where it is kept and what you have in mind, and we will come back with the next step and a written quote.