Router Lost Communication With Dishy Antenna
The STARLINK-ANTENNA_UNREACHABLE (Starlink) EV fault code means: Router Lost Communication With Dishy Antenna. This is a critical severity code.
- Keep driving?
- No -- stop driving
- DIY difficulty
- easy
- Estimated cost
- $0 if reseating the connector fixes it. Replacement Starlink cable is $35-$75 DIY from the Starlink shop. Professional installation labor to re-run a cable is typically $100-$250. Router replacement (if router power supply failed) is $200-$350 through Starlink. Dish replacement under active warranty may be covered at no cost.
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Common Symptoms
- Starlink mobile app shows 'Antenna Unreachable' in the status or Diagnostics screen
- No internet connection on any device connected to the Starlink router
- Router LED is solid white or amber but the dish is not receiving power
- Statistics tab in the Starlink mobile app shows 0 Mbps download and upload with no signal
- Dish does not move or stare when you watch it from outside, indicating it never powered up
- App Diagnostics screen shows the dish offline even after a full router reboot
- Swapping to a different ethernet port or power input makes no difference
Probable Causes (Ranked by Likelihood)
- Water or corrosion inside the proprietary cable connector at the dish end or router end Very Likely
- Cable physically damaged: kinked, pinched under a door or roof clamp, or crushed Very Likely
- Loose or partially seated connector at the router or at the dish base Likely
- Rodent or UV damage along the cable run, creating an open or short in the conductors Likely
- Faulty or failed power supply inside the router, unable to deliver DC power over the cable to Dishy Possible
- Defective cable from the factory or a previous installation bend stress failure Possible
- Failed Dishy hardware (internal electronics damaged by lightning, surge, or physical impact) Less Likely
Step-by-Step Diagnostic Procedure
Open the Starlink mobile app, go to the Diagnostics screen, and confirm the exact status shown is 'Antenna Unreachable'. Take a screenshot so you have a record if you need to contact Starlink support.
Reboot the router by unplugging it from power, waiting 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Watch the app for 3 to 5 minutes. If the status clears, a transient power glitch caused it and no further action is needed right now.
Inspect the cable connector where it plugs into the bottom of Dishy. Look for bent pins, moisture droplets, green or white corrosion, or a connector that is not fully clicked in. Dry it with a clean cloth, reseat it firmly until you hear or feel a click, and wait 2 minutes.
Trace the entire cable run from the dish to the router. Look for sharp kinks (90-degree bends), pinch points under cable clips or roof tiles, sections that look chewed, and cracked or brittle outer jacket from UV exposure. Any visible damage along the run means the cable needs replacement.
Inspect the cable end at the router. Unplug it, look for moisture or debris in the port, blow it out gently, then reseat it firmly. If the router has a secondary ethernet port or you have the Starlink ethernet adapter, try plugging in from that side to rule out a bad port.
If you have a second known-good Starlink cable, swap it in as a test. This is the fastest way to confirm or rule out a damaged cable without any test equipment. Starlink replacement cables are available through the Starlink shop in your app.
If replacing or reseating the cable does not clear the fault, check whether the router itself feels warm and its LED behavior matches normal startup. A router that gets very hot or cycles its LED repeatedly may have a failed internal power board. This requires router replacement, not a cable fix.
If the cable checks out and the router appears healthy, the dish hardware itself may have failed. Contact Starlink support through the app. They can run a remote diagnostic on your dish's last known state and confirm whether a hardware replacement is needed under warranty.
Common Fixes by Vehicle
What techs usually find when diagnosing STARLINK-ANTENNA_UNREACHABLE on specific platforms — tap a platform for the fix and the exact part:
All Starlink hardware variants Easy DIY
AntennaUnreachable means the router cannot talk to the dish. 80% of the time it's the cable connector at one end. Check: (1) The Dishy-end connector for water intrusion -- the proprietary connector is supposed to be weatherproof but UV degrades the boot over time. Disconnect, dry both ends, reseat. (2) The router-end connector -- pull and reseat. (3) The cable run for kinks or animal damage (squirrels and rabbits chew it). (4) Cable length -- if you've used a cable extension, especially a non-OEM one, that's a common failure. The OEM Starlink cable is proprietary and 75-150 ft only. For longer runs, the official Ethernet adapter ($25) lets you bridge to standard Cat6 -- but you lose PoE on long runs. Replacement OEM cable runs ~$40-100 from Starlink shop.
Labor: 30-60 minFrequently Asked Questions
What does Antenna Unreachable mean on my Starlink?
It means your Starlink router is sending power and data signals down the cable to Dishy (the dish antenna) but getting no response back. The router and dish have completely lost communication. In most cases the cable between them is the problem, either a damaged connector, a kinked or chewed cable, or water that got into the connector.
Can I still get internet with this fault active?
No. When the router cannot reach Dishy, there is no satellite link and no internet on any device. You will have no service until the cable connection between the router and dish is restored.
How much does it cost to fix Antenna Unreachable?
If it is just a loose connector, reseating it costs nothing. A replacement cable from the Starlink shop runs $35 to $75 and most people can swap it themselves in under an hour. If you need a technician to re-run the cable through walls or a roof, expect $100 to $250 in labor. If the router itself failed, a replacement router is $200 to $350. If your dish hardware failed, contact Starlink support since it may be covered under warranty.
Will my Starlink come back online on its own?
Rarely. A reboot sometimes clears it if a momentary power glitch caused the fault. But in most cases the physical cable connection is broken somewhere and the system will stay offline until you find and fix that break. Start by reseating both ends of the cable and doing a visual inspection of the full run.