This article will help you build a marine internet package using both Peplink and Starlink components. There are several things to consider; waterproofing, size of the boat, incorporating Starlink, how much cabling you need for different options, how to power the setup etc. All of those topics will be covered in this article.


Building a Marine Internet setup for a Sailboat or Yacht



TABLE OF CONTENTS



Step 1: Start with The HD1 Dome 


The HD1 Pro Dome 5G is the perfect place to start when building a mobile internet setup for your sailboat or yacht. It is an industrial-grade mobile router that integrates a single CAT-20/5G modem with a 4x4 MIMO cellular antenna, and now adds WIFI 6 to the package for a complete mobile Internet solution. By integrating the radio and antenna into a single dome enclosure, cellular reception is maximized with minimal loss due to antenna cables. The Dome is also waterproof and comes with cable connectors that will allow you to connect to a power source while preventing the elements from getting into the device. 


Peplink MAX HD1 Pro Dome 5G Marine Router – MobileMustHave.com


Step 2: Powering the Dome


The HD1 Pro Dome 5G is powered by Power Over Ethernet (PoE) which can be provided by an ethernet switch, or by a POE injector. There are several different options to power the HD1 Dome, all of which have their positives and negatives. We'll go over those in this section. 


  • Managed POE switch (Recommended Option): $599-$799
With this option you could trunk certain ports to be WAN and then use the remaining ports on the LAN side. This would potentially be nice in a marine application where you wanted one switch to provide power to your Dome/WAN, but also provide power on the LAN (access points for example). The downside to a good managed POE switch, like Peplink's 8 port switch, is only cost. It's $599 but would give you the most options and flexibility.
https://mobilemusthave.com/products/peplink-8-port-sd-switch?_pos=2&_sid=8b929445b&_ss=r
Peplink SD Switch 16-Port Gigabit Rugged (DC12V-56V Input) – MobileMustHave.com

  • Standard 2 port POE injector: $89
This option is low cost, but the downside is that it won't run on anything but 110v or 12v (many boats need 24v)
https://mobilemusthave.com/products/12v-dc-powered-poe-injector-mobile-power-over-ethernet?_pos=1&_psq=poe-injector&_ss=e&_v=1.0


Step-Up Converter:

12V DC to 56V DC Step Up Converter, Enables PoE on Supported Devices – MobileMustHave.com


  • 5 or 8 port switch (unmanaged): $149-$219
You can also power the dome with any of our unmanaged switches, including the 5 port and 8 port switches available on our website. The downside is that you wouldn't be able to use the other ports on the switch since they would be sitting on the WAN side of your network not the LAN side. 
https://mobilemusthave.com/products/5-port-gigabit-poe-network-switch-for-mobile-installations-dc12v-48v-input?_pos=1&_sid=8b929445b&_ss=r
https://mobilemusthave.com/products/8-port-gigabit-poe-network-switch-12v?_pos=3&_sid=8b929445b&_ss=r



Step 3: Remote Sim Injector for the HD1 Dome


  • Mini Sim Injector: Reg price: $499

Combine the HD1 Dome Pro with the Mini SIM Injector, and the number of potential SIM cards increases to ten, allowing you to switch sim cards without having to access the dome, which may be mounted permanently up high. If you want to mount the Dome (and/or other antennas) on a mast, then never have to climb the mast again to change a sim card, this is what you need. Peplink SIM Injector Mini – MobileMustHave.com



The best way to integrate Starlink and Cellular is to use a second router as a hub that connects to both the Dome (or Domes) and the Starlink Dish (or Dishes) because it will allow you to manage all of your internet sources from a single admin screen and will provide Wi-Fi to your cabin. Our recommended hub router is the Peplink B One because it comes with all of the features that you'll need in an application like this (2 WAN ports, 4 LAN ports, Wi-Fi 6), but nothing that you don't (extra modems), making it the most cost-effective hub router that we carry.



Step 4: Extending the range of the Wi-Fi signal (Access Points)


Most of our marine customers are putting these setups into long sailboats or yachts, meaning that they will need to add at least one access point if they want to have coverage throughout the entirety of their boat.


  • AP AX Lite: $299 (2x2 mimo)
https://mobilemusthave.com/products/pepwave-ap-one-ax-lite-dual-band-2x2-wifi-6?_pos=1&_psq=ap-ax-lite&_ss=e&_v=1.0
  • AP AX One: $399 (4x4 mimo)

https://mobilemusthave.com/products/ap-one-ax-wireless-access-point?_pos=1&_psq=ap-ax&_ss=e&_v=1.0



We will be adding a new Globetrotter Bundle for our maritime customers that includes the HD1 Pro Dome 5G, a Mini SIM injector, a managed switch, and the B One. Be on the lookout for that to hit the website soon!



Marine Bundle Diagram:



KEY POINTS:

  • The SIM injector, switch and B One are all powered by your boat (via DC power) and the Dome is powered by the managed switch. 
  • The HP Starlink Dish can only be powered by 120V (AC).
  • The Dome requires 48V of power, so the step-up converter is needed if you want to power it with POE (using a managed switch).
  • Starlink and the Switch are both connected via ethernet cables to the B One's WAN ports. 
  • The Sim Injector and Access point(s) are connected to the B One's LAN ports.
  • Once your hardware is connected like this, you can use Synergy Mode (new feature with 8.3 firmware) to manage all of your internet connections in one place; the admin console of the B One.


DC Power Cable for B One and Sim Injector: Peplink Direct Wire DC Power Cable with 4 Pin Molex – MobileMustHave.com 

Videos on the products we've covered in this article: 

  • HD1 Dome Pro 5G: 

Peplink HD1 Dome Pro 5G First Look - Marine & RV Internet Solution (youtube.com) 

  • Wireless Access Points: 

Peplink AP One Series Access Point Overview - Which is best? (youtube.com) 

  • B One Hub Router: 

Meet the B One, Peplink's Most Affordable Multi-WAN Router Yet (youtube.com) 



MIRC Article to reference:

Starlink Satellite Internet for Mobile RV and Boat Use - Mobile Internet Resource Center (rvmobileinternet.com) 


Help Center (starlink.com) 


Requesting Assistance

If you feel you are not getting anywhere or there is another issue you can always reach out to our team directly by initiating a ticket here on the support portal or by emailing info@mobilemusthave.com


Thank you for being the best part of MobileMustHave.com