# How is Ukraine expanding the range of the starlink internet hubs

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-ukraine-expanding-the-range-of-the-starlink-internet-hubs/961412>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Tags:** ukraine-invasion\
**Created:** [March 21, 2022, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-ukraine-expanding-the-range-of-the-starlink-internet-hubs/961412 "2022-03-21T07:27:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-ukraine-expanding-the-range-of-the-starlink-internet-hubs/961412/1 "2022-03-21T07:27:10Z")

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So I’m not an expert on wifi, but I once set up a wifi mesh system at my dads house, and it gave the wifi about a 150 foot range.

But I read that Ukraine is using the starlink system to help their drones target russian heavy weapons which requires communication between operators, drones and starlink systems that I assume are miles apart. How do they get a multi-mile (I assume) internet wireless range out of the starlink system?

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**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-ukraine-expanding-the-range-of-the-starlink-internet-hubs/961412/2 "2022-03-21T07:50:26Z")

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Starlink is a satellite-based internet system.

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**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-ukraine-expanding-the-range-of-the-starlink-internet-hubs/961412/3 "2022-03-21T11:53:08Z")

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Yeah, the drone is using its own internet connection to connect to the internet, not the connection of the Starlink terminal.

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**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-is-ukraine-expanding-the-range-of-the-starlink-internet-hubs/961412/4 "2022-03-21T13:42:56Z")

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Drones are not using internet or wifi to fly or transmit video back to the controller. They have their own wireless link in the 1.2 GHz to 5.8 GHz band depending on manufacture. They’re good out to 10km or so.  
Starlink isn’t wifi. It’s a satellite based internet service. All someone needs is the satellite dish pointing at the Starlink constellation and they’ll get internet. They could then connect a Wifi router up to that internet if they wished. The Wifi range would be just like you have at home, but with the Starlink Dish, they can move their “home” to where ever they want.