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Cameras

Which security cameras work with Starlink?

Behind Starlink, most cameras that use their maker’s app work out of the box. Cameras that wait for you to connect in don’t. Here’s how to tell which you have.

Quick answer

Cameras that use the maker’s cloud app (Reolink, eufy, Lorex Cloud and similar) work behind Starlink, because they connect out. Cameras or recorders that need port forwarding or DDNS don’t, because Starlink’s IPv4 runs behind CGNAT, which blocks inbound connections. Those need a fix such as Tailscale.

Facts checked Research-based, not tested on a farmWorks with any internet provider at the house.

Why CGNAT matters for cameras

By default Starlink uses CGNAT for IPv4 (100.64.0.0/10), which blocks all inbound ports. Public IPv4 comes only with Local and Global Priority plans. The Starlink router can't port forward. You need a third-party router plus a public IP.

Outbound connections work behind CGNAT; inbound ones are blockedTop row: a cloud-app camera opens a connection out to the maker's server, and your phone meets it there, so viewing works. Bottom row: a phone tries to reach a local-only camera directly from outside; the carrier's shared address (CGNAT) has no open port for it, so the connection is blocked.WORKS · CAMERA CALLS OUTCAMERACGNATMAKER'S CLOUDPHONEBLOCKED · PHONE CALLS INLOCAL-ONLYCAMERACGNATPHONENO OPEN PORT · NO PUBLIC IPv4
Cameras that connect out to their maker’s cloud keep working behind CGNAT. Cameras or recorders that wait for you to connect in (port forwarding, DDNS) don’t, until you add a fix.

Camera types and whether they work

Remote viewing behind CGNAT, by how the camera connects (sources checked Oct 5, 2026)
Camera / setupHow remote viewing worksBehind CGNATWhat the maker says
Reolink (app, UID/P2P)Camera connects out; app meets itWorksRemote access “without requiring port forwarding”; router only has to allow outbound UDP
eufy (app or web portal)Through eufy’s app / web portalWorksSays not to open public ports for the camera
Lorex with Lorex CloudThrough Lorex’s cloudWorksLorex Cloud needs no port forwarding
Lorex with DDNS (advanced)You connect in to the recorderBlockedDDNS option needs ports 80 and 9000 forwarded
Hikvision with Hik-ConnectThrough Hik-Connect cloudWorksWithout Hik-Connect you need port forwarding or DDNS
Hikvision direct IPYou connect in to the recorderBlockedForward HTTP 80, server 8000, RTSP 554
Ring, Arlo, WyzeThrough the maker’s cloudExpected to work, unconfirmedNo maker statement about inbound ports or CGNAT found (unverified)
Local-only NVR / RTSP / ONVIF camerasYou connect inNeeds a fixUse a mesh VPN like Tailscale

“Works” means the maker documents a remote-viewing method that doesn’t need an inbound connection. It isn’t a test of picture quality or reliability on your connection.

Upload speed adds up

Cameras use upload, the slow direction on most rural connections. Ring lists, per device: 15 Mbps for 4K, 10 for 2K, 2.5 for 1536p, 2 for 1080p and 1 for 720p, with 1 Mbps the minimum. Arlo lists 3 Mbps for its Ultra cameras, 2 for Pro 3 and newer, Essential, Floodlight and Doorbell, and 1 for older models. Add up every camera that streams or uploads at the same time, and leave room for everything else on the connection.

Our own tests

The site owner plans to test two or three cameras behind their own Starlink Residential connection, at home. Those tests haven’t been run yet, so nothing on this page is a first-hand result. When they are, results go on the gear tests page, labeled “owner-run test at home, not on a farm”.

When a cloud camera is the wrong choice

  • You don’t want video leaving the property: use a local recorder and reach it through Tailscale.
  • The camera site has no link to the house and no power: look at a solar LTE camera.

Questions people ask

Do security cameras work with Starlink?

Most do. Cameras that use the maker’s cloud app connect out to the maker’s servers, and that works behind Starlink’s CGNAT. Cameras or recorders that need port forwarding or DDNS for remote viewing don’t, until you add a fix like Tailscale.

Will my Ring camera work with Starlink?

Ring runs through Ring’s cloud, so remote viewing doesn’t depend on an open port at your house. Ring hasn’t published a statement about CGNAT that we could find, so we list it as expected to work, not confirmed. Ring needs at least 1 Mbps upload per device, more for higher resolution.

How much upload do cameras need?

Ring lists 1 Mbps (720p) to 15 Mbps (4K) per device. Arlo lists 1 to 3 Mbps per camera depending on the model. Add them up for every camera that streams or uploads at once.

What is CGNAT?

Carrier-grade NAT: your provider shares one public IPv4 address among many customers. Your devices can reach out to the internet, but nothing on the internet can reach in to them unless they started the connection.

Sources

  1. Starlink Help: What IP address does Starlink provide?, read in search results, checked Oct 5, 2026
  2. Starlink Help: Can I port forward with the Starlink router?, read in search results, checked Oct 5, 2026
  3. Reolink Support: How to Enable UID for Reolink Products, checked Oct 5, 2026
  4. eufy: How to Remotely View Security Cameras on App or Web, checked Oct 5, 2026
  5. Lorex NR900X manual: DDNS Setup (Advanced), checked Oct 5, 2026
  6. Hikvision USA: What options do I have for remote access, other than Hik-Connect?, checked Oct 5, 2026
  7. Ring: Protocols and Ports Used by Ring Devices, checked Oct 5, 2026
  8. Arlo: What are the minimum requirements for installing and using an Arlo system?, checked Oct 5, 2026
  9. Ring: Understanding wifi recommendations for Ring devices, checked Oct 5, 2026

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