Starlink ends software updates for the Gen 1 router and offers a free Router Mini

What changed

Starlink’s support article “Gen 1 Router Replacement” says that in November 2025 it “began emailing customers using the Gen 1 Router to let them know that software updates for this hardware will be discontinued in the near future.” Affected customers get a free Router Mini by clicking “Claim Free Router” in the email. You don’t need to return the Gen 1 router.

The Gen 1 router keeps working, but Starlink says that without updates it “cannot guarantee long-term security, performance, or reliability.” DISHYtech, writing on 2025-12-18, gives the Gen 1 router’s model number as UTR-201. It says only Gen 1 systems that are online get the email, so a seasonal system may need to be powered up to be flagged.

Who it affects

Owners of the earliest round-dish kits (2020–2021) who still use the original router. On farms, those old kits often end up in a shop or second house.

What it means for your setup

The swap has one wiring catch. The Gen 1 router took its power over the Ethernet cable from the power brick. Starlink says the Router Mini “requires its included 15W power supply” and can’t be powered by that cable. You need an outlet where the router sits. In a barn or shop that may mean running power to the router shelf.

The Router Mini has one WAN and one LAN port. If your barn link plugged into the router, it moves to the Router Mini’s LAN port. If you need more wired ports for a Cat6 run plus a camera NVR, add a small switch.

An unsupported router at the edge of your network is a security risk, especially with cameras behind it.

What to do now

• Check the label under your router. If it says UTR-201, it’s a Gen 1.
• Power the system up and watch for Starlink’s “Claim Free Router” email. If none comes, contact Starlink support.
• Before you swap, write down your Wi-Fi name and password and reuse them on the Router Mini so devices reconnect on their own. Starlink’s article says the same.
• Make sure there’s an outlet near the router spot.

What stays the same

• The Gen 1 dish itself. DISHYtech reports it keeps getting updates.
• Your barn link hardware. It just moves to the new router’s LAN port.

What we don’t know yet

• The date Gen 1 router updates actually stop.