[Starlink] Optimized for Speedtest?

Nathan Owens nathan at nathan.io
Tue Mar 15 18:37:21 EDT 2022


I don’t think that’s technically correct - the system schedules user slots
on a 15s interval:

"SpaceX also provides customers with their own phased-array terminal to be
deployed at their service location to connect directly to the satellite’s
Ku- band RF beam. assigned to the user’s service area. Because the Starlink
satellites are constantly moving, the network plans these connections
on 15 second
intervals, continuously re-generating and publishing a schedule of
connections to the satellite fleet and handing off connections between
satellites."
“The ability to control hand-offs in software with millisecond precision
allows SpaceX to turn the constant motion of the constellation into a key
advantage for the Starlink network. These micro-adjustments enhance
Starlink’s reliability and enables more efficient management of capacity in
real time.”

My assumption is the connection switching is make-after-break, meaning
there will be some delay in switching satellites, which seems to cause a
brief increase in loss and buffering.


On Tue, Mar 15, 2022 at 3:09 PM Daniel AJ Sokolov <daniel at falco.ca> wrote:

> Hello,
>
>  From this list I have learned that Starlink is optimized to shine in
> tests with speedtest.net and similar sites, but that transmission rates
> drop quickly after about 15 seconds.
>
> How do they do that, technically?
>
> Is that a result of Bufferbloat? Is that a a specific code in the modem
> to cheat, like some car manufacturers cheated on emissions tests? Is
> that something done in the satellites who shift capacity from other
> users to those users who initiate downloads? Is that done on the backhaul?
>
> Thank you
> Daniel
> _______________________________________________
> Starlink mailing list
> Starlink at lists.bufferbloat.net
> https://lists.bufferbloat.net/listinfo/starlink
>
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