Tech Guide: VanConnect 5G and Starlink Integration Kit

Go RV - Advice

It wasn’t so long ago when reliable remote-area communications were limited to satellite phones, those bulky bricks that were expensive to purchase and cost an arm and a leg to use. How times have changed. Now, wherever you are in Australia, from Lawn Hill to Lightning Ridge, you can not only stay in touch but stream movies, check emails… heck, you could run your entire business from the comfort of your caravan as you gazed wistfully at the ocean.

On-the-road internet access has changed significantly over the last couple years, and there are numerous products that support a connected mobile lifestyle. Last month, we introduced the Cowfish Cosmo, a special power supply developed specifically to allow caravanners to run their gen 3 Starlink router from their van’s house batteries. For caravanners, the ability to run their Starlink router from their 12V system has proven to be a communications game-changer.

VANCONNECT 5G

There are, however, other ways to access the internet when you’re travelling in your van. One of those we have touched on before: VanConnect. This product has been on the market for about three years but is now compatible with the 5G network, as well as 4G – it automatically switches between the two.

Essentially, VanConnect is an internet router powered by your van’s 12V system. Wherever there’s a 4G or 5G signal, you’ll be able to hop online.

“The key to getting reliable internet in your caravan is to have the best possible connection to the Telstra or Optus towers,” Evert Smit of Cowfish Technologies told GoRV. “The external antenna that comes with VanConnect is state of the art, which sets it apart from other products. It operates well beyond what your mobile phone can achieve in terms of the signal it can receive. For example, in areas where your phone might drop out, or struggle with slow internet, VanConnect can still pull in a signal and provide a wi-fi network.”

Obviously, in such scenarios, there are no guarantees. If no signal exists, VanConnect can’t magically provide one. But according to Evert, who developed this product, the antenna is sensitive enough to receive what scraps of a signal might exist, even if your mobile phone claims there is no signal to be found.

“I refer to those areas as ‘limbo land’, where you’re standing on the biggest rock, holding your phone in the air, and still only getting one bar of reception. Even in those spots, VanConnect can achieve 25 to 30 per cent signal strength, meaning you can stay connected and continue using the internet.”

STARLINK INTEGRATION KIT

Of course, Starlink remains the ultimate internet connectivity solution for many people, and for good reason. However, with all your eggs in the Starlink basket, you will encounter some limitations. For example, it requires 240V power (unless you purchase a dedicated power supply such as the Cosmo or use an inverter, which is inefficient), and it also requires an unobstructed view of the sky. Further, Starlink routers can be quite power-hungry, while the monthly subscription fee of $195 per month is quite hefty.

That’s where VanConnect comes in. It effectively offers the best of both worlds: it allows you to have a 4G or 5G internet connection and, with the addition of Cowfish’s Starlink Integration Kit, you can have a 12V Starlink connection running through the VanConnect router as well. The benefit: you can pick and choose when to run Starlink and when to simply rely on mobile data.

Say you’re only going on a short trip where you know you’ll have 4G or 5G data. Leave your Starlink connection paused and use your VanConnect. But if you’re going into remote areas, you can activate your Starlink account, running everything through a single router, thanks to the Starlink Integration Kit, knowing no matter where the road takes you, you’ll remain connected.

Let’s talk power. Starlink’s power usage depends on the generation of the dish. Gen 2 dishes are more conservative compared to the gen 3 dishes. Power draw can range from 50 to 150 watts, depending on the dish being used. VanConnect, by contrast, uses about 0.5A amps on 12V – virtually negligible power draw. In fact, as Evert Smit told GoRV, you might not even bother turning it off.

THE KIT

When purchasing the VanConnect 5G system, you’ll get the 5G module, an external antenna mounted on an aluminium bracket, and a power lead with 12V cigarette-style plug.

The 5G module also comes with mounting brackets, allowing you to mount the module anywhere that’s convenient, be it inside a cabinet or under the bed. What matters is that you have a 12V point nearby to power it.

With the VanConnect system installed, and you’ve decided to add the Cowfish Starlink Integration Kit to allow access to Elon Musk’s satellite constellation, it’s simply a matter of connecting it, plug and play-style, to the VanConnect module with the supplied cable and RJ45 connector.

Various package options are available from Cowfish. The company includes waterproof through-the-wall connections to allow you to connect to your Starlink dish, or you can purchase the necessary components individually.
If you’re in the process of researching an internet system for your caravan or motorhome, it would be well worth your time checking out VanConnect 5G, with or without the Starlink Integration Kit. Perhaps Starlink isn’t important to you right now, but you think you might get it eventually. In that case, this setup would be a no-brainer.

Cowfish has slowly made a name for itself within the RV communications game, offering well-thought-out products that solve genuine problems faced by Australian vanners. Highly recommended.