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How to Stay Connected During a Starlink Hardware Self-Test with Speedify

Use Speedify as Your Starlink Companion

If you have a Starlink and it’s doing a hardware self test, it usually means that it just finished a software update and it makes sure everything is working properly. However, this will disable your Internet.

The Speedify app is here to help: run it to combine Starlink internet with Wi-Fi or 4G / 5G cellular and avoid being disconnected from the Internet when your Starlink is doing a hardware self test.

Speedify Starlink Index — real-world performance from 6,228 Starlink users: 2.3% downtime, about 33 minutes a day for always-on connections

Speedify Starlink Index
May 29 – Jun 11, 2026

Your Starlink loses connection every day.

Speedify’s Starlink Index reports Starlink performance data from a sample of thousands of real-world Starlink dishes.

Daily Starlink downtime

~33 min

2.3% of connected time unreachable

Avg packet loss

0.17%

vs 0.08% on T-Mobile

71%
of users

71% of Starlink users ran at least one other internet connection — 4,400 of 6,228 users. Cellular is the most common backup.

Cellular 51% Cable / DSL 38% Other 11%
6,228 users · 141 countries · passive measurement See the full dataset →

Why Starlink Is Doing Hardware Self Tests

When Starlink alerts you via its app or Speedify that it’s doing a hardware self test, it means that it shut itself down and it’s running a series of test to make sure it’s running properly. This usually happens after a software update. In general, there’s nothing you need to do – just wait a few minutes for it to finish the test and it should come back online. 

If this doesn’t help, you should definitely call Starlink support.

Why You Need Speedify: It Combines Starlink with a Secondary Connection – 4G LTE / 5G Cellular, DSL, etc. – for Uninterrupted Internet

When your Starlink starts running a hardware self test, your Internet will be disabled. Usually it clears itself after a few minutes, but if this happens when you really have to be online in a video call or while live streaming, it will affect your online activities. You need fast and reliable connectivity when Starlink decides to disable your Internet. That’s why it’s important to use Speedify as a failover solution for your Internet.

Speedify’s channel bonding technology allows you to combine your Starlink connection with any other available internet source:

When Starlink is running a hardware self test, this causes an Internet outage. Speedify instantly shifts your traffic to your secondary connection, ensuring you stay connected without interruption or lag.

Use Speedify to Stay Online while Starlink Is Doing a Hardware Self Test

  1. Get the Speedify app on your devices – it runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and even on OpenWrt routers.
  2. Connect to both your Starlink and secondary internet source
  3. Let Speedify automatically combine these connections
  4. Enjoy uninterrupted internet regardless of it running hardware self tests

Many users report that this approach not only solves their Starlink hardware self test problems but also increases their overall internet speed by combining connection bandwidth.

Don’t let software updates affect your Starlink experience. Forget about Starlink hardware self test issues for good – keeping you connected no matter what stands between your dish and the satellites above.

Download Speedify Now and experience truly uninterrupted Starlink internet.

Alex and the Speedify team are always exploring the latest in networking and security technology—like 5G, 6G, WiFi 7, laser and satellite internet—and sharing it in new discussion content across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn every week.

Got a tech question? Let's go deeper! Pop into Speedify Office Hours live every Wednesday at 10 AM Eastern. Speedify CEO Alex Gizis and our network engineers are standing by to break down your questions about networks, tech updates, and Speedify features.

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Faster uploads and downloads by bonding all your connections at once.

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🔒 Security

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