This article tells how to configure TP-Link Omada Router with Starlink internet.

1. How to connect Starlink to Omada Router

For example, WAN is the primary WAN connected to the Starlink, and WAN/LAN1 as the backup WAN connected to ISP Modem.

Original Gen-1 Starlink Setup Process

The Original Terminal is a Round Dish with an Ethernet Jack. However, the original Starlink Router that comes with your system does not support Bypass Mode, you must unplug the Starlink router if you want the Omada Router to work as the main Router. Please configure your network as follows:

Step 1: Unplug the Starlink Router by Disconnecting the Cable Connected to the Power Supply.

Step 2: Plug the Starlink PoE Adapter into the WAN port of the Omada router.

Gen-2 Starlink Setup Process

Unlike the Original Starlink Terminal, the Dish is Rectangular, and no PoE adapter is included. With a Gen-2 Terminal, you must purchase an Ethernet Adapter from Starlink to Connect to the Omada router.

After Connecting the Starlink Terminal to the Starlink Router:

Step 1: Connect the WAN port of Omada router to the Starlink Ethernet Adapter.

Step 2: If you would like the Omada router to be the main Router for the network, you can enable “Bypass Mode on the Starlink Gen-2 Via the Starlink Application.

When enabling Bypass Mode, All Wireless Features will be disabled on the Starlink Terminal. A factory reset is required if you want to switch back to router mode.

For the WAN connection, configure it as Dynamic IP so it can work with Starlink:

For the WAN/LAN1 connection, since it’s connected to ISP Modem, configure it like what your ISP asked for.

Check Status > System Status and this should show that both WAN and WAN/LAN1 have connection status “Link Up”

2. How to configure Link Backup on Omada Router

Omada Routers also support the Link Backup function, which also allows you to customize the usage of multi-WAN access with Timing or Failover modes. Simply put, only the primary WANs are used for data forwarding under normal circumstances, the Backup WANs are always on standby to start data forwarding as soon as the triggered condition is detected, such as the set time or link state change.

For example, there are two WAN ports connected to the Internet. A customer wants to use WAN (Starlink) at work and use WAN/LAN1 (ISP) after work. The working time is from Monday to Friday 8:00-18:00.

Timing mode Link Backup can help him to fulfill his needs.

Step 1. Set up the Time Range for the Backup WAN effective time.

Choose the menu Preferences -> Time Range, you can define the time range entry on this page.

Step 2. Enable Load Balancing

Choose the menu Transmission -> Load Balancing -> Basic Settings. Check Enable Load Balancing. Please note that “Enable Load Balancing” must be checked if you want to configure link backup. Otherwise link backup won’t work normally.

Step 3. Choose the Primary WAN and Backup WAN.

Choose the menu Transmission -> Load Balancing -> Link Backup. Set up Primary WAN as WAN and Backup WAN as WAN/LAN1.

Please note that during the effective time, Backup WAN will be online and Primary WAN will be offline. At other times, Primary WAN will be online and Backup WAN will be offline.

Note: If the online WAN failed, the offline WAN will still keep offline.

Step 4. Setup Online Detection.

Choose the menu Transmission->Load Balancing->Online Detection.

Link Backup feature worked based on Online Detection. Auto mode means DNS lookup is used to detect the route to the gateway of the WAN port. If you want specific route detection, you can choose Manual mode to customize the destination IP of Ping and DNS lookup.

3. How to configure Policy Routing on Omada Router

Policy Routing provides the network administrator with an accurate way to control the routing based on the policy. You could define different routing policies based on protocol, source/destination IP and source/destination port, and you could set effective time to make policy routing take effect in the specific time period.

There is an example of daily use below showing how to configure port-based policy routing on dual WAN router correctly:

A customer has an Omada Router and he connects 3 computers to the LAN side of router with IP address 192.168.0.2-192.168.0.4, all computers are routed to Internet by dual WAN ports, he plans to set policy routing rules for 2 computers which use 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.3, make WAN (Starlink) for web surfing, WAN/LAN1 (ISP) for other Internet activities, in additional, he wants these routing rules only work in 8:00-18:00 on workday.

Step 1 Set up the IP Group.

Choose the menu Preferences->IP Group->IP Address, set up the IP Address for the client which you want to apply the Policy Routing.

Bind the IP address to IP group.

Step 2 Set up the Time Range for the Policy Routing effective time.

Choose the menu Preferences->Time Range, you can define the time-range entry on this page.

Step 3 Enable Load Balancing

Choose the menu Transmission -> Load Balancing->Basic Settings. Check Enable Load Balancing.

Note: Enable Load Balancing must be enabled if you want to configure Policy routing. Otherwise, Policy routing won’t work normally.

Step 4 Set up the Policy Routing rules.

Choose the menu Transmission->Routing->Policy Routing.

The router will check the rules in the list by turning from top to bottom. We can set up two rules to meet the need of the customer. The first rule is for 192.168.0.2&192.168.0.3 to route the data whose destination port is 80(Web application use) to WAN only. The second rule is for route all ports of 192.168.0.2&192.168.0.3 to WAN/LAN1.

The first rule is as follows.

The second rule is as follows.

Note:

1. Policy Routing can help select the appropriate WAN port for data transmission, but when the router detects the WAN failed, the HTTP data also will be transmitted via WAN/LAN1.

2. Omada Router provides some common service types. If the service you need is not in the service list, you can configure the Service Type by yourself. For example, if you want to configure service of TCP 8080, you can set it up as follows.

Choose the menu Preferences->Service Type. Set up the Service Type according to protocol and source/destination port.

4. When Removing the Starlink Router, or the Starlink Router is in Bypass Mode, How Can I Manage the Starlink Terminal?

If the Starlink router is under Bypass Mode or has been removed, you may need to set up a static route on the TP-Link router; then, you can manage the Starlink terminal in the Starlink App. Use these settings to establish a static route from the TP-Link Router’s UI.

Network destination: 192.168.100.0

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Gateway: 192.168.100.1

Interface: WAN