M.T.
Ardmore Explorer
STARLINK Installation
>>Selected suitable location for Antenna installation on monkey island.
-The antenna is flat, compact & stationary type (No rotating/moving part).
-The cable from antenna to the power supply unit is of fixed length (24metres).
-Antenna to be placed in a position where maximum clear view of sky is available.
-Approximate cable distance from the proposed location to the Data Centre rack
measured is 19.5Meters.
Fig: Proposed Location for Antenna Installation
>>The cable from antenna to be laid out to Data Centre.
-Data Centre is installed inside electrical room (Navigation bridge deck).
-Sealed penetration from outside deck to electrical room is available.
-Cable to be laid out and secured along the railings.
>>Mounting pole and clamping arrangement to fabricate.
-Mounting arrangement designed for minimum vibration during voyages.
Fig: Cable lay out and DC accessibility Plan
>>Wifi Access Points to be installed in various decks.
-APs are of long-range type from Ubiquiti Unifi.
-All APs need to be connected to new TP-Link switch inside DC.
-APs doesn’t need external power supply (TP-Link POE switch is used).
-CAT6 cable to be laid out from each AP to DC.
-Drillings/penetrations to be made at multiple locations for cable layout.
Fig: Cable layout plan inside accommodation
>>Fabricated antenna mounting pole using GI pipe (5CM OD) of 5 Feet length and clamping
arrangement (Pole clamped on to the railing).
-5Feet GI rod of 2.5CM OD was used first. Found increased vibration during the voyage
and replaced the same with GI pipe of 5CM OD.
>>As per the cable lay out plan, drilling works were carried out during voyage.
Fig: Drilling inside C/D
Fig: Fabricated mounting pole
Fig: Mounting pole and clamps fitted on railing
>>The Starlink Packages and other accessories received on board includes:
-Antenna unit.
-Power supply unit & wifi mount (This wifi mount is not used onboard).
-Wedge mount kit.
-24meter cable for connecting antenna unit & power supply unit.
-Ethernet cable for Connecting power supply unit and WatchGuard system inside DC.
-4 No. of Unifi wifi Aps.
-8 port TP-link POE switch.
-100meter CAT6 cable.
-RJ45 Connectors (50No.)
-Network cable tester and RJ45 crimping tool.
-10 No. of CAT6 patch cord.
>>Antenna mounted on monkey island and connected the cable.
Fig: Antenna mounted on monkey island
>>Secured the cable along center railing using metallic cable ties.
Fig: Cable secured along the railing
>>The cable from antenna unit connected to the power supply unit inside Electrical room.
Fig: Terminals on Starlink power supply unit
>>Switched ON 220VAC to power supply unit through UPS.
Fig: Light indication after supply ON.
>> Used the ethernet cable included in the starlink package to connect the WatchGuard
system and power supply unit.
Fig: WatchGuard unit after connecting ethernet cable from starlink
>>Shared the product details of Antenna unit on the package with Anglo-eastern IT dept and
got activated the Starlink Internet service.
Fig: Product details on Starlink antenna package.
>>The OneNovation team carried out remote configuration and vessel’s business network
internet switched over from VSAT to Starlink service.
>>Connected personal laptop to Aruba Switch Port 15 using ethernet cable and tried out
browsing.
>>Internet speed test carried out from bridge-PC and found 150Mbps.
Fig: Internet speed test
>>Laid out CAT6 cables from Electric store to A,B & C deck.
>>Connected RJ45 Connectors to the CAT6 cables.
Fig: CAT6 Cable
Fig: CAT6 Cables from Various deck laid to Electric store
>>Tested the RJ45 connection using network cable tester and found all connections good.
>>Installed TP-Link POE switch below Synology drive in DC.
Fig: TP-Link switch in DC
>>Connected CAT6 cables to the Access Points in each deck.
-Initially vessel connected 4 no. of access points. 1 in A dk, 2 in B dk and 1 in C dk.
-Vessel did not permanently fixed the position of APs initially (In case of signal
congestion, the position of APs need to be changed).
-The CAT6 cable in various decks were laid up with some extra length to enable
positioning of APs.
>>Connected TP-Link POE switch Port 8 to Aruba switch Port 13 using CAT6 patch cord.
>>Connected the CAT6 cables from all APs to TP-Link POE switch.
Fig: DC after installing POE switch
>>Checked the APs and found they are powered up (Visible LED light).
>>The OneNovation team carried out remote configuration of APs and crew wifi got ready to
use.!
>>Initially, vessel was facing network connectivity issues due to signal congestion (Automatic
connection/disconnection of devices). So, removed one AP from B-deck and found stable
connectivity of devices in network.
>>The OneNovation team reduced the signal strength of APs to avoid further signal congestion
as an additional measure.
>>Fixed all the APs on bulkhead using the fittings inside the Unify AP kit.
Fig: CAT6 cables from all APs
Fig: Starlink Power supply unit fitted inside Electrical room
Fig: Unifi AP wall mount fitting
>>Photographs of APs installed:
>>Photographs of Antenna installation:
>>Finally… the happy crew using the Starlink service provided by Anglo Eastern Ship
Management and Ardmore shipping.!!!