Glossary
Connection terms, in plain English
One line each, a bit more if you want it, and a link to where it matters for your workday.
Updated
Bufferbloat
Latency that shoots up when the line is full, for example during a big upload.
A router with smart queue management (SQM) or an upload limit keeps calls smooth while files upload.
Bypass mode
A Starlink app setting that turns off the Starlink router’s Wi-Fi so your own router takes over.
Use it to run a dual-WAN or mesh router. Exiting it needs a factory reset of the Starlink router.
CGNAT (carrier-grade NAT)
Many customers share one public IPv4 address. Connections you start work; connections someone else starts can’t find you.
Starlink Residential and Roam plans use CGNAT for IPv4 with addresses from 100.64.0.0/10. It blocks inbound connections such as port forwarding and hosting.
Dual-WAN failover
A router with two internet inputs that switches to the second when the first fails.
Set it to failover with a health check to a public address, so it switches when the internet stops answering, not only when a cable is pulled.
IPv6
The newer internet address system with enough addresses for every device. Starlink gives each connection its own IPv6 range.
Starlink delegates a /56 prefix on every plan. IPv6 avoids CGNAT, but the other end (and your router’s firewall) must support it.
Jitter
How much latency jumps from one moment to the next. Steady is better than low-but-jumpy.
Call apps keep a small buffer to smooth jitter. When jitter is bigger than the buffer, audio clips and video stutters.
Latency
How long data takes to get somewhere and back, in milliseconds (ms). Lower is better.
Calls feel natural when round-trip latency stays well under 100 ms. Satellite latency moves up and down through the day, so the report shows it by hour.
MOS (mean opinion score)
A 1–5 score for how a call sounds. Above 4 is good; under 3.5 people notice.
The report estimates MOS from latency, jitter and loss using a simplified E-model. It’s an estimate for comparing hours, not a recording of real calls.
NAT traversal
Ways a VPN or app gets through address sharing, usually by wrapping traffic in UDP.
VPNs that support NAT traversal (for example IPsec with NAT-T, WireGuard, OpenVPN) generally work behind CGNAT.
NAT type
How open a console’s connection is: Open, Moderate or Strict on Xbox; Type 1, 2 or 3 on PlayStation.
Behind CGNAT consoles often report Moderate/Strict or Type 3, which can limit hosting and matchmaking with some players.
Obstruction
Anything blocking the dish’s view of the sky, like trees or a roof edge.
Even small obstructions cause short drops several times an hour, which feel like call freezes. The Starlink app shows them.
p50 and p95
p50 is the middle value (median); p95 is the value 95% of measurements stay under.
Work cares about the bad moments, so the report shows p95 next to the median.
Packet loss
The share of data that never arrives. Even 1–2% hurts calls.
Lost voice packets are not resent in time, so you hear gaps. The report counts minutes where more than 1% of probes were lost.
Port forwarding
Telling your router to pass incoming connections on a port to one device. It needs a public IP to work.
The Starlink router can’t port forward. With a Priority plan’s public IP, a third-party router can.
Priority plan
Starlink’s business plans (Local Priority, Global Priority): priority data, a public IP option, support and an uptime SLA.
Residential plans aren’t for business use under Starlink’s terms; Priority plans are.
Public IP
An internet address that is yours alone, so others can connect in to you.
On Starlink a public IPv4 is an opt-in on Local Priority and Global Priority plans. It can still change, so it isn’t a static IP.
Satellite handover
The moment the connection moves from one satellite to the next.
APNIC measurements show latency shifting about every 15 seconds as this happens. It’s why satellite latency is jumpier than fiber.
Static IP
A public address that never changes. Starlink doesn’t sell one.
Services that need a fixed address can use dynamic DNS or a tunnel instead.
UPS
A battery box that keeps equipment running through a power cut for a few minutes or more.
Put the main-line gear, the backup device and the router on it. Sizing by watts is covered by a sister site.
VPN
An encrypted tunnel from your computer to your employer’s network (or a VPN service).
Work VPNs start the connection from your side, so most work behind CGNAT if they support NAT traversal.