Can I Use A VPN on Starlink With Premium WIFI?

[Luvcrusn]

In the past I've  been unable to use a VPN on board but haven't tried it since the changeover to Starlink. Has that changed or is X still blocking their use? TIA

[BytownMatt]

CyberGhost worked fine for me on the Silhouette in April and on the Apex in June.

[Jim_Iain]

I have used NordVPN and Express VPN without a problem.   Only caveat you need to install it prior to the cruise. 

 

I've noticed that the blocking is done by DNS and any search for a word with VPN in it will be rejected.   Once installed no problems at all.     I've used it in the past year on Apex, Silhouette, Solstice and Summit.

[goofysmom99]

Used Nord on the Constellation with Starlink in November,  Slowed it down some but still usable.  

[seeyouinthesun]

Great question.

[soflobb]

I have been able to use on recent sailings.

 

[Wineaux007]

I've not used Starlink as of yet, but in the past in order to connect on the ship I had to turn off my VPN.  From what I've been reading, you connect to Starlink, then turn on the VPN?

[Jim_Iain]

3 minutes ago, Wineaux007 said:

I've not used Starlink as of yet, but in the past in order to connect on the ship I had to turn off my VPN.  From what I've been reading, you connect to Starlink, then turn on the VPN?

That has always been my practice.   If you turn it on before connecting to the ship your device thinks it is in a different location and doesn't see Celebrity's Intranet.   

[mczArgyle]

It would be great for me if we could get a definitive answer on this--I'm going on a trans-pacific Celebrity Millennium cruise in a few weeks and would love to be able to work a bit.  For sure there is 'vpn' in the url I'll need to access.  I'm wondering if they check with reverse DNS lookup if I try to use an IP...  Also, I wondered if I could tether my phone and pay for just one device (I need two factor auth with the phone also).

[DaKahuna]

On 7/30/2023 at 12:26 PM, Luvcrusn said:

In the past I've  been unable to use a VPN on board but haven't tried it since the changeover to Starlink. Has that changed or is X still blocking their use? TIA

 

 I have used Private Internet Access for years.  Worked before and after they changed to Starlink. 

 

[DaKahuna]

38 minutes ago, mczArgyle said:

It would be great for me if we could get a definitive answer on this--I'm going on a trans-pacific Celebrity Millennium cruise in a few weeks and would love to be able to work a bit.  For sure there is 'vpn' in the url I'll need to access.  I'm wondering if they check with reverse DNS lookup if I try to use an IP...  Also, I wondered if I could tether my phone and pay for just one device (I need two factor auth with the phone also).

 

 I used Private Internet Access on our Millennium  Panama Canal cruise April/May of this year.  Had no issues at all. 

 

 I travel with a travel router.  I connect the travel router to the ship's WiFi and then connect my in room devices to the travel router.  I have my MacBook Air, iPad, and my wife's iPad all hooked up and connected to the internet at the same time.  So I do not see why you could not use your phone in the same manner.   Make sure you test at home before boarding the ship. 

 

[blueskadoo]

I tried using Cisco AnyConnect vpn at the beginning on July on Equinox and had no luck being able to connect using my employer supplied device. My company is very strict and has a lot of features turned off so that could have contributed. 

[sixpackeddie]

Yes working now on the Reflection 

[Luvcrusn]

39 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I used Private Internet Access on our Millennium  Panama Canal cruise April/May of this year.  Had no issues at all. 

 

 I travel with a travel router.  I connect the travel router to the ship's WiFi and then connect my in room devices to the travel router.  I have my MacBook Air, iPad, and my wife's iPad all hooked up and connected to the internet at the same time.  So I do not see why you could not use your phone in the same manner.   Make sure you test at home before boarding the ship. 

 

A travel router is an awesome idea. Would you share the brand and source to purchase one?  TIA I use the VPN all the time at hotels and when linking to public WiFi, but had difficulty onboard X ships in the past.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Luvcrusn

[DaKahuna]

11 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

A travel router is an awesome idea. Would you share the brand and source to purchase one?  TIA I use the VPN all the time at hotels and when linking to public WiFi, but had difficulty onboard X ships in the past.

this is the latest version of the one I have been using.  I will be taking this one with me on my next cruise. 
 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09N72FMH5

[Luvcrusn]

Thanks @DaKahuna. Amazon will be making yet another appearance at our door.

[DaKahuna]

7 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

Thanks @DaKahuna. Amazon will be making yet another appearance at our door.

 

 I like setting mine up at home before the cruise and making sure I document the SSID and the password for the wireless side. 

 

 Once onboard, create you WiFi account, connect to the router via WiFi and then go into Repeater, do a scan, select the Celebrity WiFi Id, log in with your credentials and you are on the internet. 

 

 

[wrk2cruise]

I've used NordVPN in South America and a TA from FL to Europe with no problems.   We are taking a different Cruise Line to French Polynesia in January and from what I can read I'm not sure Starlink is available in that area yet. 

 

I didn't think there was much coverage in South America either but it was great last March/April.

[NutsAboutGolf]

23 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 I used Private Internet Access on our Millennium  Panama Canal cruise April/May of this year.  Had no issues at all. 

 

 I travel with a travel router.  I connect the travel router to the ship's WiFi and then connect my in room devices to the travel router.  I have my MacBook Air, iPad, and my wife's iPad all hooked up and connected to the internet at the same time.  So I do not see why you could not use your phone in the same manner.   Make sure you test at home before boarding the ship. 

 

 

22 hours ago, Luvcrusn said:

A travel router is an awesome idea. Would you share the brand and source to purchase one?  TIA I use the VPN all the time at hotels and when linking to public WiFi, but had difficulty onboard X ships in the past.

 

Assuming you're bringing your Mac or PC laptop, they both have built in hotspots which is the same thing a travel router does and they're far easier to set up.  For Macs, in the settings search for "internet sharing" and for PC's it's "mobile hotspot".  I've successfully used them both on X's starlink many times.

 

Test this out when your free, put your phone in airplane mode, and setup a laptop hotspot and connect to it

 

PC: 

 

Mac:

Edited August 22, 2023 by NutsAboutGolf

[NutsAboutGolf]

22 hours ago, blueskadoo said:

I tried using Cisco AnyConnect vpn at the beginning on July on Equinox and had no luck being able to connect using my employer supplied device. My company is very strict and has a lot of features turned off so that could have contributed. 

 

My work uses AnyConnect and for all of 2020, it would only work on password protected secured networks (you enter the wifi password directly into the wifi network) as they stated they wanted us working from home and not at Starbucks.  That could your problem.  X like all other cruise lines and most hotels use a open wifi network which is "secured" by a webpage captive portal where you enter an username and password

[mahasamatman]

I use TunnelBear. It works with all levels of Internet, regardless of whether it's the old system or Starlink.

[CaribbeanBound]

I use SurfShark.  I like it.

[chrisn-au]

On the Beyond last year I used both my personal L2TP VPN to my home network and work Tailscale, both worked fine

[Jim_Iain]

On 8/21/2023 at 6:27 AM, mczArgyle said:

It would be great for me if we could get a definitive answer on this--I'm going on a trans-pacific Celebrity Millennium cruise in a few weeks and would love to be able to work a bit.  For sure there is 'vpn' in the url I'll need to access.  I'm wondering if they check with reverse DNS lookup if I try to use an IP...  Also, I wondered if I could tether my phone and pay for just one device (I need two factor auth with the phone also).

 

From reading your post, I suspect it will work but it appears you may have a work VPN as oppose to a commercial product. 

 

I use NordVPN and when I tried to search for "NORDVPN" or tried to go to nordvpn.com without VPN enabled I get a blank page or 401 erro.    I then turned on NordVpn and had no problem accessing their website to make a change to my account.

 

Not sure that tethering would work.   My experience (iPhone) is that you can only teather to the Phone Connection.   If you turn off telephone and are using WiFi only the option is not available.    You can test this yourself from home by putting your phone in airplane mode and attempt to teather.

 

Another option might be to bring a travel router with OpenVPN option.   You set it prior to the cruise and drop in a little file from your VPN provider to enable OpenVPN.   That way you could get through Celebrity's Firewall and then use your company VPN (double vpn)  This may slow down your connection.

[mczArgyle]

wow, super helpful reply!! Thank you!  I'm checking how the double VPN works while I'm still at home.  You're right, tethering is no longer available when on wifi.  I'm checking for other options on the 2factor auth.  Thanks, I'll feed back when I know more about what actually works (or not).  You'd think cruise ships would have a great income opportunity if remote workers can work while cruising!