Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
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If you need to be connected to the internet but there's no Wi-Fi or cellular signal nearby, and not even an Ethernet port in sight, then you have to look up to the skies -- to the satellites whooshing 340 miles above your head at dizzying speeds.
I've tried a number of systems, from basic messenger units like the Garmin inReach Messenger Plus and Spot X to satellite routers like the Iridium Go!, and while they have their place, they come with some pretty severe limitations (cost, data transfer speeds, and overall flexibility are high on that list).
Also: Have an old Starlink dish lying around? Update it this week - or it'll never work again
This is why I've been trialing the Starlink Mini a portable satellite comms unit that is a dish and Wi-Fi router all built into a small package measuring 11.75 inches by 10.2 inches and 1.45 inches thick. All you need to do is find a clear patch of sky, add power, and you're surfing the web again (or whatever the kids say these days).
But it's that "add power" bit that can become a bit tricky when you are miles away from a power outlet.
There are solutions
If you have a vehicle handy, then you can use the car's 12V system to power the dish (drawbacks here are that you could run the battery flat, leaving you stranded), or haul a power station around with you.
Also: The best power banks you can buy
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