Cameras at the cottage, the farm or the hunt camp, monitored remotely over Starlink: it works well. But two things need to be understood before you buy anything — the direction of the traffic (upload, not download) and data consumption, which can explode if you configure it badly. Here’s how to build it properly.
Yes — but record locally and send alerts only
The limiting factor isn’t speed, it’s upload (10 to 20 Mbps) and data volume. Configured well: a few GB a month. Configured badly: several hundred.
Upload is the real constraint
A camera does the opposite of Netflix: it sends video rather than receiving it. Starlink’s upload speed is much lower than its download, typically 10 to 20 Mbps.
That’s plenty for several cameras, as long as they aren’t all streaming continuously to the cloud in 4K. A well-compressed 1080p stream needs roughly 2 to 4 Mbps. Do the arithmetic before installing six cameras.
Data consumption
| Setup | Estimated monthly data |
|---|---|
| Local recording + motion alerts only | 2 to 10 GB |
| 1 camera streaming continuously to cloud, 1080p | ~600 GB to 1 TB |
| 4 cameras streaming continuously, 1080p | Several TB |
On an unlimited residential plan, continuous streaming costs nothing extra but can slow you down during congestion. On a metered plan, it’s a guaranteed financial disaster.
Record locally (SD card in the camera or a small network recorder), enable motion detection, and send only alerts to your phone. You pull up the live feed only when you need it. Result: a few GB a month instead of hundreds.
CGNAT and remote access
Starlink puts customers behind CGNAT: you have no public IP, so you cannot open ports to reach your recorder from outside. This is the classic trap for anyone coming from a traditional ISP.
Two ways around it:
- Cloud-connected cameras (most consumer brands) — they dial out on their own, so CGNAT doesn’t bother them. Simplest option.
- Cloudflare Tunnel or Tailscale — for reaching a self-hosted recorder without opening a port. Free, and the genuinely clean solution. See the full CGNAT guide →
Power is the weak link
A monitoring system that dies the moment the power goes out isn’t monitoring much. In much of Canada, winter outages can last days.
- Dish and router on battery: budget roughly 50 to 75 W continuous. A 1000 Wh station lasts about ten hours.
- Cameras on battery too, otherwise the internet link is pointless.
- Winter note: dish de-icing draws more power. Leave yourself margin.
The closed-for-winter cottage
Common question: can you keep monitoring in standby mode? No. Standby leaves a very slow connection, fine for a text alert but not for transmitting video.
To see your cameras through the winter you need full service. Compare seven months at full price against the cost of an undetected water leak in February — for many owners that math resolves quickly. See the cottage closing guide →
Frequently asked questions
How many cameras can I run?
With local recording and alerts only, ten or so without trouble. Streaming continuously to the cloud, three or four before you saturate upload.
Does latency cause problems?
No. At 25-60 ms the live feed is smooth. Any lag you notice is usually app buffering rather than Starlink.
Do video doorbells work?
Yes, with no particular issue. They only send video on an event.
What about a standalone cellular camera system?
A good complement where there’s cell signal, but in the areas where Starlink makes sense, there often isn’t any.
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Data estimates vary with resolution, compression and activity. Last updated: September 1, 2026.
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