SpaceX's first Starlink router with Wi-Fi 7 gets FCC approval

SpaceX has developed its first Starlink router featuring Wi-Fi 7 support. The new model, designated UTR-261, has already received approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The device operates on the 802.11be standard with EHT20 and EHT40 channel widths, which corresponds to Wi-Fi 7, and remains backward compatible with earlier Wi-Fi versions. However, the FCC certification currently does not cover the 6 GHz band — the approval only applies to the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies.

The move to Wi-Fi 7 is expected to boost local network throughput and reduce latency. This matters especially as SpaceX plans to raise Starlink satellite internet speeds to gigabit levels. Modern Wi-Fi 7 routers can deliver more than 2 Gbps over short distances.

According to the filing, the router can be powered either through a standard adapter or via Power over Ethernet (PoE). The device features two Ethernet ports and a USB-C connector, which is likely used for power delivery. The UTR-261 will replace the Mini router with the UTR-251 model number.