Starlink and Specific Android App issues (NZ Herald)

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aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#324385 2-Apr-2026 16:45

Over the last couple of days I have been having minor issues with specific Android apps not working or running very slowly when connected via Starlink.

The most noticeable issue is the NZ Herald app which won't load at all with an "Internet Unavailable" message on Starlink wifi, but works fine on switching to mobile data, and the NZ Herald website works fine on both Starlink & mobile. The RNZ app runs OK but on Starlink loading the the thumbnails for the list of news articles is extremely slow on Starlink but on mobile data its instant. Some other Apps can seem slow but not enough to be definitive, but some work perfectly fine. Speedtest reports 250Mbs/50Mbs on Starlink.

I've come across another NZ user on a Starlink forum who has complained about similar isolated issues in the last hour, but it seems to be a very limited subset of apps not performing at full speed. Just to add more variables the Samsung phone had a security update a week ago, so I am trying to contact the other user to see if they also have a Samsung phone in case this is part of the issue.

I've tried changing the DNS on the phone, rebooting the Starlink router, connecting to another non Starlink Wifi access point (wired to the Starlink router) with no change in result. When I can borrow the wifes phone I will try connecting my phone via wifi hotspot to discount it being something in my phone's wifi connection.

If you are a Starlink user and have the NZ Herald app would you mind letting me know if it is working or not for you?

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161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#3477345 2-Apr-2026 17:41

Just tried the NZ Herald app on the wifes Oppo phone and she's having exactly the same issue. My phone worked fine via her hotspot to mobile data.

Have been in contact with the Starlink user referred to in first post. He is having problems with an app called Conqueror. I loaded it on my phone, it takes 25-30 seconds to get to the login screen on Starlink and 2-3 seconds via mobile data.

I'm guessing some sort of Starlink routing/dns issue to a specific hosting/caching service might be causing these isolated issues?

aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#3478174 5-Apr-2026 08:21

Finally managed to confirm with other Starlink users that the NZ Herald app isn't working when on Starlink but works fine on any other internet connection.

Also seeing multiple reports of slow websites/app performance issues, but nothing consistent enough to be seen as an obvious outage.

Not sure how to go about diagnosing this further as the NZ Herald website works fine via browser, so I'm guessing the app may be trying to connect to different analytic hosts or content hosts, for which there are routing issues.

Also trying to contact Starlink is a nightmare with support being a Grok AI trying to get me to run traceroute on a mobile.

I've let the NZ Herald know they've probably have a problem with all their Starlink connected, Herald app using customers, so hopefully they have media contacts for Starlink they can provide feedback to, and they have received reports other than mine as well.

coffeebaron

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#3478184 5-Apr-2026 09:26

Are you using Starlink or own router?

Maybe IPv6 issue?

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aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
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#3478185 5-Apr-2026 09:34

Using the standard v3 router. Can confirm this is the case also for a second user having the same issues.

Can't find a way to disable IPv6 on the phone (Samsung) though to test this theory, and Starlink router doesn't have this option.

coffeebaron

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#3478186 5-Apr-2026 09:43

If you can find a spare router from somewhere, maybe try that.

Put Starlink router into bypass mode, then make sure 3rd party router does not have IPv6 enabled .

You could also try logging a ticket with Starlink, not that I'd have high expectations of them looking into it, but you never know.

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mclarenaml

13 posts

Geek

#3478354 6-Apr-2026 07:42

Been battling the Herald app on two phones here the last couple of days, and until this has no hint what the problem might be.

We have dismal cell reception here, so went and found some signal this morning, the the app came back to life. Switched wifi on in the middle, and stories promptly stopped loading. Have seen a similar issue with the OFX app, which behaved the same way.

Has anyone had a play with bypass mode on the starlink router. Have a spare Asus, so can give that a try when I get a moment.

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aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#3478358 6-Apr-2026 08:24

mclarenaml:

Been battling the Herald app on two phones here the last couple of days, and until this has no hint what the problem might be.

I've logged a case with NZ Herald, even though it's not actually their issue, but they may have better ways of contacting Starlink. If you could also log a case with the Herald it would confirm it's not an isolated incident.

mclarenaml

13 posts

Geek

#3478379 6-Apr-2026 10:13

Will do. Had already raised a request with NZH a couple of days back, but assumed then it was more related to an app upgrade.

It's definitely more than just the herald app - we also have an identical scenario with the OzForex app.

Don't know how much luck we'll have with either the herald or starlink - pretty sure both ends well simply point at the other!

boosacnoodle

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#3478513 6-Apr-2026 13:51

Sounds like your IP isn’t resolving to NZ.

aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#3478516 6-Apr-2026 14:15

boosacnoodle:

Sounds like your IP isn’t resolving to NZ.

IP is reporting as being in Auckland, NZ.

It mainly appears to affect isolated apps, and mostly they just run slower than normal. 98% are working perfectly fine so the few Starlink users complaining in NZ recently are focusing on speed issues, blaming the deprioritised plan or rainfade etc.

The NZ Herald App has been the most obvious problem as it doesn't work at all on Starlink but works on all other Internet connections.

I have just discovered the Grok app has the exact same issue, not working on Starlink but working fine on mobile data, or working perfectly via Chrome Browser.

I don't have another router to test bypass mode, or blocking IPv6, but I'm just in the process of setting up a Raspberry Pi to act as a wifi Hotspot connected to the Starlink LAN to try and capture dns requests. If this is successful I'll try running traceroutes to see if the requests are going into a black hole. I should also be able to block IPv6 to test that theory.

aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#3478541 6-Apr-2026 17:23

I got the Raspberry pi setup connecting to the Starlink LAN with a wifi hotspot, and a DNS tracker dashboard monitoring traffic. The default network forwarding was only IPv4 and the NZ Herald app sprung back into life again, before I could even start looking at dns requests.

So it looks like the work around would be to put Starlink into bypass mode and block IPv6 on a 3rd party router.

I was using Claude AI to assist me and it is suggesting some apps specifically are attempting to use QUIC over IPv6 and Starlink routing is not handling this or not failing back to TCP. I've hit my networking knowledge limits so can only hope Starlink eventually sorts this out.

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panther2

385 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#3478567 6-Apr-2026 20:02

No issues with nzherald app on starlink gen3 here although I run different dns to starlink

mclarenaml

13 posts

Geek

#3478584 7-Apr-2026 07:24

What dns are you using. The starlink support ai (seemed ptreey systematic) got me to try both Googles and cloudflares dns (8.8.8.8 and 1.1.1.1 from memory), but no change. Don't think I can drop ipv6 on the gen 3 router

aaristotle

161 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 38

#3478586 7-Apr-2026 07:34

I tried changing DNS on my phone to various DNS providers early on in my testing but this didn't solve the problem. I didn't try changing it on the Starlink router though. Panther2, where are you applying the DNS change?

Something I didn't mention earlier is that everything works correctly if a VPN is used.

mclarenaml

13 posts

Geek

#3478603 7-Apr-2026 09:25

Just tried turning on nord, but no change with the herald app

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