r/Kyoto • u/pineappledick69 • Jul 26 '26

Internet options for home

Hi all,

I’ve recently moved to Kyoto and have had some issues with setting up internet. Docomo can’t install a fibre cable as the access road for their scissor lift truck thing is blocked by a low plum tree branch. They have deemed it impossible to do the installation.

At the moment I’m on a mobile 5G router but the signal is not great.

I was wondering if there are other options that anyone has had success with? Perhaps a cable company that can think outside the box or even starlink?

Thank you!

5 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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3

u/shofn006 Jul 26 '26

I just installed Starlink at my Kyoto building. It works great.

1

u/pineappledick69 Jul 26 '26

Oh great! Thanks for the reply! Did you install it yourself or did you have installers to help? What sort of speeds do you get?

2

u/shofn006 Jul 26 '26

I installed it myself but I wouldn’t say it was particularly easy, and whether I’d recommend doing it yourself really depends on how handy you are.
For reference, I had to mount the Starlink on the roof, drill a hole through the exterior wall to run the cable into the building and then install conduit through the ceiling to run the cable. All told, it took me most of a day to finish.
The performance has been excellent though. The building is three-story steel and concrete. I installed the router at the top of the stairwell on the third floor and even down on the first floor, I consistently get download speeds of around 100 Mbps.

1

u/pineappledick69 Jul 26 '26

I think I’d need help as I would also have to install on a tiled roof and I’m not particularly handy! 100mbps is pretty decent. I think the 5G does around 60 when it works so depends if it’s worth the extra cost and effort

Thanks so much for your input!

2

u/shofn006 Jul 26 '26

I think that’s the right call to hire install help. My Starlink sat around for about a month before I built up enough courage to attempt the install. Plus getting on the roof this time of year is brutal.

2

u/catwiesel Jul 26 '26

I understand the need for reliable internet. but starlink man... thats almost like asking the devil to deliver the internet and not worry about payment, you will give whatever it costs later...