Internet for the bach, wherever it is

Why the bach never has decent internet

Most baches were built to get away from it all, and the internet shows it: no fibre, a phone line nobody pays for any more, and mobile coverage that drops to one bar once the town fills up for summer. That is fine until someone needs to answer a work email, the kids want a movie on a wet afternoon, or Grandma wants a video call on Christmas Day.

What a Starlink Mini gives you

The Starlink Mini is a laptop-sized satellite dish with a built-in Wi-Fi router. Put it somewhere with a clear view of the sky, plug it in, and the bach has its own internet connection in a few minutes. It doesn't need a phone line, a tower nearby or any installation, and you send it back when the holiday is over.

• The whole family online — phones, laptops and the TV, on one Wi-Fi network.
• Work from the bach — stretch the holiday a week and take your video calls from the deck. See our remote work guide.
• Off the grid too — the power bank in the kit runs it for about 4–5 hours on the beach, at the boat ramp or at a campsite.
• Nothing to install — no drilling, no wiring, nothing to ask the owner about if the bach isn't yours.

How it works

1. Book online for the days you're away. No contract.
2. We courier it to you anywhere in NZ by NZ Post Overnight, to the bach or to home before you leave, or you collect it free in Auckland for a same-day start (until 2pm) or a next-day start.
3. Plug it in, put the dish on the deck, lawn or roof where it can see the sky but is out of direct sun, and join its Wi-Fi. The setup guide will get you going.
4. Send it back with the pre-paid return label that's in the case.

Delivery: orders placed before 10am NZ time, Monday to Friday, post the same day and arrive the next day, between about 10am (urban) and 3pm (rural). Parcels don't move on Sundays or public holidays.

Christmas and New Year delivery

NZ Post doesn't post or deliver on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, 2 January, the observed holidays on Monday 28 December and Monday 4 January, or on Sundays. You don't need to work around this: pick the dates you're away and the booking calendar moves a start that falls on one of those days to the last delivery day before, and an end to the next working day. To be away on Boxing Day, for example, the dish arrives on Thursday 24 December.

What's in the kit

• Starlink Mini dish with built-in Wi-Fi router
• Power bank that runs the dish for about 4–5 hours
• Wall charger and car charger
• USB-C cable
• Waterproof carry case with a pre-paid return label
• Setup guide, plus WhatsApp, phone and email support

Pricing

$29 per day plus a $50 shipping fee (NZD), with free local pickup in Auckland for same-day starts (until 2pm) or next-day starts. A $500 security bond is held on your card and released when the dish and accessories are returned; under the rental agreement it can be charged for damage or loss. Buying a Starlink Mini means paying for the dish and a monthly subscription; for a couple of weeks at the bach, renting is simpler.

Bach internet FAQs

The bach has no internet. Will this work there?

Almost certainly. It needs a clear view of the sky, not a phone tower or a phone line, so a deck, lawn or beach works. Heavy bush or tall trees right overhead are the main thing that gets in the way.

How many people can use it?

One Starlink Mini runs a family or a group of friends at the bach: phones, laptops, a TV streaming in the evening and a video call or two. Speeds drop when everyone streams at once, like any home connection.

Can it be delivered over Christmas and New Year?

Yes, around the public holidays. NZ Post doesn't post or deliver on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, 2 January, the observed holidays on Monday 28 December and Monday 4 January, or on Sundays. If your start date falls on one of those, the booking calendar moves it to the last delivery day before, and tells you. To be away on Boxing Day, for example, the dish arrives on Thursday 24 December.

Should it go to the bach or to home?

Either. We deliver to any NZ address. If nobody will be at the bach on your start date, have it sent home and take it with you: it fits in a bag.

How do I power it?

Plug the wall charger into a socket at the bach and it runs all day. The power bank in the kit runs it for about 4–5 hours away from power, on the beach or at a campsite, and the car charger tops it up on the drive.

Can I leave it outside?

Under the rental agreement the dish needs shelter from rain and must stay clear of salt spray, so on a beachfront section keep it back from the water and bring it in, or put it under an eave, when it rains. Keep it out of direct sun too, as it can overheat.

What about the security bond?

A $500 security bond is held on your card (a hold, not a payment) and released when the dish and accessories come back. Under the rental agreement it can be charged for damage or loss.

Still not sure? Email hello@connectedkiwi.com, call +64 22 547 0667 or message us on WhatsApp.