Customers need a magnetic mount when the intended contact area is sufficiently flat, ferrous and magnetic. They need a suction-cup mount when the intended contact area is clean, dry, smooth, sufficiently flat and non-porous. “Outside or inside” is not the first qualification question; the exact surface, full contact, intended use, sky view and cable route are. If those conditions are unknown, do not recommend a mount from a vehicle type alone.
For retailers and distributors, that distinction prevents the most common qualification error: treating every metal roof as magnetic or every window as a suitable suction surface. A five-minute check can produce one of three defensible outcomes—magnetic, suction, or neither current SatHarbor option—without promising performance that has not been verified.
Start with the surface, not the vehicle category
“Car,” “van,” “RV” and “truck” are useful context, but they do not identify the contact surface. The same model line may use painted steel, aluminum, glass, fiberglass, plastic trim or a mix of materials. Ask the buyer to identify the exact spot where the mount would touch.
| Qualification point | Magnetic mount | Suction-cup mount |
|---|---|---|
| Required contact surface | Sufficiently flat ferrous magnetic metal | Clean, dry, smooth, sufficiently flat, non-porous surface |
| Typical suitable examples | Qualified painted-steel vehicle roof, hood or magnetic metal panel | Qualified glass, sunroof or smooth non-porous panel |
| Clear exclusions | Aluminum, fiberglass, glass, plastic and other non-magnetic surfaces | Rough, porous, dirty, wet, textured or strongly curved surfaces |
| Use boundary | Designed for vehicle travel and driving when correctly installed on a compatible surface; no universal maximum vehicle speed is published | Surface compatibility does not make every placement suitable; SatHarbor does not currently promote it as an exterior high-speed driving solution |
The customer can also use SatHarbor’s mount finder when the contact surface has not yet been identified. For a broader surface explanation, share the guide to mounting Starlink Mini on different surfaces.
A five-minute reseller qualification check
1. Confirm the exact contact material
Ask for the vehicle make, model and year, but do not stop there. Request a close photo of the exact proposed mounting area. For a magnetic recommendation, ask the buyer to test that spot with an ordinary household magnet. The test must be performed at the intended contact points, not on a door or another body panel.
A positive magnet test confirms magnetic attraction at that spot; it does not confirm flatness, cleanliness, paint condition or enough usable area for complete contact. A negative test rules out the current magnetic option even if the panel is described as “metal.”
2. Check flatness and complete contact
For either mount, look for ridges, ribs, seams, raised trim, seals, channels and abrupt curvature. A compatible material can still be a poor mounting area if the contact points bridge a contour or sit partly over a gap.
For suction, the full suction contact area must sit on a clean, dry, smooth, sufficiently flat, non-porous surface. A wide glass roof can still be unsuitable near a curved edge, gasket or textured frit area. Ask for a straight-on photo and a low side-angle photo if curvature is difficult to judge.
3. Ask how the buyer intends to use the mount
Separate stationary use, routine removal and repositioning, and vehicle travel. For a qualified magnetic surface, the accurate sales statement is: The magnetic mount is designed for vehicle travel and driving when correctly installed on a compatible surface. SatHarbor does not publish a universal maximum vehicle speed.
For suction, use this boundary: The suction mount is compatible with suitable smooth, non-porous surfaces, but SatHarbor does not currently promote it as an exterior high-speed driving solution. Do not convert “smooth glass” into a general exterior-driving recommendation.
4. Check terminal placement, sky view and cable route
A physically compatible contact surface is only one part of the setup. The buyer still needs an appropriate location for the Starlink Mini terminal, useful sky visibility, a cable route that avoids pinching and abrasion, and clearance from seals, hinges, moving glass and surrounding body structure.
Mount hardware does not amplify the Starlink signal or remove obstructions. If the buyer cannot explain the intended terminal position and cable route, pause the product recommendation until those details are known.
5. Record the evidence behind the recommendation
A short qualification record helps sales and support teams give consistent answers. Keep:
- vehicle make, model and year;
- a photo of the exact contact area;
- the contact material and magnet-test result where relevant;
- notes on flatness, curvature, seams and available contact area;
- intended use: stationary, removable/repositionable, or vehicle travel;
- planned terminal position and cable route; and
- the product and limitations communicated to the buyer.
Use three outcomes, not a forced two-way choice
Outcome M: magnetic
Recommend the Starlink Mini magnetic mount only when the exact contact area passes a magnet test and is sufficiently flat for proper contact. Confirm that the area is clean and in suitable condition before installation. Do not describe the product as working on aluminum, fiberglass or every metal roof.
Outcome S: suction
Recommend the Starlink Mini suction-cup mount only when the exact surface is clean, dry, smooth, sufficiently flat and non-porous, with full contact away from seals, gaps and strong curvature. Then separately review vibration, movement, sky visibility, cable routing, surrounding structure and environmental exposure.
Outcome X: neither current option is qualified
If the proposed surface is non-magnetic and also rough, porous, textured, wet, dirty or too curved for full suction contact, neither current SatHarbor retail mount is a qualified recommendation for that location. Do not force a sale by changing the description of the surface or by implying that another unverified placement will work. Ask the buyer to identify a different verified contact area or choose a different mounting approach outside the current SatHarbor range.
How this applies across common customer groups
Passenger vehicles and vans
Do not assume the roof material from appearance. Verify the exact panel. A painted ferrous roof area may support the magnetic route; a qualified glass or smooth non-porous area may support the suction route. Roof rails, panoramic-glass edges, ribs and weather seals can remove otherwise usable contact area.
RVs, campers and fiberglass bodies
Fiberglass is not a magnetic surface. Some vehicles may have a separate ferrous panel, a qualified glass area or another smooth non-porous surface, but each proposed spot must be checked directly. “RV” alone does not determine the correct mount.
Fleet and business buyers
For mixed fleets, qualify by vehicle group and exact body configuration. One approved recommendation should not be copied across every unit until the contact material, geometry and cable route have been checked for each relevant model or upfit.
Reduce returns with better product-page language
Reseller listings should lead with contact conditions, not broad vehicle claims. Useful product-page content includes:
- the required surface in the first paragraph;
- clear incompatible materials and surface conditions;
- a magnet-test instruction for the magnetic option;
- flatness, curvature and full-contact checks for suction;
- the separate distinction between surface compatibility and intended use;
- photos that show where contact occurs without implying unsupported performance; and
- a request for pre-sale photos when the buyer is uncertain.
Avoid “fits all cars,” “works on any metal,” “all smooth surfaces,” specific speed claims, universal holding-force claims and weatherproof guarantees unless those claims are supported by approved product evidence.
Prepare a better wholesale inquiry
Before contacting SatHarbor about samples, bulk orders, private labeling or dealer support, summarize the intended customer group, target vehicle types, expected contact surfaces, planned use cases and the product-page language your team expects to publish. Photos of representative surfaces are more useful than broad labels such as “SUV market” or “RV customers.”
For current wholesale and OEM options, submit those details through the SatHarbor OEM and wholesale inquiry page. SatHarbor is an independent supplier of Starlink Mini-compatible mounting solutions and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Starlink or SpaceX.
