A $25 Ethernet adapter for SpaceX's Starlink can now fetch as much as $499 on eBay due to scarce supplies.
SpaceX has been selling the adapter since November, when the company introduced a second-generation Starlink dish for consumers. The dish boasts some minor improvements, including a smaller size and a more powerful Wi-Fi modem over the first-generation dish.
But it nixes a popular feature in the original dish—the dedicated Ethernet port. Instead, SpaceX is selling an Ethernet adapter for the hardware as a $25 accessory Starlink subscribers can buy. Unfortunately, it's hard to come by; Starlink subscribers have been complaining of slow shipping times for months.
In turn, the scarcity has created a lucrative opportunity for people to resell the $25 adapter for far more on eBay, as noted by users on the Reddit Starlink page.
On eBay, there are currently eight auctions for Starlink Ethernet adapters; the latest bids range from $51 to $207. However, the site's Terapeak tool shows that some merchants have been selling them for far more.
One eBay listing on Thursday sold the adapter for $499. At least 40 adapters were sold on the auction site with the sales starting at $79 in January before ballooning to $300 last month.
The scalping is disappointing to see, especially since one Starlink dish alone costs $599 following a recent price hike. SpaceX’s official store for Starlink accessories currently says new orders for the $25 Ethernet adapter are slated to being shipping in late April. So if you need the Ethernet line access, you may want to consider ordering the adapter as soon as possible. Other Starlink users have also suggested buying a Wi-Fi-to-spEthernet adapter from Amazon as an alternative.