When a 30-metre superyacht arrived in Portals Nous, Mallorca, the crew faced a critical problem. The vessel's entire onboard network had failed, leaving the owner, guests, and crew without internet connectivity.
With the owner already onboard and preparing for a busy Mediterranean itinerary, restoring communications wasn't just important; it was essential. The yacht could not continue its voyage until the network was fully operational.
SAT-ELITE responded immediately, mobilising our engineering team to diagnose, rebuild, and restore the vessel's IT infrastructure under significant time pressure.
Diagnosing the Problem
With very limited network documentation available, our engineers began by mapping the vessel's complete IT infrastructure from scratch.
This included:
- IP addressing and subnet configuration
- DHCP scopes
- Switch topology
- Wireless access points
- Kerio router configuration
- Overall network architecture
After systematically tracing the network, we identified the root cause.
The onboard Kerio router had stopped issuing DHCP addresses across all LAN interfaces, preventing devices from obtaining network connectivity and effectively taking the entire vessel offline.
Rather than implementing a temporary workaround, SAT-ELITE focused on delivering a permanent, reliable solution.
Complete Network Rebuild
To ensure long-term reliability and improved performance, we carried out a comprehensive network upgrade.
Work completed included:
- Installation of a brand-new EPIC Pro-6 Enterprise Server
- Deployment of a full EPIC Enterprise licence
- Reconfiguration of the vessel's entire onboard network
- Restoration of internet services across all systems
- Renaming and reconfiguration of all onboard Wi-Fi SSIDs to reflect the yacht's new identity
- Full testing and validation of the network before handover
Every element was carefully configured to provide a stable, scalable platform for future operations.
Dedicated Owner's Network
One of the key enhancements delivered during the project was the creation of a completely independent owner's network.
The owner now benefits from:
- Dedicated Starlink Maritime connectivity
- A fully isolated private network
- Separation from crew and guest traffic
- Improved privacy, performance, and security
This ensures uninterrupted connectivity for business meetings, video conferencing, streaming, and everyday communications without being affected by activity elsewhere onboard.
Working Against the Clock
Projects like this don't happen during convenient office hours.
The SAT-ELITE engineering team worked until midnight on the first day before returning early the following morning to complete the installation, testing, optimisation, and commissioning.
With the owner's travel schedule approaching, every hour counted.
Through close communication with the crew and efficient coordination throughout the project, the network was restored within the available timeframe, allowing the yacht to continue its Mediterranean voyage as planned.
More Than Internet
Reliable onboard connectivity has become one of the most important systems on a modern superyacht.
It enables:
- Navigation support and operational communications
- Owner and guest business connectivity
- Crew welfare services
- Streaming and onboard entertainment
- Remote technical support
- Cyber-secure communications
When these systems fail, rapid response and experienced engineering make all the difference.
Another Successful Mission for SAT-ELITE
This project perfectly reflects what SAT-ELITE does every day.
Whether it's emergency callouts, complete network redesigns, satellite communications, Starlink integrations, cybersecurity, or onboard IT infrastructure, our engineers specialise in solving complex maritime technology challenges under pressure.
Thanks to the dedication, teamwork, and commitment of everyone involved, the yacht departed Mallorca with:
- Fully restored network infrastructure
- Reliable internet for owner, guests, and crew
- Dedicated private Starlink connectivity for the owner
- A future-ready enterprise network designed for reliability
And yes... the World Cup streaming continued uninterrupted as the yacht sailed towards Sardinia.