Using an Spare iPhone as a Standalone Orb

Using an Spare iPhone as a Standalone Orb

Difficulty: Beginner 🧑‍💻

Using an Spare iPhone as a Standalone Orb

Introduction

That Spare iPhone sitting in a drawer gathering dust can find new purpose as a dedicated Orb sensor! By repurposing your unused device, you can continuously monitor your network health without purchasing additional hardware. This guide will walk you through the simple process of setting up your iPhone as a standalone Orb.

Equipment Needed

Before you begin, make sure you have:

  • An extra iPhone running iOS 13 or newer
  • A power adapter for your device
  • Optional: an Ethernet adapter compatible with your device (if you want to test wired connections)

Step 1: Install Orb

  1. Connect the iPhone to your WiFi network
  2. Open the App Store on your iPhone or iPad
  3. Search for "Orb.net" or use this direct link: Download Orb on the App Store
  4. Tap "Get" to download the app
  5. Wait for the download and installation to complete

Step 2: Link the New Orb to Your Orb Account

You have two options to link this device to your Orb account:

Option 1: Log in directly on the device

  1. When you open the Orb app for the first time, you'll be presented with onboarding screens and permission requests
  2. Sign in or create an account if you don't have one during onboarding (recommended)
  3. Configure your Orb device by following the on-screen instructions

Option 2: Link from another device

  1. Open the Orb app on your primary device (phone or computer) that's already logged into your account
  2. Navigate to "Orbs on this network" in the Orb Summary
  3. Your new Orb device should appear in the list of available devices
  4. Tap on the device menu and select "Link to my account"

Step 3: Keep the Device Awake

To ensure your iPhone continuously monitors your network without going to sleep:

  1. Open the Orb app on your iPhone
  2. Go to account settings by tapping the gear icon in the top right corner
  3. Tap "Keep Awake"
  4. Tap "Dim Display" if desired, or skip to keep the display on

Step 4: (Optional) Use Ethernet Instead of WiFi

If you want to monitor your wired network connection instead of WiFi:

  1. Connect a Lightning to Ethernet adapter to your iPhone
  2. Plug an Ethernet cable from your router or network switch into the adapter
  3. On your iPhone, enable Airplane Mode to disable WiFi
  4. The device will automatically use the Ethernet connection for network monitoring

Troubleshooting

Device Still Goes to Sleep

  • Double-check that Auto-Lock is set to "Never" in Settings
  • Ensure the device is connected to a power source
  • Make sure Low Power Mode is turned off (Settings > Battery)

App Crashes or Doesn't Start

  • Make sure your iOS version is 12 or higher
  • Try restarting your iPhone
  • Reinstall the app from the App Store

Congratulations! Your Spare iPhone is now repurposed as a dedicated Orb sensor, continuously monitoring your network health.