Getting Started with OrbMesh
Set Up OrbMesh
Get your decentralized mesh network running in minutes. This guide walks you through enabling OrbMesh, configuring your first network, and connecting your devices for secure peer-to-peer communication.
Prerequisites
Before setting up OrbMesh, ensure you have the following ready.
OrbVPN Installed
Download and install the latest version of OrbVPN on all devices you want to connect to the mesh network.
Active Account
Sign in to your OrbVPN account. OrbMesh features are available to all registered users.
Internet Connection
Each device needs an active internet connection for initial setup and peer discovery.
Enabling OrbMesh
Open OrbVPN App
Launch OrbVPN on your device. You can access OrbMesh from the main navigation menu or the bottom tab bar, depending on your platform.
Navigate to OrbMesh
Tap on the OrbMesh icon or menu item. This opens the mesh network dashboard where you can manage all mesh-related features.
Activate the Mesh
Toggle the OrbMesh switch to enable mesh networking on this device. The app will initialize the mesh service and begin peer discovery.
Grant Permissions
On first activation, the app may request local network permissions for mDNS device discovery. Grant these permissions for the best experience.
Background Operation
OrbMesh runs as a background service on your device. Once enabled, it maintains connections to your mesh peers even when the app is not in the foreground. Battery impact is minimal.
Creating Your First Network
After enabling OrbMesh, you need to create or join a network. Here is how to create your first Private network.
Tap Create Network
From the OrbMesh dashboard, tap the 'Create Network' button to start building your personal mesh.
Choose Network Type
Select 'Private' for a personal network that only your devices can access. You can also create Team or Public networks later.
Name Your Network
Give your network a descriptive name (e.g., 'Home Devices' or 'Work Setup') to easily identify it in the dashboard.
Configure Settings
Set your network preferences including auto-connect behavior, bandwidth limits, and connection priorities.
Network Created
Your mesh network is now active. The current device is automatically added as the first node. You can now pair additional devices.
Start Small
Begin with a Private network connecting just two devices. Once you are comfortable with the basics, you can expand to more devices or explore Team and Public networks.
OrbMesh Tab Structure
The OrbMesh tab in OrbVPN is organized into 4 sub-tabs, each serving a distinct purpose in managing your mesh network experience.
Servers
Browse and connect to OrbMesh servers grouped by type and region. OrbVPN-operated data-center servers carry the bulk of traffic today; community-contributed nodes are part of the OrbMesh roadmap as the network decentralizes.
Overview
Your OrbMesh dashboard showing key statistics: total earnings from mesh contributions, active connection count, bandwidth contributed, uptime metrics, and overall network health indicators.
My Mesh
Manage your contributed nodes from this sub-tab. View individual node health, uptime percentage, bandwidth throughput, connection count, and performance history. Start, stop, or reconfigure your nodes.
Networks
Create, join, and manage mesh networks. Private networks connect only your own devices, Team networks are shared with colleagues or friends, and Public networks are open to the community.
Getting Started
Start with the Servers sub-tab to connect to existing mesh servers. Once comfortable, move to Networks to create your own mesh. Use My Mesh to monitor your contributed nodes and Overview to track your earnings.
Initial Configuration
After creating your network, configure these important settings for optimal performance.
Auto-Connect
Enable auto-connect to automatically join the mesh network whenever your device starts. Ensures uninterrupted connectivity.
Discovery Mode
Choose between local-only discovery (mDNS) for devices on the same network or global discovery for remote connections.
Connection Preferences
Set whether to prefer direct P2P connections or allow relay fallback when direct connections are not possible.
Bandwidth Allocation
Configure how much bandwidth OrbMesh can use. Useful for managing data usage on metered connections.
Verifying Your Setup
After completing the setup, verify that everything is working correctly.
Check Network Status
The OrbMesh dashboard displays your network status. A green indicator means the mesh service is active and ready for connections.
View Device List
Your current device should appear in the network's device list with an 'Online' status badge.
Test Connectivity
If you have already paired a second device, the dashboard will show the connection status and latency between the two peers.
Check Encryption
Verify that the connection indicator shows 'Encrypted' to confirm that end-to-end encryption is active on all mesh links.
Next Steps
Pair Devices
Add more devices to your mesh network using QR codes or mDNS auto-discovery.
Explore Network Types
Learn about Private, Team, and Public networks to find the right configuration for your needs.
Deploy Nodes
Expand your network by running dedicated nodes and start earning ORB tokens.
Keep Devices Updated
For the best mesh networking experience and security, always keep OrbVPN updated to the latest version on all devices in your mesh network. Peer protocol versions must be compatible.
Your Mesh Awaits
OrbMesh setup takes just minutes but delivers a powerful decentralized network for all your devices. Start building your secure mesh today.