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+--- Thread: How to Troubleshoot connection issues with OrBit (/showthread.php?tid=53)
How to Troubleshoot connection issues with OrBit - Power6 - 02-25-2023
Modern Volvos/Polestars that OrBit works with all use "DoIP" - Diagnostics over IP connection. Which, for us DIY-ers, is the fancy way to say the connection uses Ethernet, i.e. a wired network port on a computer. Dealers use WiFi connection but us consumers do not have access to that.
The good: The adapters are cheap and all you need is a computer with a common wired network jack
The bad: There is no specific hardware like "DiCE", there are thousands of different hardware variations of the common network card, which is subject to all of the "goings on" in Windows to do with drivers and networks.
Windows has network security built-in (Defender anti-virus and firewall) and there are 3rd party anti-virus and firewall security tools that one could have loaded on their computer. Sometimes these things can cause issues with a program like OrBit (or VIDA, or VDash), which must listen for "incoming" connections on the network to find the car, and generally use the network connection in a slightly different way from typical program that connects to the internet.
If OrBit will not find the car or fails to connect to the car, there are some basic steps to check that OrBit is not being blocked by security features:
1.) FIRST time running OrBit you should see this message:
Most cases leaving the default check box and clicking "Allow Access" here will suffice, it can be helpful to make sure both check boxes are checked and click "Allow Access". This action creates allow rules in Windows Defender firewall that will allow OrBit to work. Clicking "cancel" here will not create the rules, and you will probably have a problem connecting to a car. You only get one chance for this "automatic" process, Windows will not ask you again.
If you suspect you missed this message, or you want to check/add the firewall exceptions needed for OrBit to work:
2.) Check OrBit has firewall rules in Windows Defender to allow network connection:
Click on start menu and type "Windows Defender..." and open the Windows Defender Firewall settings as shown
In the Windows Defender settings, select "Inbound" in the left tree, then scroll down in the middle pane to find OrBitRun.exe, to verify the app is allowed for incoming connections, ideally on both "public" and "private" networks.
3.) To add OrBit to allowed apps in Windows Defender:
Open Windows start Menu and type "Windows Security" to find and open Windows Security app. Click on "Firewall and Network protection"
Click "allow an app through firewall" link. In the dialog window, click "Change settings" button, then scroll down to find "OrBitRun.exe" and check the "private" and "public" network options. Click OK to save the setting and close the window.
If you don't see OrBitRun.exe you can add it via the "Allow another app" button. In that dialog click "browse" and paste the following to quickly find the OrBit app directory: "%localappdata%\OrBitApp" Then find OrBitRun.exe in the directory to choose it, and follow as above to check the boxes to allow OrBit to use the network.
This should resolve most issues when OrBit fails to find or connect to a car.
NOTE: This assumes you are using the default Windows Defender Security. If you have 3rd party anti-virus, security or firewall running, those programs may be blocking OrBit. We can't give specific advice on those, there are just too many to cover. But essentially you need to verify: OrBitRun.exe is not being restricted in any way, and is allowed to listen on network for "incoming" connections. Typically some sort of "whitelisting", "trust" or "rule" may need to be added to allow for that.