Connectivity & Troubleshooting
OrOrbit gives you three ways to expose your server to friends. UPnP is attempted automatically in the background; the other two are choices you make in the connectivity wizard.
How connections work
When your server starts, OrOrbit attempts UPnP in the background. If that succeeds you're done. If it can't, you pick between the bundled tunnel or manual port forwarding in the wizard.
UPnP Auto-Forwarding
BestOrOrbit asks your router to open the required ports automatically using UPnP. This is the same technology used by game consoles and media servers. Works on most home routers with UPnP enabled (the default on most routers).
Result: Full voice quality. Friends connect directly to your public IP. Zero configuration needed.
Tunnel + TURN Relay
Fallback
If UPnP isn't available (disabled router, double NAT, etc.), the wizard offers a
secure Cloudflare Tunnel for chat and the web interface. The bundled
cloudflared
binary is used — no separate install needed. Voice still flows through your
built-in TURN relay, which needs UDP port 3478 (and the relay range) reachable.
Voice: Forward UDP 3478 (and the relay range) for full voice quality.
Manual Port Forwarding
ManualIf you prefer manual control, you can forward these ports on your router:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 443 | TCP | OrOrbit server (HTTPS + WebSocket) |
| 3478 | UDP + TCP | TURN relay (voice) |
| 40000-40003 | UDP + TCP | Media RTP — one port per CPU worker (up to 4) |
Built-in diagnostics
OrOrbit Server includes a connectivity wizard that checks everything automatically. Open the admin panel, go to Server Settings, and click "Setup connectivity" to see:
- Chat: Can friends reach your server for text and messages?
- Voice: Can the TURN relay accept voice connections?
- LAN: Can devices on your local network connect directly?
Each check shows a green checkmark or yellow warning with specific suggestions for how to fix the issue.
Troubleshooting FAQ
Friends can chat but not voice call
Chat works through the tunnel, but voice needs UDP port 3478 forwarded. Open your router settings and forward UDP 3478 to your PC's local IP address.
UPnP is not available
Your router may have UPnP disabled. Check your router's admin page
(usually 192.168.1.1)
and look for a UPnP or "NAT-PMP" setting. Some ISP-provided routers
don't support UPnP — in that case, use manual port forwarding.
Double NAT detected
If your network has two routers (e.g. ISP modem + your router), UPnP may only open ports on the inner router. Ask your ISP to put their modem in "bridge mode", or forward ports on both devices.
Server starts but friends can't connect
Make sure you're sharing the correct URL. If using a tunnel, share the tunnel URL (shown in Settings > Server). If using direct connection, share your public IP. The connectivity wizard will tell you exactly which URL to share.
Windows Firewall is blocking OrOrbit
The installer adds firewall rules automatically, but if you see a Windows Firewall prompt, click Allow access for both private and public networks.
Can I use a custom domain?
Yes. Point a DNS A record at your public IP, then pick Your Own Domain in the connectivity wizard. OrOrbit terminates TLS itself using Let's Encrypt — no reverse proxy needed. Direct-IP setups get an IP-bound Let's Encrypt certificate automatically.
Reporting issues
If something goes wrong, OrOrbit keeps a detailed error log you can send to help diagnose the problem.
- 1 Open Settings (gear icon in the bottom-left corner).
- 2 Click Diagnostics in the sidebar. If there are errors, you’ll see a red badge with the count.
- 3 Click Copy All to copy the full log to your clipboard.
- 4 Paste it into a GitHub issue or send it to the server owner. The log includes timestamps, error codes, and stack traces — everything needed to track down the problem.