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Orb to Orb #84

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orb to orb
jmutschler Jun 11, 2026
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speed server updates
jmutschler Jun 12, 2026
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69 changes: 28 additions & 41 deletions docs/deploy-and-configure/endpoints.md
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Expand Up @@ -13,93 +13,80 @@ These features are experimental, and not yet intended for production environment

## Orb Server

Orb can be run with an experimental server component, allowing you to perform responsiveness and speed testing directly to that Orb. This can be useful for:
Every Orb Sensor runs a built-in server component (as of version 1.5), allowing you to perform responsiveness and speed testing directly to that Orb. This can be useful for:

* Testing a leg of your local network rather than to internet infrastructure to troubleshoot where a bottleneck is occurring, test your Wi-Fi in isolation, or test a multi-gigabit switch or router.
* ISPs wishing to test servers within their network infrastructure in addition to internet infrastructure.
* Organizations in highly-regulated or industrial environments that can only test to infrastructure they control.

The server component can be activated on an Orb Sensor by setting the environment variable `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_ENABLED` to a value of `1` on Orb 1.4.10 and above.
The server listens on port `7443` by default. If you wish to use a different port, set the `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_PORT` environment variable (e.g. `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_PORT=8080`). See the [Configuration](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration) documentation for more details.

If you wish to set an alternative port, the variable `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_PORT` can be utilized (e.g. `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_PORT=8080`). See the [Configuration](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration) documentation for more details.
If you need to disable the server, set the environment variable `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_ENABLED=0`, or push the following via the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) configuration sections under the "Advanced" tab:

For testing purposes, you can explicitly run `orb server` to run a standalone server-only mode. Or you can manually activate the server in a manual run of the sensor: `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_ENABLED=1 orb sensor`.
```json
"sensor_api.measure_server_enabled": ["false"]
```

:::warning
In Orb 1.4.10, there is no message in the startup logs indicating the server component is active.
:::
For testing purposes, you can explicitly run `orb server` to run a standalone server-only mode.

### Testing to your Orb Server

Now that you have an Orb configured to act as a server, you will need to configure a different Orb to utilize this server for testing.

Visit the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) sections to edit the configuration for an individual Orb, or in-bulk via *Configurations*, respectively. If this is your first time configuring an Orb remotely, see the [Remote Configuration documentation](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration#remote-configuration).
To configure an Orb to test against another Orb's built-in server, visit the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) sections to edit the configuration for an individual Orb, or in-bulk via *Configurations*, respectively. If this is your first time configuring an Orb remotely, see the [Remote Configuration documentation](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration#remote-configuration).

Changes will be made under the "Advanced" tab in the "Edit Configuration" screen.

#### Responsiveness

Add the following to your configuration to test Responsiveness to the previously configured server, replacing the `<ip>` placeholder with the routable IP address of the Orb Server:
Add the following to your configuration, replacing `<ip>` with the routable IP address of the Orb Server. This single key automatically configures both Responsiveness and Speed testing to point at your server:

```json
"collectors.response.lag_endpoints": [
"h3://<ip>:7443"
],
"orb.endpoint": ["<ip>:7443"]
```

#### Speed
If you configured a different port via `ORB_MEASURE_SERVER_PORT`, update the port accordingly.

Add the following to your configuration to test Content Speed and Peak Speed to the previously configured server, replacing the `<ip>` placeholder with the routable IP address of the Orb Server:
You can optionally assign a display name to the endpoint using `orb.endpoint_name`. This requires `orb.endpoint` to be set:

```json
"collectors.bandwidth.speed_servers": [
"orb://<ip>:7443"
]
"orb.endpoint_name": ["My Local Server"]
```

## Experimental Speed Test Engine

Members of of the Orb community and Orb customers have requested that the "Peak Speed" test, which measures the maximum download and upload throughput a connection can achieve, deliver results more in-line with the tools they've utilized in the past so they can fully switch to Orb from legacy speed test tools.
## Speed Test Engine

Orb now offers an experimental "wave" engine, which can achieve higher throughput in a shorter duration when compared to the "orb" engine and many other legacy speed test tools.
As of version 1.5, Orb uses the "wave" engine by default for Peak Speed tests against Cloudflare infrastructure. The "wave" engine achieves higher throughput in a shorter duration compared to the legacy "orb" engine and many other legacy speed test tools.

To configure Orbs to perform speed tests with the "wave" engine, visit the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) sections to edit the configuration for an individual Orb, or in-bulk via *Configurations*, respectively. If this is your first time configuring an Orb remotely, see the [Remote Configuration documentation](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration#remote-configuration).
You can customize which speed servers are used by visiting the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) sections to edit the configuration for an individual Orb, or in-bulk via *Configurations*, respectively. If this is your first time configuring an Orb remotely, see the [Remote Configuration documentation](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration#remote-configuration).

Changes will be made under the "Advanced" tab in the "Edit Configuration" screen.

### Orb Server with "wave"
### Custom test with "wave"

Add the following to your configuration to test Content Speed and Peak Speed to a [previously configured server](/docs/deploy-and-configure/endpoints#orb-server), replacing the `<ip>` placeholder with the routable IP address of the Orb Server:
To configure speed testing with the "wave" engine:

```json
"collectors.bandwidth.speed_servers": [
"wave://<ip>:7443"
"wave://<host or ip>"
]
```

There is no configuration step needed for the "server" Orb.
## Experimental Fastly speed test

### Default Cloudflare test with "wave"
In addition to our existing collaboration with Cloudflare, Orb now partners with Fastly as well to support responsiveness, reliability, and speed testing. By supporting both Cloudflare and Fastly to measure internet experience, Orb provides an unparalleled platform for measuring real-world application experience. Orb already supports measuring responsiveness and reliability to Fastly. We are looking to our community and partners to test a new Fastly-powered speed test before making it more widely available and seamlessly integrated.

Add the following to your configuration to use the "wave" engine when testing speed to the internet:
To configure Orbs to perform speed tests to Fastly infrastructure, visit the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) sections to edit the configuration for an individual Orb, or in-bulk via *Configurations*, respectively. If this is your first time configuring an Orb remotely, see the [Remote Configuration documentation](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration#remote-configuration).

Changes will be made under the "Advanced" tab in the "Edit Configuration" screen.

```json
"collectors.bandwidth.speed_servers": [
"wave://speed.cloudflare.com"
"wave://fastly-measure.prod.orb.net"
]
```

## Experimental Fastly speed test

In addition to our existing collaboration with Cloudflare, Orb now partners with Fastly as well to support responsiveness, reliability, and speed testing. By supporting both Cloudflare and Fastly to measure internet experience, Orb provides an unparalleled platform for measuring real-world application experience. Orb already supports measuring responsiveness and reliability to Fastly. We are looking to our community and partners to test a new Fastly-powered speed test before making it more widely available and seamlessly integrated.

To configure Orbs to perform speed tests to Fastly infrastructure, visit the Orb Cloud [Status](https://cloud.orb.net/status) or [Orchestration](https://cloud.orb.net/orchestration) sections to edit the configuration for an individual Orb, or in-bulk via *Configurations*, respectively. If this is your first time configuring an Orb remotely, see the [Remote Configuration documentation](/docs/deploy-and-configure/configuration#remote-configuration).

Changes will be made under the "Advanced" tab in the "Edit Configuration" screen.
When multiple speed servers are configured, Orb automatically selects the closest server by network path (lowest latency). For example, to test against both Cloudflare and Fastly and let Orb pick the nearest:

```json
"collectors.bandwidth.speed_servers": [
"orb://fastly-measure.prod.orb.net"
"wave://speed.cloudflare.com",
"wave://fastly-measure.prod.orb.net"
]
```

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