A new, third-party application, Orb, has come along to revolutionize how users understand their internet connection. Doug Suttles and Jamie Steven, co-founders of this nifty new tool. Released in 2023, the app provides a detailed statewide analysis of network performance by factoring in responsiveness, reliability, and speed to paint a fuller picture of network performance. Orb’s mission is to eliminate barriers and frustrations that users experience when trying to access digital services. It achieves this goal by providing them with an easily understandable score that conveys the reliability of their link.
Orb operates by measuring three critical variables: responsiveness, reliability, and speed. Responsiveness is an index that includes lag, jitter, latency, and packet loss to deliver an on-the-fly calculation of network performance. Reliability takes a long-term look at responsiveness, factoring in any packet loss that’s occurred during that time. Speed is calculated by looking at typical download and upload speeds.
Users are then given an Orb score reflecting the quality of their connection. A higher score over 80 indicates that you possess an excellent relationship. If your performance is under 80 but over 70, then you’re in the acceptable tier. Scores under 70 indicate that users are likely to run into significant issues with their internet service. This scoring system can track performance over various time intervals, including one minute, five minutes, one hour, and 24 hours.
Doug Suttles, the founder of Orb, shared the inspiration for building the app. He likened old school speed tests to checking a car’s dipstick, explaining,
“Speed tests are like the dipstick in your car, which will tell you that you ran out of oil once your car breaks down. We wanted to build a dashboard to tell you that you are low on oil, so you can fix that problem.”
This unique approach means that users can actively manage their internet connections instead of being reactive once something goes wrong.
Jamie Steven, also formerly of Down Detector fame, has taken a huge role in helping to build Orb. Along with Suttles, they’ve managed to raise $3.8 million in funding led by Sidekick Ventures and angel investors. This financial support will help the app grow and develop as it works to bolster communities, protect residents and visitors, and refine its features.
Beyond helping users get a closer look at their connectivity, Orb provides a detailed guide to getting the tool installed on Windows, Mac, or Linux machines. This makes it easy for users to deploy Orb on all kinds of devices like Raspberry Pi, Onewrt, Docker and more. This adaptability makes it possible for users with all different skill levels to benefit from the app’s user-friendly features.
As internet connectivity becomes increasingly crucial for daily activities and remote work, tools like Orb are essential for understanding and improving network performance. By prioritizing the delivery of actionable insights, the app helps equip users with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their internet connections.
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