.png)
If you’ve ever wondered, "How far can this thing actually go?"—you’re not alone.
One of the most frequently asked questions about the Totem Compass is “what’s the range?” and honestly, its range is one of the coolest things about the device.
Spoiler alert: it reaches up to 1000+ meters, or ~2/3 of a mile. That’s more than ten football fields. Pretty wild, right? 🤯
If that’s not impressive enough, 1000+ meter range occurs only if you’re using two devices in an area without any other Totem Compasses around. When you’re at a large event with Totems nearby or have more than two friends using Totems, our Unity Mesh Network™ kicks in to extend the range significantly.
Many of you may not even need to read past this point…
…but we LOVE geeking out about our tech, so stick around! This blog will outline:
- how we achieve 1000+ meter range
- how the Unity Mesh Network™ extends your range, and
- provide a few real-life examples!
Ready to dive in? Let’s do it!
How the Totem Compass Achieves 1000+ Meter Range
So, how does this little device pull off such a long range?
It’s not magic (though it might feel like it). Skeptics have claimed that a range this high isn’t even possible with the hardware we use.
Challenge accepted. Thanks to some pretty clever tech, it is indeed very possible. 😎
All jokes aside, 1000+ meters of peer-to-peer range IS pretty groundbreaking—especially considering that Totems communicate via a 2.4GHz frequency band. Very few devices are able to reach this distance through 2.4GHz. Totem’s peer-to-peer communication protocol makes this possible.
Peer-to-Peer Communication Protocol: An Overview
Totem’s proprietary peer-to-peer communication protocol allows for a direct exchange of information between any two Totem Compasses without the need for a central server, cell tower, or Wi-Fi router.
This protocol allows for long-range communication (unlike the vast majority of devices operating on 2.4Ghz) and features hyper-low latency with incredibly small data frames.
Think of a regular Wi-Fi network like a busy highway with multiple toll booths. Your message has to pass through six layers of processing before it reaches its destination. It’s like driving through West Virginia (all jokes over here, mountain mama! 🫶)
Thanks to some clever engineering, the Totem Compass cuts that down to just three layers—meaning faster, more direct communication, even in densely crowded environments like music festivals. In addition to boasting incredible range capabilities, the response time between any two Totem Compasses is much faster than any kind of communication with your cell phone.
Expanding Range with the Unity Mesh Network™
The Unity Mesh Network™ kicks in whenever there are 3+ Totems at an event, which means that,while impressive, the peer-to-peer maximum range is surprisingly irrelevant for most Totem Compass users.
So what is the Unity Mesh Network™, anyways?
.png)
Unity Mesh Network™: An Overview
Within the Unity Mesh Network™, each Totem Compass acts as a relay point, securely passing signals between devices to expand the network’s total range. This creates a network chain effect. In other words, when you’re at a music festival or live event, each Totem Compass around you acts as a node in the mesh network for your device, effectively passing your signal along—even if you aren’t Bonded with them!
This means that every other Totem acts as a bridge to your friends or loved ones, even when the people you’re looking for are technically “out-of-range” from your Totem Compass. If one path is blocked, the network will intelligently find an alternative route to maintain synchronous communication.
Additionally, the Unity Mesh Network™ operates entirely off-the-grid. It does not rely on any servers,internet connection, or cell service whatsoever. Whenever there are 3 or more Totem Compasses in any given area, you will benefit from the Unity Mesh Network™—a self-sustaining and resilient network designed to prevail in areas where other devices fall short.
Visualizing the Totem Compass Range
“Okay, so lots of people need to be using Totems in order for them to be useful.”
This is a remark we receive frequently.
Our answer: not quite! The Totem Compass peer-to-peer range alone spreads across the full length of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway (the venue for EDC Las Vegas) without the need for any other Totems around. 😎
Once the Unity Mesh Network kicks in with even a small handful of Totem Compasses in a single area, reported ranges have been off the charts! 📈
Case Study: EDC Orlando 2024
At EDC Orlando in November 2024, the Totem team put the Unity Mesh Network™ to the test.
There were only about 30 Totems in attendance, as shipping had only just begun a few weeks prior.
Every user on site had well over the full range of the venue (Tinker Field). Each user was able to locate Bonded friends easily, despite the festival reporting some of the densest crowds in history over the last few years.
Below, you can find a video recorded on-site of navigating across nearly the entire length of EDC Orlando. The Totem team recorded over 2.3 miles of range between two different mesh network nodes at this event—stretching far beyond the festival grounds into downtown Orlando.
Range Anxiety: A Thing of the Past
Now that we’ve reached critical mass with over 27,000 Totem users in over 60 countries, you can expect to have full range coverage at just about any festival you attend. 🙌
That said, even in the most remote locations you could imagine, the Totem Compass’ peer-to-peer range is far enough to cover incredible distances.
To put the Totem Compass peer-to-peer range into a perspective festival-lovers can visualize, it's enough to cover the full length of Legend Valley (the venue that hosts Lost Lands every year) and its campgrounds— without the need for the Unity Mesh Network™. 😎
While the majority of Totem users will never even need 1000 meters of range, if you're ever using your Totems outside of a major event, such as:
- on a walk in your neighborhood
- at the park
- hiking, or
- out on the ski slopes,
every extra meter of range can make all the difference.
Never Lost Again
At Totem, we believe that no one should ever feel lost or alone—whether in a sea of festival-goers, an outing with family, out in the wilderness, or anywhere life takes you.
The Totem Compass was designed to provide a simple and beautiful way to stay connected without relying on smartphones—especiallyin an era where screen time is at a record high and cell service is more unpredictable than ever.
The tech behind the Totem Compass is absolutely critical to our mission of making location-based entertainment safer, more beautiful, and more immersive than ever before.
You know what’s arguably even more important than that?
YOU! With your Totem Compass in hand, you are helping make the world safer, more beautiful, and more immersive than ever before.
For a deeper dive into how Totem Compass technology works, check out our comprehensive guide.
