Boston Dynamics Spot network requirements
Spot's public documents set no signal or latency target for the network; they state that Spot sits after 3 seconds without controller communication and turns off its motors after 8, and the 2025 instructions add a controller supervision window of 9 seconds by default.
- Vendor or body
- Boston Dynamics
- Model or version
- Spot (Explorer and Enterprise); Spot Instructions for Use v2.3 (May 2025) and Information for Use v1.1 (April 2021); Spot SDK documentation 5.2.0
- Last verified
- Oct 5, 2026
- Sourced values
- 17
- Loss-of-comms timeout
- 3 s to sit; 8 s to motors off; controller supervision 9 s (default), 30 s or 18.2 h
- Top speed
- 1.6 m/s
Values
| Parameter | Value | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Supported bands and standards, 2025 instructions | 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, 802.11b/g/n and 802.11ac1 | Listed as Enterprise WiFi, with Gigabit Ethernet (1000BaseT); no Explorer or Enterprise split. The 2020 specification sheet lists 2.4 and 5 GHz b/g/n; the 2025 instructions add 802.11ac |
| Controller supervision window | 9 s (STRICT, default); 30 s (MODERATE); 18.2 h (UNSUPERVISED)1 | After the window Spot performs an operational stop (sits and powers off its motors). It caps every signal-loss behavior, including an automatic mission that continues on a lost connection. Section 2.5.1 of the same document gives 8 s to motors off; the document does not reconcile the two figures |
| Supported bands and standards, Spot Enterprise | 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n and 5 GHz 802.11ac2 | Gigabit Ethernet is also listed |
| Supported bands and standards, Spot Explorer | 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n only2 | |
| Wi-Fi, specification sheet | 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz b/g/n3 | As printed on the specification sheet under Connectivity, with Ethernet |
| Network options | Wi-Fi client on the site network, or Spot's own Wi-Fi access point4 | Applications can also connect over the rear Ethernet port or the payload ports, or through custom communication links such as cellular modems |
| Maximum roam time | Not published by the vendor4 | For Wi-Fi client mode the vendor says dead zones and handoff times between access points need attention, but gives no figure |
| Minimum signal strength | Not published by the vendor4 | Checked the networking concept page and the Information for Use |
| Latency, jitter and bandwidth limits | Not published by the vendor4 | The page notes real-time calls can be problematic over a spotty connection but sets no limits |
| Wi-Fi security modes | Not published by the vendor2 | Not stated in the public documents checked |
| API transport and encryption | gRPC over HTTP/2 on TCP, inside TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.34 | All API communication with the robot uses this stack |
| Ports | Not published by the vendor4 | The networking page names no port numbers |
| Software E-Stop endpoint timeout | Set per endpoint by the client5 | Actuator power is allowed only while every registered endpoint has checked in with stop level NONE within its timeout. Stop levels are CUT (actuator power cut immediately) and SETTLE_THEN_CUT (the robot tries to stop, sits, then cuts power) |
| Client-defined comms-loss actions | Record an event, start AutoReturn, stop then power motors off, power off motors and computers, or mark a lease stale6 | Beta service. The client sets the timers; the documentation gives no defaults |
| Optional comms-loss action, AutoReturn | Walks the robot back along its recently traveled path, within a set maximum displacement, to try to regain communications7 | Must be enabled by the driving user. It does not bypass the E-Stop timeout, so the robot still sits and powers off if that expires; if communication is not restored when AutoReturn ends, normal comms-loss behavior begins |
| Comms loss on stairs | Robot walks off the staircase, generally downward, before sitting and powering off8 | Applies on communication loss, critically low battery, or a safe power-off request; introduced in release 3.1.0 |
| Lease on comms loss | Lease becomes stale, not revoked, when the owner stops retaining it8 | Since release 3.1.0 another client may then take control; before 3.1.0 a short comms loss made the robot sit, power off and revoke the lease |
When it loses the network
- Behavior
- Spot sits after 3 seconds without controller communication, then turns off its motors after 8 seconds (section 2.5.1). The 2025 instructions add that during manual operation Spot halts with motors on and waits for the controller, and during an automatic mission it continues; every signal-loss behavior is capped by the controller supervision window, after which Spot sits and powers off its motors (section 5.2.3). The document gives both 8 s and a 9 s default and does not reconcile them. The SDK documentation adds an optional AutoReturn that first walks Spot back along its recent path, and since release 3.1.0 a robot on stairs walks off the staircase before sitting.
- Timeout
- 3 s to sit; 8 s to motors off; controller supervision 9 s (default), 30 s or 18.2 h1
- Recovery
- Manual: confirm safety conditions and clearance, clear the stop in the Spot App, turn motor power on, and resume (section 5.4.2).
Top speed
1.6 m/s3
Sources
- Spot Instructions for Use v2.3. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- Spot Information for Use v1.1. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- Spot specifications sheet. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- Networking, Spot 5.2.0 documentation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- E-Stop, Spot 5.2.0 documentation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- KeepAlive (BETA), Spot 5.2.0 documentation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- AutoReturn Service, Spot 5.2.0 documentation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
- Release notes, Spot 5.2.0 documentation. Read Oct 5, 2026.
About this page
Built from 8 sources: 8 vendor documents. Researched and drafted with AI assistance, then reviewed and approved by Ben Rutter on . How pages are made
- First published
- Last updated
Change history (1)
- First published
Cite this page
Plain
Ben Rutter. "Boston Dynamics Spot network requirements." OT Wireless, published October 5, 2026. https://otwireless.com/requirements/boston-dynamics-spot/
APA 7
Rutter, B. (2026, October 5). Boston Dynamics Spot network requirements. OT Wireless. https://otwireless.com/requirements/boston-dynamics-spot/
BibTeX
@misc{rutter2026bostondynamicsspot,
author = {Rutter, Ben},
title = {{Boston Dynamics Spot network requirements}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://otwireless.com/requirements/boston-dynamics-spot/}},
organization = {OT Wireless},
}