Internet Access Requirements

Information for IT departments, educators, and network administrators

Synthiam ARC uses secure cloud services to deliver licensing, updates, project synchronization, and many robot skills that depend on AI or online data. These services help ARC stay current, operate safely, and provide the most reliable robotics experience possible.

ARC does not access unrelated websites or share your information with advertisers. Internet access is only used to connect to the servers required for ARC's features to function. ARC can still run offline for many robot operations, but cloud features will be limited or unavailable.

What Is a Firewall and Why Does It Matter?

A firewall is a security system used by schools, companies, and organizations to protect their network. It decides what internet traffic is allowed in or out of the network. This helps block harmful websites, viruses, and unauthorized activity.

Some firewalls block outgoing connections (traffic from a computer going out to the internet). Even if regular websites work, ARC might not be able to reach its required servers unless those addresses are allowed by the network’s rules.

If ARC cannot contact its servers, cloud robot skills may not load, licensing might not validate, or some features could appear offline. IT departments simply need to allow ARC’s outbound access.

Required Server Access

Synthiam ARC requires outbound access to secure HTTPS (SSL/TLS) connections on TCP port 443.

  • https://synthiam.com – Port 443
  • https://admin.synthiam.com – Port 443

These addresses enable licensing, authentication, cloud project syncing, robot skill management, and update services. All communication is encrypted using secure SSL/TLS.

Access Requirements for Cloud-Based Robot Skills

Optional robot skills may connect to external cloud AI providers, such as:

  • OpenAI ChatGPT
  • Azure Cognitive Services
  • Google Cloud AI
  • Amazon AWS AI/ML services

If these connections are blocked by the network, cloud skills will not load or authenticate. IT departments may need to allow outbound HTTPS access to the respective providers.

Firewall & Network Considerations

Educational institutions and corporate networks often restrict outbound internet traffic. To ensure ARC works properly, IT staff may need to allow outgoing connections to:

  • synthiam.com
  • admin.synthiam.com
  • Any external cloud AI services used by installed robot skills
Additional considerations:
  • SSL Inspection / Deep Packet Inspection: ARC may not work if firewalls intercept or rewrite SSL certificates.
  • DNS Filtering: Systems like Cisco Umbrella, Fortinet, or Palo Alto may block required domains unless whitelisted.
  • Captive Portals / Guest Wi-Fi: Guest networks may isolate devices or restrict outbound traffic, preventing ARC from connecting.
  • Proxies: ARC follows system proxy settings. Authenticated proxies require proper OS-level configuration.
  • Offline Use: Robot control can still work offline, but cloud skills, online licensing, and project syncing require connectivity.

Summary

Synthiam ARC requires outbound HTTPS access to its secure servers to function fully. Cloud robot skills may require additional access to their service providers. If ARC is installed in a restricted network environment, IT staff simply need to allow the required outbound connections listed above.

With proper network configuration, ARC will operate reliably and all cloud-enabled robot skills will function as intended.