Using AO offline
How self-hosted AO and AO OnBoard work with no internet access, and what changes.
Applies to:
self-hosted AOAO OnBoard
Self-hosted AO and AO OnBoard work on networks with no internet access, or where the connection comes and goes. This article covers how AO tells it's offline, what changes, and what keeps working.
How AO knows it's offline
Your browser checks for internet access by contacting www.google.com/generate_204, so what counts is your computer's access, not the AO server's. AO checks when it opens, when your computer reconnects to a network, and before it loads base imagery, NOAA charts or KML, KMZ and GeoJSON visualizations. If your computer drops off the network, AO treats it as offline straight away. While AO checks, a project's details show Verifying internet connection... in place of the coordinate system.
AO doesn't check on a timer and shows no separate offline notice. If internet access comes back while your computer stays connected, refresh the page. If the connection to www.google.com fails, AO behaves as if it's offline. A proxy that answers with its own block page counts as online. See Network and firewall requirements.
What changes without internet access
| Feature | Without internet access |
|---|---|
| Help Center | Hidden from the menu under your initial, along with the See the Help Center for details links in tooltips. |
| Remote Sync | Hidden from the menu, with its Sent and Received lists, even when the other AO is on your network. See Remote Sync. |
| Search box | Uses AO's own search: place names stored on your AO server, and coordinates, latitude first. See Map tools. |
| Base Imagery | Aerial, Aerial+Labels and Roads+Labels all show offline imagery from your AO server: less detailed world imagery with seafloor shading. If your AO doesn't have it, AO shows a basic built-in world image. |
| NOAA Charts | Load from your AO server when it has them, with depths in feet. Otherwise AO shows NOAA Chart layer currently not available. Please try again later. |
| Coordinate system checks | When you choose a CRS for a project or for a file you visualize, AO may show Unable to verify transform offline. If Generate Visualization stays unavailable, choose the CRS again or contact support. See Vertical and Horizontal Datum. |
| KML, KMZ and GeoJSON visualizations | Icons show as plain dots in the visualization's color. |
| External layers | Layers served from the internet don't load. |
| Signing in with Microsoft or Google | Needs access to that provider. |
When your computer has no network connection at all, AO also hides Reset Password in My Account and the map dots for public projects.
What keeps working
Everything your AO server provides keeps working: signing in with email and password, projects and their files, uploads and downloads, visualizing files and viewing visualizations, objects, measuring and the other map tools, and managing users and groups. The CRS picker and mean sea level heights (EGM2008 Geoid (Mean Sea Level) in My Account settings) work offline too. See My Account and display settings.
AO emails invitations and password reset links through your organization's mail server. Without one, an Admin can use Copy Reset Link to pass a link on. It copies only when AO is open over https:// or on the AO server itself, not from a plain http:// address: see User Management.
Fully disconnected (air-gapped) systems
Where all outside network access must be blocked, AO can be built never to check for internet access. It then always works as described above, takes base imagery only from your AO server, and doesn't show public projects on the map. It needs no connection outside your network, so you can block all of it at your firewall. This is set when your AO system is built, so tell Terradepth before delivery. See Air-gapped networks in Network and firewall requirements.
For HTTPS on such a network, your IT administrator uses AO's own certificate authority (Appliance CA) or your organization's certificate: Let's Encrypt and Tailscale need internet access. See HTTPS in Administering AO.
Availability: Copy Reset Link is turned on per organization. To use it, contact support@terradepth.com.
Related: Network and firewall requirements · AO OnBoard overview · Firewall and allowlist quick reference