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This page outlines best practices, not strict rules.
Every setup is different, from room layout to USB hardware and wireless noise. These steps are based on what commonly works, but you don’t need to blindly follow every single one.
Use what applies to your setup, test changes one at a time, and focus on what actually improves your tracking.
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SteamVR trackers need a dongle to wirelessly connect to the PC.
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Each SteamVR dongle is a dedicated wireless receiver that pairs with only one tracker at a time.
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Additional trackers need additional dongles, which can be a lot!
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To cut down on cable spaghetti, you can purchase a 7 in 1 receiver, which pairs up to 7 trackers simultaneously.
Requires two USB-C ports, one for data & one for power
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| Do | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Keep each cradle upright so the little PCB monopole inside the dongle is vertical. A quarter‑wave monopole radiates like a fat doughnut; the strongest signal is broadside to the antenna, weakest straight up the shaft. | Trackers are usually waist‑to‑shoulder height — a vertical dongle puts its “doughnut” right through the play space. |
| Face the broad, plastic side toward the centre of the room (or toward the tracker cluster if you do seated mocap). | The plastic shell is RF‑transparent; the ground plane on the USB plug acts as the “mirror”. Broadside orientation gives the tracker more signal strength. |
| Mount extensions on the desk edge, monitor arm, or light stand so nothing metal blocks the dongle. | Metal close to the monopole detunes it and casts RF “shadows”. |
| Stagger height or depth if you have more than four cradles (e.g., two on a top shelf, two on the desk surface). | Prevents one dongle body from shading another and breaks up parallel coupling paths. |
| Maintain ≈ 40 cm between cradles (about a forearm‑length). | Keeps each antenna outside its neighbour’s reactive near‑field and limits mutual coupling. Valve’s own packaging insert says “18 in / 45 cm minimum” for best results (eBay). |
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The dongle is sensitive to interference, so ideally place it “in view” of your Trackers (Not at the back of your computer), unobstructed by anything else. We recommend using the USB 2.0 extension cable that comes with the dongle to put it at the edge of your desk - or something to that effect.
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An example of good dongle placement, far away from anything that can cause EM interference.
Here’s a 3D visualization of the radio range from a monopole antenna. This is the reason you want the dongle sitting upright.
A quarter‑wave monopole antenna, like those used on dondles: radiates like a fat doughnut; the strongest signal is broadside to the antenna ↔️, weakest straight up the shaft ↕. https://www.antenna-theory.com/antennas/monopole.php
For a best case scenario; space dongles 40cm away from each other, and away from anything metal, like your computer case.