# Test Surv’s nearby link before relying on it

Canonical: https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/surv-nearby-link-test-and-limits/
Author: Roméo Gambino · Published: 2026-10-07 · Updated: 2026-10-07 · App: Surv (https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/)

Try a harmless message between two nearby Surv phones and understand range, foreground, privacy and emergency-service limits.

## Arrange a safe two-phone test

Test before you need the feature, in a safe place with two people and two Surv phones. Agree on a harmless message such as “test received” and keep ordinary communication available. The nearby link is a direct connection between nearby app participants. It is not an internet messenger or a way to contact emergency services automatically.

[Check Surv offline access before a trip](https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/check-surv-content-access-before-a-trip/)

## Keep both phones on the nearby-link screen

Open Surv’s nearby-link screen on both phones and start the link. Keep both screens open while testing and inspect the connection status. Surv uses Bluetooth and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi for this feature. Apple’s Multipeer Connectivity documentation also distinguishes nearby communication from background operation; do not expect the conversation to remain active after leaving this screen.

Sources for this section: [Apple: Multipeer Connectivity](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/multipeerconnectivity)


## Confirm actual receipt, not just a send action

When a nearby peer appears, send the agreed test text and ask the other person to read it back. A tapped send button is not by itself confirmation of receipt. If nobody appears, keep the phones near each other, verify both are on the correct screen and check any permissions requested by iPhone. Avoid assuming a connection merely because both apps are installed.


## Treat range as a condition to test

Surv describes local range and warns that walls reduce it. Do not turn that description into a guaranteed distance for your building or terrain. Messages reach direct nearby participants; they are not relayed across a town by a chain of other phones. If you test a different position, do it safely and confirm receipt again rather than extrapolating from the first test.


## Keep sensitive information out of the test

Anyone nearby running this feature can join and read messages. Use information you would be comfortable saying aloud in that place. A beacon can optionally attach coordinates when a position fix is available; that is sensitive information and is not proof that rescuers received your location. You do not need to send a beacon or personal coordinates to test ordinary text.


## Keep emergency channels and a fallback

If an emergency call can get through, call the appropriate emergency service. The nearby link is not a substitute for those services, a long-range radio or a guaranteed delivery channel. Agree beforehand what your group will do if the phones do not connect, and keep a non-app meeting plan. A successful test only describes the conditions of that test.

[Prepare your phone to be useful when the network is not there](https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/offline-emergency-preparation/)

## Questions

### Will Surv relay my message across other phones in a town?

No. This feature communicates with direct nearby participants; it is not a town-wide relay network.

### Does sending a beacon notify emergency services?

Do not assume that. It sends within the nearby feature and can include coordinates; it is not emergency-service dispatch or confirmation of rescue.

## Further reading

- Apple: Multipeer Connectivity — https://developer.apple.com/documentation/multipeerconnectivity
- surv — product features — https://romeoapps.app/en/surv/

## About this guide

Published by Roméo Apps. Writing and translations are assisted by AI, with technical checks and targeted reviews. The cited sources do not certify the app or its results.

[About the publisher](https://romeoapps.app/en/about/)