A Virtual Wall® creates an invisible barrier that Roomba® won't cross. That makes it easy to confine Roomba® to a particular room or area and prevents it from getting too close to anything delicate or dangerous.
Is my Robot Compatible with Virtual Walls?
Yes - All Roomba 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, e, s series and Roomba i3/i3+, i4/i4+, i5/i5+, i6/i6+, i7/i7+, i8/i8+, Combo i5/i5+ models.
There is a ring of light around the top of the device. The ring will pulse five (5) times when the device is activated, or when a new mode is selected. You can set your device to one of two (2) modes to fit your home’s cleaning needs; Virtual Wall Mode & Halo Mode. Select the desired mode. When the ring stops pulsing, place the device on the floor in the desired location. The ring of light will remain off until the batteries need to be replaced, at which time the light will flash.
Requires 2 x AA batteries
Virtual Wall® Mode When the switch is in the “up” position, the device functions as a Virtual Wall®. This means that you can set it to block openings of up to 10 ft (3m). It creates an invisible, cone-shaped barrier that only Roomba® can see. This barrier gets wider as it gets further from the device. Halo Mode
When the switch is in the “down” position, the device creates a protective zone that Roomba® will not enter. This prevents Roomba® from bumping into items you want to protect (e.g. a dog bowl or vase) or crossing into undesired areas (e.g. a corner or under a desk). The Halo is invisible and reaches approximately 2ft (6m) from the center of the device.
Note:The image on the box is correct, as shown above. The image on the sticker attached to the VW itself is incorrect.
When Not in Use
In between cleaning cycles, you can leave the device operating in its position on the floor. Under normal use, batteries will last up to 12 months. If you are not planning on using your Virtual Wall® device for an extended period of time and you would like to store it, be sure to switch it to the “Off” (middle) position.
FAQs:
What happened to the i7 Virtual Walls? In February 2020, we will no longer include Virtual Walls with the i7 series Roomba pack-outs in North America (US and Canada). The Keep Out Zones feature will eliminate the need for Virtual Walls.
Can I still use Virtual Walls with Keep Out Zones? Yes! A Keep Out Zone is one way to keep your robot away from areas you don't want to clean, but virtual walls are still an option, too. In fact, during your map creation, you can use Virtual Walls to block off the area when the robot is learning your space.
The following models are compatible with both the Virtual Wall® Lighthouse™ (VWLH) and Wireless Command Center (WCC). VWLH and the WCC use radio frequency (RF) technology to communicate with Roomba. This differs from the infrared (IR) technology used for Auto Virtual Walls, remotes, and Home Bases®.
Depending on the mode selected, a Virtual Wall® Lighthouse™ (VWLH) can act as both a Lighthouse and a Virtual Wall®.
Virtual Wall® Mode: Completely blocks off areas you don't want your robot to access.
Lighthouse Mode: Acts as a gate, automatically blocking and opening designated areas during cleaning, to allow Roomba® to efficiently clean multiple rooms. After the Roomba® has completed cleaning each area as designated by a VWLH, the VWLH guides Roomba® back to its Home Base®. Maximum cleaning time per room is 25 minutes. For best results, use no more than two (2) VWLHs per cleaning mission.
For example:Roomba and the Home Base® are located in the bedroom (1). You also would like Roomba to clean the adjacent family room (2) and office (3). You place a Lighthouse in the doorway from room one (1) to room (2), and an additional Lighthouse in the doorway from room two (2) to room three (3), as shown in the following image:
When Roomba completes cleaning room one (1), the VWLH opens allowing Roomba to navigate to and clean room two (2). After Roomba completes cleaning room two (2), the VWLH opens, allowing Roomba to navigate to and clean room three (3). After all rooms are cleaned (or when the battery runs low), the VWLH guides Roomba® back to its Home Base® to recharge. The following video shows how the robot activates the Lighthouse and uses infrared (IR) beams to first block, and then open access to, your rooms:
How to select Virtual Wall® or Lighthouse Mode on your Virtual Wall® Lighthouse:
Mode Selector: Switch on your VWLH to choose between each mode.
Range Selector: Switch to select the size of the doorway or opening you wish to block.
When a compatible robot encounters a Virtual Wall® Lighthouse, it automatically pairs with the robot and turns on and off automatically. Each Lighthouse runs on two (2) C alkaline batteries. A blinking power light, when the robot is powered off, means the batteries need replacing soon.
How to use your VWLH in Lighthouse Mode:
Place a VWLH within the doorway of each room you want Roomba® to clean.
Ensure the iRobot® logo is facing forward, and the selector is set to Lighthouse mode.
Start the Roomba® from its Home Base®. Roomba® will begin its mission in room one (1) and continue until each room or area designated by a VWLH is cleaned (up to a maximum of 25 minutes per area) or its battery runs low, at which time it will return to the Home Base®.
Please avoid placing the VWLH too close to other VWLH, Auto Virtual Walls®, or the Home Base®. The IR beams from these accessories may interfere which each other and prevent Roomba® from completing a successful mission. If possible, orient the Lighthouse so that the IR beams point across the area you wish to block without any obstructions.
How to use your VWLH in Virtual Wall Mode:
The VWLH creates an invisible barrier that the Roomba® will not cross, as shown in the following image:
Place a Lighthouse within the doorway of the room you want to Roomba® to clean.
Ensure the iRobot® logo is facing forward, and the selector is set to Virtual Wall® Mode.
Start the Roomba® from its Home Base®.
You can use the range selector to adjust the length of this barrier up to 8 ft (2.4 m). Setting a longer range will drain the batteries of the VWLH faster.
Indicators
The Virtual Wall® Lighthouse has a sensor light on top of it that may light up differently to indicate various behaviors.
No Light: If the sensor light on the VWLH is not on, it means that the robot is not on or that they are not paired. Once paired, the VWLH will only turn on when the robot is on, so this light will only be on once the robot has started a cleaning mission.
Steady Light: If the sensor light is on solidly, it means that the robot is on, connected to the VWLH, and in the middle of a cleaning mission.
Series of Five (5) Blinks: If there is a series of five (5) blinks, this means that the VWLH is communicating with the robot using radio frequency (RF).
Slow Steady Blink: If the VWLH is blinking slowly and steadily, this means that the VWLH has a low battery. The battery should be changed as soon as possible.
How do I replace the Virtual Wall® Lighthouse™ battery?
Use the following procedure to replace the Virtual Wall® Lighthouse™ (VWLH) batteries.
The VWLH uses two C alkaline batteries.
1. Turn the VWLH on its back.
2. Turn the latch to the left to unlock the battery door.
3. Ensure the groove on the latch is aligned with the door.
If you need help setting the time on your VWLH, please visit this article.
Auto-On Virtual Wall® and Virtual Wall Halo (Legacy)
You never have to remember to turn it on or off! Auto Virtual Walls remain on for up to six months The Auto Virtual Wall uses an infrared beam, preset for 4-7ft, to block Roomba from doorways and other off-limit areas.
When an Auto Virtual Wall® is set to “auto” mode, the power indicator blinks continuously approximately every eight (8) seconds to indicate it is activated.
When battery levels are low, the Virtual Wall® continuously blinks twice to indicate that it needs new batteries. When in “auto” mode, the batteries should last for approximately six (6) months. To save your Virtual Wall®'s batteries, deactivate this mode by switching to “off.”
Virtual Wall Halo ®
The Virtual Wall® Halo is perfect for homes with pets. By setting up a protective zone around itself, the Halo prevents Roomba from bumping into and disturbing your pet's food and water bowls.
To set up the Halo, take the Virtual Wall out of the sleeve and install the batteries. Set the Virtual Wall to “Auto” mode and fully insert it into the sleeve. Make sure the Virtual Wall is inserted all the way into the sleeve. The circular lens should be completely visible at the top.
Place the Virtual Wall Halo on the floor, level with Roomba, and in close proximity to the bowls. If you have one bowl, put it beside the Halo, almost touching the wall. For two bowls, place one on either side.
Please note the following:
The Virtual Wall Halo will not work with metal bowls.
It will not work with bowls that are greater than 10 in (25cm) in diameter or taller than 3.5 in (8.9 cm).
As the Virtual Wall's battery levels get low, the field may not be strong enough to protect your bowl(s). If that happens, change the batteries.
It will shut off after 135 minutes. If the power indicator blinks green, it means you'll need new batteries soon. Requires 2 C batteries, not included.
Press and hold the iRobot logos on the bottom of the Virtual Wall.
Squeeze the sides of Virtual Wall and lift the Virtual Wall cover.
Install 2 C alkaline batteries.
Scooba® Virtual Wall® (Legacy)
Creates a beam of infrared light that Scooba® will not cross. It's perfect for blocking doorways, cords, and other areas that you want Scooba to avoid.
Compatible with Scooba 230, 385, and 390.
For help with your Braava jet 240 virtual wall, please see the related articles:
Let’s make sure the VW is turned on. Please remove and reinstall the batteries (with fresh ones if possible).
Verify the green light on the top of the Virtual Wall blinks briefly when powered on. This happens fast, so ensure the indicator is visible when inserting batteries. If the green indicator does not blink, the VW would need to be replaced.
2. Is the VW positioned correctly in a good location?
Place the Virtual Wall® outside the doorway you wish to block, with the arrow on top of the Virtual Wall® facing out.
Ensure there are no Home Bases, Lighthouses, or other Virtual Walls in the area that might interfere with the beam. Other devices that use IR technology, such as remote controls, may interfere with Virtual Wall® beams.
3. Test It
Roomba uses the same IR signal to dock. Send Roomba home and make sure it can dock on its own, without help. If the robot also cannot dock, something else might be wrong here. Contact iRobot Customer Care for additional support.
Then test the VW again. Place Roomba® on the floor near the VW and run the robot. If Roomba continues to ignore the VW, please contact iRobot Customer Care.
“up”
“down” position, the device creates a protective zone that Roomba® will not enter. This prevents Roomba® from bumping into items you want to protect (e.g. a dog bowl or vase) or crossing into undesired areas (e.g. a corner or under a desk). The Halo is invisible and reaches approximately 2ft (6m) from the center of the device.
