You use a phone as a SimHub dashboard by opening a SimHub dash in the web browser of your phone. Your PC and your phone must be on the same home network. In SimHub you click "Open in phone or tablet", scan the QR code with your phone, pick a dash and switch to fullscreen. That is all you need: no extra app, no cables and no paid licence.
It is one of the cheapest upgrades in sim racing, because most people have an old phone in a drawer. Below you learn how to set it up, how to keep it stable and where to mount it so it actually helps you drive.
What do you need for a phone dash?
The shopping list is short, and you probably own all of it already.
You need a Windows PC with SimHub installed, a phone or tablet with a modern web browser and a WiFi network that both devices share. Android 5.0 or newer works well, and iPhones work too. The phone does not need to be fast. It only shows a web page that SimHub updates, so even an older model does the job.
The free version of SimHub is enough to start. It updates displays at up to 10 frames per second. That is fine for fuel, delta and lap times. A licence raises the rate to 60 frames per second, which makes RPM bars and shift lights look smooth.
How do you connect your phone to SimHub?
The setup takes about five minutes the first time.
Install SimHub the right way
Download SimHub from the official website and run the installer. Keep the default boxes ticked. One of them adds a Windows firewall rule, and that rule lets your phone talk to your PC. Then open the Games tab, select your sim and click "Fix automatically" if SimHub asks for it.
Open the dash on your phone
Go to Dash Studio in SimHub and click "Open in phone or tablet" at the top right. SimHub now shows a QR code and an IP address. Scan the code with the camera of your phone, or type the address into the browser. Choose a dashboard, tap fullscreen and you are ready. Start the game, sit in the car and refresh the page once if the numbers do not move yet.
SIMGASM | Accessory holder - Black
Bookmark it
Save the dash page as a bookmark or add it to your home screen. Next time you tap the icon and the dash opens straight away. Give your PC a fixed IP address in your router, so the link keeps working after a restart.
Which dash layout works on a small screen?
A phone screen is small, so every number on it needs to earn its place.
Pick a layout with big digits and few items. Gear, speed, delta and fuel are the classic four. Our SimHub dashboard templates guide explains the full "less is more" list and three proven layouts for sprint, endurance and learning. Turn the phone sideways, because most SimHub dashes are made for a landscape screen.
Dark backgrounds help too. A bright white dash at the edge of your view pulls your eyes away from the braking point. Lower the screen brightness of the phone and switch on dark mode where the dash offers it.
How do you keep the phone dash stable?
A dash that drops out in the middle of a race is worse than no dash at all.
Power and sleep
Plug the phone into a charger, because the screen stays on for the whole session. Switch off auto lock or set it to the maximum time. Mute notifications too, so a message does not cover your fuel number in the last lap.
WiFi or USB
WiFi works for most drivers. If your network is busy, place the router closer or use the 5 GHz band. Some drivers on the SimHub forum also connect Android phones through USB tethering for a more stable link. Keep the cable tidy, because a loose cable in the cockpit catches your knee or your wheel.
Johan Akkerman, founder and CEO of SIMGASM, started sim racing in 2008 with Gran Turismo and a PlayStation controller, and he once welded his own frame from used gas pipes. That practical start explains the SIMGASM view on budget upgrades: a cheap fix is great, as long as it is solid and lasts.
Where do you mount the phone?
The best spot is one you can read with a quick glance and without moving your head.
Many drivers place the phone just below the main screen, close to the wheel. Others put it on the wheel base or next to the wheel on a side bracket. Avoid spots where your hands pass during steering, and make sure the phone does not block your view of the apex. The rules for screen height are the same as for your main monitor, and our guide on monitor placement in sim racing explains them clearly.
A stiff base matters as well. On a flexing frame a phone dash shakes and becomes hard to read under braking. The SIMGASM Hobby cockpit uses a 40 x 40 mm aluminium main profile and a rated braking load of 150 kg at the pedal deck. Club moves up to a 40 x 80 mm profile and 200 kg. Both give a calm base for small screens and accessories. Compare all four tiers in the sim racing cockpit range.
SIMGASM | Club Aluminum Sim Racing Cockpit - Black
Frequently asked questions
Here are quick answers to the questions drivers ask most about phone dashes.
Do I need an app for a SimHub phone dash?
No. The dash runs in the normal web browser of your phone. You only need SimHub on your PC and a shared network.
Does a phone dash work with an iPhone?
Yes. SimHub dashes work in the browser on iPhone and on Android phones and tablets.
Why does my phone not connect to SimHub?
Most often the phone sits on a guest network or the Windows firewall blocks SimHub. Put both devices on the same network and allow SimHub in the firewall. Our checklist on why a SimHub dashboard shows no data covers every other cause.
Can I use two phones at once?
Yes. Open the same address on a second device and pick another dash, for example one for fuel and one for tyres.
Want to learn more? The SIMGASM experts are happy to help.
