Quick answer: Keep trading on Nomni POS. Taking orders and cash payments still work, and orders upload once the internet is back. Don't reset, unplug or restart your router unless Nomni support or your internet provider asks you to.
If your venue's internet or Wi-Fi drops during service, keep trading on Nomni POS. Here's what still works, what to check and how to stop it happening again.
Important: don't reset your router, and don't unplug or restart it, unless Nomni support or your internet provider asks you to. Restarting can give your devices new addresses, and then the KDS, scale, scanner or Pay@Table may stop finding the POS.
1. Keep serving: what still works
When the internet is down but your router and Wi-Fi are still on:
Taking orders works. Orders are saved on the iPad as unsynced orders, and they upload once the internet is back.
Master, Slave iPads, printers and the KDS keep talking to each other over your local network, as long as the router is powered on and every device stays on the same Wi-Fi.
Logging in works on an iPad that has logged in before. You'll see "You are currently offline". A brand-new iPad can't log in for the first time until the internet is back.
Cash payments work.
These need the internet and will pause:
Card payments on internet-connected (cloud) terminals. The POS may show "No Internet" or "Internet Offline". See EFTPOS terminal not connecting or card payment failing. In short: Look at the terminal and its receipt first. Check whether the customer's payment was approved or declined. If the terminal shows approved but the POS is still waiting, tap Force Complete on the POS and confirm. This records the sale without charging the card again. Then follow th.
Online ordering, Nomni Ordering, QR and table ordering, and delivery apps. These orders won't reach the POS until the internet is back.
Reports in Nomni Console. They won't match until every unsynced order has uploaded.
Menu and setting changes made in Nomni Console. They reach the POS after the next sync.
Check the card terminal is set up on this iPad
Follow these steps:
On Nomni POS, open Settings > Payment.
Tap your terminal provider (for example Tyro, Windcave, Adyen or Linkly). Check it's turned on and paired with this terminal.
Open Settings > Sync and tap SYNC PAYMENT INFO.
Try a small test card payment. It should appear on the terminal.
If the router itself is off or the Wi-Fi is gone: the iPads can't reach each other. Take orders on the Master iPad and take cash until the network is back.
2. Don't lose orders
When the internet is back, sync your unsynced orders straight away. See How do I sync Unsynced Orders?. In short: Check the iPad is connected to the internet. Tap the unsynced orders button in the top bar. It shows how many orders are waiting.
Don't delete the Nomni POS app, log out, or reset the iPad while you have unsynced orders.
Keep the Nomni POS app open on the Master iPad.
Sync unsynced orders
Follow these steps:
Check the iPad is connected to the internet.
Tap the unsynced orders button in the top bar. It shows how many orders are waiting.
Wait for the count to go down to 0. Leave the app open.
If the count doesn't change, go to Order History and tap the sync button. This also sends orders older than 3 months, which the automatic sync skips.
Full guide: How do I sync Unsynced Orders?.
3. Find out what's down
Is it only the POS? Open a website on another device on the same Wi-Fi. If nothing loads, the internet is down. Contact your internet provider.
Check the router lights. On a Nomni-supplied router, a flashing light usually means it is still trying to connect to the internet. A solid light means it is connected. Check the cable from your internet provider's modem to the router is firmly plugged in.
Internet works on other devices but the POS shows no Wi-Fi or "Wrong WiFi". The iPad is probably on a different network, such as the guest Wi-Fi. Go to iPad Settings > Wi-Fi and join the POS network. See Why does my iPad say "Wrong WiFi"?. In short: Tap the "Wrong WiFi" alert. This will take you to your iPad's internet connection settings, where you can select the appropriate network.
Check the iPad settings for the POS network. In Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the i next to the POS network and turn off Private Wi-Fi Address and Limit IP Address Tracking. In Settings > Nomni POS, turn on Local Network.
4. When the internet comes back
Sync unsynced orders on every iPad. See How do I sync Unsynced Orders?.
Check each Slave iPad shows as connected to the Master. If not, see Slave iPad not connecting to the Master. In short: Keep Nomni POS open and awake on the Master (set Auto-Lock to Never on every iPad) and check every iPad is on the same POS Wi-Fi network. Then work through the checks below in order, and don't unplug or reset your router unless Nomni Support asks you to.
Run a test card payment. If the terminal won't connect, see EFTPOS terminal not connecting or card payment failing.
If the KDS, scale or barcode scanner stopped working after the outage, the Master iPad has probably been given a new address. See CAS scale not connecting to Nomni POS or Barcode scanner not connecting, or contact support to set a fixed address. In short: In Nomni POS, go to Settings > External Devices > CAS Scale, check Enable Scale is on and the port is filled in, then tap Restart Scale Server. The scale usually stops connecting when the iPad's IP address changes, for example after a power cut or router restart. In short: Wake it up. The scanner sleeps after a while. Press the scan button, and it should reconnect within about 30 seconds and beep once. Set Auto-Lock to Never on the iPad (Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock).
5. Stop it happening again: recommended setup
Share this section with your IT provider or internet provider.
Use a dedicated POS network. Put the Master and Slave iPads, printers, KDS, EFTPOS terminals, scales and scanners on one private network. Don't use the guest or customer Wi-Fi.
Keep every POS device on the same network. Remove other saved Wi-Fi networks from the iPads and terminals so they don't switch networks during service.
Give the Master iPad and connected devices fixed IP addresses (static IPs or DHCP reservations on the router). Without them, a power cut or router restart can change the Master's address and disconnect the KDS, scales, scanners and Pay@Table. If you use a Nomni-supplied router, contact support and we can set this up for you.
Allow local traffic between devices on the POS network, including port 8080 for Master and Slave. Turn off "client isolation" or "AP isolation" on the POS network.
Consider a 4G/5G backup internet connection (failover) so card payments and online orders keep working if your main internet goes down. If you have one, test it now and then by unplugging the main internet cable outside of service.
Keep the iPads updated to the latest Nomni POS version, with Auto-Lock set to Never on the Master.
Still not working?
Contact Nomni support with:
Your store name or Store ID
Which devices are affected (Master, Slave, KDS, terminal, scale, scanner)
Whether other devices on the Wi-Fi have internet
Whether the router is supplied by Nomni or your own
A photo of the router lights and a screenshot of any error
You can also email support@nomni.ai or call 1300 445 483.