The fix-order that solves most cases
- Check your internet is up
Try loading a page on a phone using the same WiFi. If nothing else can get online either, the problem is your broadband, not the machine — restart your router first.
- Move closer to the router
Card machines lose WiFi at range and through thick walls. Bring the terminal near the router and see if it reconnects; if it does, the issue is signal, not the device.
- Switch to mobile (4G) data
Dojo machines can fall back to a mobile connection. If WiFi is flaky, switching to 4G keeps you taking payments while you sort the WiFi out.
- Restart the terminal
A full power-off and back on clears the majority of temporary glitches — the payments-world "turn it off and on again", and it genuinely works.
- Restart the router
Power your router down for 30 seconds and back up. If several devices had dropped off, this usually brings the whole network — and the machine — back.
- Check for a wider outage or account hold
If none of the above works, it may be a network outage or an account-side issue. That's the point to contact Dojo support, or have your consultant check it for you.
Stopping it happening again
Repeat connection drops usually trace back to one of a few things: the machine sitting too far from the router, an overloaded or ageing router, or a WiFi network that struggles at busy times. If it keeps happening, it's worth reviewing your setup — sometimes the fix is as simple as relocating the router or leaning on the mobile connection as the default in a spot with weak WiFi.
When to get help
If you've worked through the steps and the machine still won't connect — or it keeps dropping mid-service — you shouldn't be losing sales to it. As independent consultants we help clients get connection problems diagnosed and resolved fast, and make sure the underlying setup is right so it doesn't recur. Get help with a Dojo machine →
FAQs
Why won't my Dojo card machine connect?
Almost always WiFi or mobile signal. Check other devices can reach your WiFi, move the machine closer to the router or switch it to 4G, then restart the terminal and router in that order.
Does a Dojo card machine work without WiFi?
Dojo machines can use a mobile (4G) connection as well as WiFi, so if your WiFi drops you can switch to mobile data and keep taking payments.
What should I do if restarting doesn't fix it?
If the machine still won't connect after restarting both it and your router, it may be a network outage or an account-side issue — contact Dojo support, or have your consultant check it for you.