Every venue owner eventually asks the same question before signing with a POS: what happens if the internet goes down? It’s a fair question, and most software answers it with a vague promise. Here’s the straight answer for Asky.
The honest answer: Asky needs to be online
Asky is a cloud system, and it works online only. There is no “offline mode” that quietly stores orders on one tablet and hopes to reconcile them later.
That’s a deliberate trade. Because every screen reads from the same live system, the counter, the kitchen display, the bar, online orders and QR orders all see the same thing at the same moment. Menu changes, sold-out items and new orders appear everywhere at once, not after a sync.
Why “works offline” isn’t as safe as it sounds
Offline modes exist to survive an outage, but they bring their own problems while the connection is down:
- Screens drift apart. The kitchen doesn’t see what the counter just took, and online or QR orders don’t reach you at all.
- Cards and online payments are limited. Most payments need a connection to be approved, so “offline” often means cash only.
- Cleanup afterwards. When the connection returns, orders and payments have to be matched up, and duplicates or gaps are common.
An offline mode keeps one screen ringing up sales. It doesn’t keep the whole venue running.
The real fix: a second connection
Venue wifi fails for boring reasons: the router, the NBN, a cable someone kicked, the building’s network. It almost never fails at the same time as the mobile network.
So the strongest setup is simple: if the wifi goes down, connect the device to a 4G or 5G cellular connection instead. A phone hotspot is enough.
- Turn on the hotspot on a staff phone (or a spare data SIM or portable router).
- Connect the Asky tablet or POS to it, in place of the venue wifi.
- Carry on. Same orders, same kitchen screen, same payments.
A POS only sends small amounts of data, so a normal mobile plan handles a busy service without trouble.
Set it up before you need it
A fallback only works if it’s ready when the rush hits. Ten minutes on a quiet afternoon covers it:
- Pick the device. A spare phone or a portable 4G/5G router kept charged at the venue.
- Check the plan. Make sure it has data and that hotspot is allowed.
- Save the network. Connect each tablet to it once, so it’s remembered and switching takes seconds.
- Test it. Turn the venue wifi off during a quiet moment and take a test order end to end.
- Tell the team. Everyone should know where the hotspot lives and who switches it on.
What to look for in any POS
Whatever you choose, ask the vendor these before you sign:
- Does it work offline, and what exactly stops working when it does?
- Can card and online payments still be taken during an outage?
- How do orders reconcile afterwards?
- Can it run on a cellular connection, and does it need any special hardware to do that?
The short version
Asky is online only, and that keeps every screen in sync. The safety net is a second connection you control: when the wifi fails, switch to 4G or 5G and keep trading.