Answer: Start with the 60 second diagnosis, then work through portal, connection, pause, coin, voucher, speed and hardware checks in order. That order points to the fault before you change a setting or pay again.
When Piso WiFi stops working, the cause is usually in one of four places: your device, the portal, the machine, or the internet connection feeding the machine. Fixing the wrong place wastes time and money. This guide gives you a diagnostic order that finds the right place first, then the deeper checks for each problem type.
This is the full troubleshooting guide. The homepage gives only quick fixes and links here for the detail. The Login pillar gives the full customer login steps. The Pause Time pillar gives the full pause rules and pause fixes. The Vendo pillar gives machine part diagnosis. This page does not copy those tables word for word. It gives the diagnostic method that connects them, plus deeper checks for connection, speed, payment, and hardware problems that those pages only summarise.
Start Here: The 60 Second Diagnosis
Before you change any setting, answer these four questions in order. Your answers will point to the right section below.
Question 1: Are other customers affected?
If other customers on the same machine have the same problem, the cause is likely the machine, its internet source, or a setting in the admin panel. If only you are affected, the cause is likely your device, your session, or your payment.
Ask one other customer, or check with the operator, before you reset your phone or pay again. That one check saves most wasted payments.
Question 2: Does the portal open at all?
Open a browser and try http://10.0.0.1, or the gateway address from the Router or Gateway field on your device, as explained in the Login pillar. If the portal opens, your WiFi connection to the machine works, and the problem is in payment, session, pause, or internet browsing. If the portal does not open, the problem is in WiFi connection, captive portal detection, or machine power and network.
Question 3: Does the portal show a timer?
If the portal opens and shows a timer running, your session is active. If websites do not load while the timer runs, the problem is likely internet browsing, ISP, or speed, not login. If the portal opens but shows no timer and no payment button, your session may already be active on another device, or the payment mode you need may be disabled on that machine.
Question 4: Did you pay, and what does the portal show for that payment?
If you paid and the portal shows no time, stop paying again. Note the amount, the payment type, the time, and the portal message, and tell the operator. A second payment before the first is checked makes refunds and session checks harder. If you have not paid yet, do not pay until the portal opens cleanly and shows the correct rates.
Portal Problems: Portal Will Not Open, Keeps Reloading, or Shows a Search Page
Portal problems feel like internet problems, but they are usually device or local network problems. Work through these checks in order, and test after each one, rather than changing five settings at once.
Portal typed into the search box
Typing 10.0.0.1 into a search box runs a web search, which fails because you are not yet online. Type the address into the address bar at the top of the browser, with http:// in front of it. On a phone, the address bar is often hidden until you tap the top of the screen. Make sure you are typing into the browser address field, not into a search widget on the home screen.
Mobile data, VPN, and Private DNS blocking the portal
Turn off mobile data until the portal opens and the session starts. A phone on mobile data can skip the WiFi portal completely. Turn off any VPN, including a VPN that starts automatically, until login succeeds. A VPN can route traffic away from the local portal and hide it.
On Android, set Private DNS to Off or Automatic while you log in. A Private DNS hostname can block the local portal. On iPhone, turn off private relay and any VPN until login succeeds. After the session starts, you can turn a VPN back on for sensitive work, but check that the portal timer still works.
Https forcing and the “connection is not private” warning
The portal is a local page served over http, not https, in the usual case. A browser that forces https, or a security setting that blocks http pages, can stop the portal from loading. Open the portal in an incognito or private window with http://10.0.0.1, and do not enter banking details on the portal itself. If the portal loads in an incognito window but not in your normal window, the problem is cache, an extension, or a saved redirect in your normal window, not the machine.
Stale cache hiding the portal or the Pause button
A browser can show an old cached copy of the portal, with old rates, an old timer, or no Pause button, even after the operator has changed settings. Clear the cache for that page, or open the portal in an incognito window, to rule out a stale copy. Do this before you conclude that a feature is disabled. The Pause Time pillar explains the coin versus voucher toggle check that comes after the cache check.
Portal keeps reloading or redirecting in a loop
A redirect loop usually means a cached redirect, a browser extension, a VPN intercepting the portal, or a machine portal that needs a restart. Test in an incognito window with VPN off, on a second device if you can. If the loop happens on two devices with clean browsers, tell the operator, because the machine portal may need a restart from the admin panel. Customers should not restart a machine themselves unless the operator asks them to, because a restart can clear local sessions.
Wrong gateway address
Most machines use 10.0.0.1, but some use a different gateway address set by the operator. Find the correct address from the Router field on iPhone, the Gateway field on Android, or the Default Gateway field on a laptop, as explained in the Login pillar. If you type the wrong gateway, you will get nothing, or you will open a different local device. Do not guess gateway addresses. Use the field on your device.
10.0.0.1 versus 10.0.0.1/admin confusion
The plain address is the customer portal. The address with “/admin” is the admin panel for owners. If you open the admin address by mistake, you will see a username and password page, not a payment page. Go back to the plain address. If you are an owner and you open the plain address by mistake, add “/admin” while connected to the machine network. Full admin steps are in the Admin Login guide, not repeated here.
Connection Problems: Connected, No Internet, Obtaining IP Address, and Drops
Connection problems happen after WiFi joins, but before browsing works, or during a session when browsing stops.
“Connected, no internet” before login
This message is normal before login on a captive portal network. It means the phone is connected to WiFi but is waiting for portal login before it allows full internet access. Open the portal, pay, and check the timer. If the message remains after payment and the timer is running, the problem is likely ISP, machine, or speed, not login. Check whether other customers are affected, then tell the operator.
“Obtaining IP address” that never finishes
“Obtaining IP address” means your device is asking the machine for a network address, but the machine is not giving one, or is giving one slowly. Try these steps in order: forget the network and rejoin it, turn WiFi off and on, restart your phone if the problem persists, and test a second device. Two operator reported causes are worth naming separately. First, DHCP lease exhaustion at peak times: if short leases run out while many users are connected, new users may be blocked even though the portal works for existing users, and only the operator can free leases or adjust the pool. Second, an IP conflict from a secondary router or extender sharing the gateway address: if another device on the network uses the same gateway address, the portal may load unreliably, and only the operator should change network addresses. If a second device also sticks on obtaining an IP address, the machine DHCP service, which assigns addresses, may need a restart from the admin panel. DHCP is the service that gives each device an address on the network. Customers should not restart the machine themselves unless the operator asks them to.
Connected, timer running, but no website loads
If the timer runs but no website loads, test in this order. First, open a second website, not only the first one you tried, because one site can be down. Second, check whether other customers can browse. Third, check whether the machine portal itself still loads. If the portal loads but websites do not, the internet source feeding the machine may be down, even though the machine itself is on. The owner check for this is in the ISP versus machine section below.
WiFi drops when the screen locks
A phone that turns WiFi off when the screen locks, or that switches back to mobile data, can lose the portal session. Keep WiFi on during a session, and check battery saver settings that turn WiFi off to save power. On Android, check WiFi sleep settings for that network. On iPhone, check that the phone has not switched to mobile data while locked. Reopening the portal on WiFi is the correct first step after a drop. Pause rules after a drop are in the Pause Time pillar, including auto pause on some Ruijie and SmartFi builds.
Private address change breaking a session
A private WiFi address that changes between connections can make the machine treat the same phone as a new device. This affects resume after a pause more than first login, but it can also affect a session that drops and reconnects. Do not change the private address setting in the middle of a paid session and expect the old session to return. Set it before you pay if you are troubleshooting a machine that repeatedly fails to recognise your device. Full device settings are in the Login pillar and the Pause Time pillar.
Pause Problems: Diagnostic Version Only
Full pause rules, limits, and fixes are in the Pause Time pillar. This section gives only the diagnostic questions that tell you which pause problem you have, so you do not waste time on portal fixes when the cause is a pause limit.
No Pause button at all
Check in order: stale cache or incognito test, payment mode (coin versus voucher toggle), pause limit already reached, and session already expired. If all four check out and there is still no button, the owner has disabled pause, or the platform build does not support it. A customer cannot enable it.
Pause confirmed, but time still gone
Check in order: did you resume on the original device, did the pause limit or auto expiry pass, was there a power cut or reboot, and did the private address change. If the limit passed or the machine rebooted and cleared local sessions, the time may not be recoverable. Tell the operator with the amount, the pause time, and the device used, before you pay again.
Pause works for coins but not for vouchers, or the reverse
This is usually a separate toggle in the admin panel for each payment mode. It is an owner fix only. The owner must enable pause for the affected mode and test it as a customer. Do not keep paying in the affected mode and hoping the button appears.
Coin and Payment Problems
Coin problems are part hardware, part portal, and part session. Work through them without inserting more coins after a failure.
Coin slot jam
Turn the machine off if the supplier guide says to do so for clearing a jam, clear the jam carefully, check for bent or foreign coins, and retest with clean coins. Do not force coins into a jammed slot. If jams keep happening, the coin path or calibration needs attention from the operator, not more coins from customers.
Coin inserted but no credit
Stop inserting coins at once. Check the portal timer first. If the timer shows the payment, the problem was a delayed portal update, not a lost coin. If the timer shows no payment, note the amount and time, take a screenshot of the portal, and tell the operator. Possible causes include a coin slot calibration drift, a coin path fault, a portal session that was replaced by a new session, or a wiring fault on some DIY builds, where a common ground issue can cause ghost credits or missed credits, as reported in operator troubleshooting notes. That wiring check is an owner and builder check, not a customer fix. Do not open a machine yourself unless you own it or the operator asks you to.
Coin accepted for the wrong amount
If a 5 peso coin credits as 1 peso, or a 10 peso coin credits as 5 pesos, the coin slot calibration is wrong for that denomination, or the coin is worn and reads as a different coin. Tell the operator with the denomination, the amount credited, and the time. Calibration with clean coins of each denomination is the owner fix, as explained in the Vendo pillar.
E-wallet payment succeeds but portal shows no time
Take screenshots of the e-wallet receipt and the portal timer at once. Tell the operator with both screenshots, the amount, and the time. Do not pay a second time until the operator has checked the session list. A second payment can create a second session and hide the first payment, which makes the refund harder to sort out.
Payment button missing on the portal
If the portal opens but shows no payment button, check whether a session is already active, whether the machine is coin only or voucher only, and whether the portal page is a stale cached copy. Try an incognito window. If the button is still missing and no session is active, tell the operator, because a platform setting or a portal fault may be hiding the payment option.
Voucher Problems
Voucher problems are usually typing, expiry, or mode problems, not portal problems. Full voucher rules, including WiPass types, transfer, and expiry, are in the Voucher guide. This section gives the diagnostic checks only.
Voucher code rejected
Check each character carefully: the letter O versus the number 0, the letter I versus the number 1, and extra spaces at the start or end of the code. Check whether the code has already been used, whether it has expired, and whether the machine accepts vouchers at all. Some machines are coin only, and a voucher field will not appear on them. If the code is correct and still rejected, tell the operator with the code and any receipt, and do not try the same code repeatedly on a second device, because repeated failed attempts can lock a code on some systems.
Voucher redeemed but no time, or time shorter than expected
Check the portal timer and the voucher terms. Some vouchers give time, some give data, and some give a combination. A voucher that gives data will not show the same timer as a voucher that gives time. Check whether the timer started on redemption or on purchase, and whether a previous session was still active when you redeemed the code. A new redemption can replace an old session on some systems. Tell the operator with the code, the redemption time, and the timer shown, before you redeem a second code.
Settings not saving after a voucher or rate change
For owners, settings that do not save after a change often point to storage or permission problems, including a failing microSD card on small board machines, as reported in operator troubleshooting notes. Back up settings before you change them again, check the card and the backup feature for your platform, and do not keep changing rates until the save problem is fixed, because each failed save can leave the machine in a mixed state.
Slow Speed Problems
Slow speed is the hardest problem to diagnose, because it can come from the ISP, the machine, the access point, the number of users, or your device. Test in order, from the outside in.
Step 1: Check whether slow speed affects everyone
If every customer is slow, the cause is likely ISP speed, machine bandwidth settings, or access point overload. If only you are slow, the cause is likely your device, your signal strength, or your session bandwidth limit.
Step 2: Check signal strength at your spot
Move closer to the machine or access point and test again. If speed improves sharply when you move closer, the problem is signal and placement, not ISP speed. Check the access point placement guidance in the Vendo pillar. Walls, metal roofs, and distance all reduce speed, even when the WiFi icon shows a connection.
Step 3: Check the number of users and the bandwidth limiter
Most platforms set a bandwidth limit per user, so one user does not take the whole connection. That limit is set by the owner in the admin panel. If your speed is capped at the same level every time, even when the machine is quiet, you may be hitting the per user limit, not an ISP fault. Ask the operator what the per user limit is, rather than assuming the ISP is slow.
Step 4: Check the internet source directly
For owners, connect a laptop directly to the internet source that feeds the machine, bypassing the vendo portal, and run a speed test there. If the direct test is also slow, the problem is upstream with the ISP or the modem, not with the vendo machine. If the direct test is fast but customers are slow, the problem is in the machine, the access point, or the bandwidth settings. Do not change ISP plans until you have done this direct test, because a faster plan will not fix a machine bottleneck.
Step 5: Check 2.4 GHz versus 5 GHz, and device limits
Many vendo access points use 2.4 GHz, which reaches farther but is slower and more crowded than 5 GHz. A phone on a crowded 2.4 GHz channel in a market or terminal will be slower than the same phone on a clear channel. Check whether your device is on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, and whether other devices on the same network are streaming video, which will share the available speed. For owners, a separate access point for a busy area, or a channel change in the access point settings, can help more than a new coin slot.
Machine and Hardware Problems: Owner Checks
Customers should not open a machine they do not own. Owners and builders can use these checks, in order, before a factory reset.
Machine has no power or keeps rebooting
Check the power supply rating for the full combo, including access point, coin slot, and any charging ports. An underpowered supply for a combo unit can cause random reboots. Check ventilation and heat, especially in a sealed box in direct sun. For outdoor boxes, operator reports also mention fans and heat sinks as a builder or owner check, and a grounded coin selector wiring check from the supplier diagram, because heat and a loose ground can cause freezes and missing or ghost credits on some builds. Customers should not open a machine to do these checks. Check the microSD card and backup, because a failing card can cause reboots and settings loss. Check for loose power connectors after any move or repair.
Machine portal loads but customers cannot browse
Check the internet source directly, as in the speed section. Check the router and access point status in the admin panel. Check whether the machine IP lease, DNS settings, or ISP router admin access settings were changed recently. PisoFi lists those network settings in its official features, and a wrong DNS or static IP setting can break browsing while the portal still loads. Restore the last known working network settings from backup before you change more settings.
Settings change but do not take effect
Save, then check whether a reboot is prompted by the platform. Some platforms apply changes immediately, others prompt for a reboot. If a change still does not take effect after a save and, where prompted, a reboot, check the storage and backup issue above, and check whether you changed the setting for the correct mode, such as coin mode versus voucher mode, or WiFi versus desktop mode on a computer shop setup.
When to restart, and when not to reset
A restart from the admin panel is a reasonable step after a portal loop, a DHCP fault, or a stuck session list, and after you have noted rates and settings. A factory reset is a last resort, because it can wipe rates, WiFi name, passwords, vouchers, and sales history. Back up settings first if the panel still allows it, note the licence key and version, and only reset if the supplier guide for your platform says to do so for the fault you have. After a reset, test as a customer with a small payment before you open to customers again.
ISP Versus Machine: The Decisive Test
Use this test whenever you are unsure whether to blame the ISP or the machine. It takes five minutes and prevents most wrong purchases.
- Connect a laptop directly to the internet source that feeds the machine, bypassing the vendo portal, and open a normal website.
- If the direct connection fails, the problem is upstream: ISP outage, modem fault, cable fault, or SIM modem drop. Contact the ISP or check the modem, not the vendo box.
- If the direct connection works, reconnect the machine, open the portal, pay with a small amount as a test customer, and check the timer and browsing.
- If the portal fails but the direct connection works, the problem is in the machine, the access point, or the portal settings.
- If the portal works but browsing is slow, check signal, user count, and bandwidth limits, as in the speed section, before you upgrade the ISP plan.
What to Tell the Operator: A Checklist That Gets a Faster Fix
When you report a problem, give the operator these details in one message, if you can. It helps the operator check the session list without asking you the same questions again.
- Machine location and, if shown, machine name or WiFi name.
- Device type, such as Android phone, iPhone, or laptop, and whether other customers are affected.
- What you did, in order: joined WiFi, opened portal, paid by coin, voucher, or e-wallet, and what the portal showed.
- Amount paid, payment type, and time of payment, with screenshots of the portal timer and, for e-wallet payments, the receipt.
- Whether you paused, switched devices, changed a private address setting, or had a power cut during the session.
- What you already tried, such as incognito window, VPN off, Private DNS off, or forget and rejoin network.
Do not send the operator your banking password, your social media password, or an admin password. A real operator does not need those to check a session.
Frequently Asked Questions About Piso WiFi Troubleshooting
Why does my Piso WiFi portal keep reloading?
A reload loop is usually a stale cache, a browser extension, a VPN intercepting the portal, or a machine portal that needs a restart. Try an incognito window with VPN off, on a second device if you can. If the loop happens on two clean devices, tell the operator, because the machine portal may need a restart from the admin panel.
Why is my phone stuck on “Obtaining IP address” on Piso WiFi?
Your device is asking the machine for a network address, but the machine is not giving one quickly, or at all. Forget the network and rejoin it, turn WiFi off and on, and test a second device. If a second device also sticks, the machine DHCP service may need a restart from the admin panel.
Why is Piso WiFi slow at night but fast in the morning?
Night time slowness usually means more users sharing the same internet connection, or a lower ISP speed at peak time. Check whether other customers are slow at the same time, check your signal strength at your spot, and check the per user bandwidth limit with the operator. A direct speed test on the internet source, as described above, will tell you whether the ISP or the machine is the bottleneck.
Why does Piso WiFi work for other customers but not for me?
If others work and you do not, the cause is likely your device, your session, or your payment. Check that you joined the exact network name, that mobile data and VPN are off, that Private DNS is Off or Automatic, and that you opened the gateway address from the Router or Gateway field. Check whether you have an active session on another device, or a paused session that expired.
Why did my coin not give me time, even though the machine took it?
Possible causes include a calibration drift, a portal session that was replaced by a new session, a coin path fault, or a wiring fault on some DIY builds. Stop inserting coins, note the amount and time, take a screenshot of the portal, and tell the operator. Do not keep paying in the hope that the next coin will fix the first one.
Should I restart the Piso WiFi machine when it stops working?
As a customer, no, unless the operator asks you to. A restart can clear local sessions and paused time. As an owner, a restart from the admin panel is reasonable after a portal loop, a DHCP fault, or a stuck session list, and after you have noted rates and settings. A factory reset is a last resort, with a backup first.
Why does my session disappear after a power cut?
On a purely local system, a reboot can clear sessions stored in memory. On a cloud connected system, the session record may survive, but you still need to reconnect and resume on the same device. Reconnect, open the portal on the original device, and check the session list. If the time is gone, tell the operator with the amount and pause time, before you pay again.
How do I know whether the problem is my phone or the machine?
Test a second device on the same machine, and test your phone on a different WiFi network. If a second device works on the same machine, the problem is likely your device or session. If your phone works elsewhere but not on that machine, and other customers also fail on that machine, the problem is likely the machine or its internet source. That two device test is the fastest way to narrow the cause.
What to Read Next
If you need to log in, go to the Login pillar. If you have a paid session and need to pause it, go to the Pause Time pillar. If you want machine types and parts, go to the Vendo pillar. If you want to compare platforms, go to the Platforms Compared guide. If you are an owner who needs to change settings, go to the Admin Login guide. If you paid by voucher, go to the Voucher guide. If you want rates and pricing strategy, go to the Rates guide. Each page covers its own topic in full, so this page gives the diagnostic method and the deeper connection, speed, and payment checks, rather than repeating their full steps.