Troubleshooting: Terminal Connection Issues

A disconnected Poynt terminal means you cannot process card payments. This guide helps you diagnose and resolve the most common terminal connection problems quickly so you can get back to ringing up sales.

Terminal Offline / Not Responding

If the terminal shows as "Offline" in GymPoint or does not respond when you send a payment:

Step 1: Check the Terminal Screen

Look at the terminal itself:

• Screen is off — The terminal may have powered down. Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds. If it does not respond, check the power cable.
• Screen shows an error — Note the error message. Common errors include "No Network Connection" or "Service Unavailable."
• Screen shows the normal home screen — The terminal may be online from its own perspective but disconnected from GymPoint. Continue to the next steps.

Step 2: Verify Power

• Ensure the charging cable is firmly connected to both the terminal and the power adapter.
• Try a different outlet.
• If the terminal was running on battery and died, plug it in and wait 2-3 minutes for it to boot up.

Step 3: Check Terminal Internet Access

On the terminal:

1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi on the terminal.
2. Confirm it is connected to your gym's Wi-Fi network.
3. If connected, check the signal strength indicator. A weak signal can cause intermittent disconnections.

Wi-Fi Connectivity Checks

Wi-Fi problems are the most common cause of terminal issues.

Terminal Cannot Find Your Network

• Confirm your Wi-Fi router is powered on and broadcasting.
• Move the terminal closer to the router or access point.
• If your network is hidden (SSID not broadcast), you must manually enter the network name on the terminal under Settings > Wi-Fi > Add Network.

Terminal Connects but Shows "No Internet"

• Restart your Wi-Fi router (unplug for 30 seconds, then plug back in).
• Check if other devices on the same network have internet access. If not, the problem is your internet connection, not the terminal.
• If your network uses a captive portal (a login page for Wi-Fi access), the terminal cannot use it. Switch to a network without a portal.

Frequent Disconnections

• Check for Wi-Fi interference. Microwaves, Bluetooth devices, and neighboring networks on the same channel can cause drops.
• If possible, assign the terminal a static IP address or a DHCP reservation on your router to prevent IP conflicts.
• Consider placing a Wi-Fi extender or access point near the front desk if signal strength is weak.

Firewall Considerations

If your gym's network has a firewall, ensure these are not blocked:

• Outbound HTTPS traffic on port 443.
• Outbound traffic on port 8443 (used by Poynt services).
• The domains *.poynt.net and *.poynt.com.

Restarting the Terminal

A restart resolves many transient issues:

1. Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds until the shutdown menu appears.
2. Select Restart.
3. Wait for the terminal to fully reboot (1-2 minutes).
4. After reboot, check the Wi-Fi connection and try sending a payment from GymPoint.

If the terminal is frozen and does not respond to the power button:

1. Hold the power button for 10 seconds to force a hard reset.
2. The terminal will power off.
3. Wait 10 seconds, then press the power button to turn it back on.

Re-Registering the Terminal in GymPoint

If the terminal is online but GymPoint still shows it as disconnected, re-registering can fix the link:

1. In GymPoint, go to Settings > Billing > Payment Processor.
2. Find the terminal and click the three-dot menu.
3. Select Remove Terminal. Confirm the removal.
4. Click + Add Terminal and re-register using auto-discovery or manual registration (enter the serial number from the terminal's Settings > About screen).
5. Give the terminal the same friendly name and click Save.
6. Test by sending a small payment from the register.

Re-registering does not affect any transaction history or terminal configuration on the Poynt side.

Common Error Messages

Error	Meaning	Fix
"Terminal Offline"	GymPoint cannot reach the terminal	Check Wi-Fi and restart terminal
"Payment Timeout"	The terminal did not respond in time	Restart terminal, check network speed
"Terminal Busy"	Another transaction is in progress	Wait for the current transaction to finish or cancel it on the terminal
"Connection Refused"	The terminal is rejecting the connection	Re-register the terminal in GymPoint
"Service Unavailable"	Poynt's cloud service is temporarily down	Wait and retry; check status.poynt.com

Contacting Poynt Support

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, it may be a hardware or account-level problem that requires Poynt's support team:

• Poynt Support Portal: support.poynt.com
• Phone: Available through the Poynt HQ dashboard under Help > Contact Support.
• Information to have ready:
  • Terminal serial number (found on the back of the device or under Settings > About)
  • Your Poynt merchant ID (found in your Poynt HQ dashboard)
  • A description of the issue and what troubleshooting steps you have already tried
  • Screenshots of any error messages

You can also reach out to GymPoint support, and we will coordinate with Poynt on your behalf if needed.