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Network Issues

DOSGamePlayer needs the internet only for specific tasks. Most playing is offline.

What needs internet​

TaskInternet needed?
Browse Discover / Explore / Search (first sync)Yes
Browse after first syncNo (data is cached)
Refresh content (pull-to-refresh)Yes
Download a ROMYes
Add a ROM from deviceNo
Play a downloaded gameNo
Save / load stateNo
Cloud backup / restore (premium)Yes

What works offline (airplane mode)​

You can play, save, and load any game whose ROM is already downloaded without any connection. Useful on flights or when commuting underground.

Cached metadata also lets you browse your existing library offline — only refreshing the catalog and downloading new ROMs need the network.

"Download failed" — what to try​

  1. Check the indicator — top-right of any screen shows whether you have Wi-Fi / cellular / nothing.
  2. Toggle airplane mode off → on → off. This forces the network stack to reattach.
  3. Switch network — try Wi-Fi if you were on cellular, or vice versa.
  4. Restart the app — kill from recents and reopen.
  5. Restart router / modem if Wi-Fi seems stuck.
  6. Check storage space — a download can fail not because of network but because the device is full. See Performance for storage notes.

"Use cellular data to download?" keeps appearing​

By design — the app asks every time on cellular to prevent surprise data usage. To suppress the prompt:

  1. Settings → General → Use mobile data for downloads → On.

The app will now download immediately on cellular without asking.

ROM download stalls partway​

Most likely a flaky connection. The Android download manager will retry automatically. If it gives up:

  1. Pull-to-refresh on the Game Detail page.
  2. Tap Download again — partial downloads are resumed where possible.

Cloud backup keeps failing​

Cloud backup requires an active ad-removal subscription and a stable internet connection. Common causes of failure:

  • Subscription has expired — check Settings → Backup & Restore
  • Network is unstable — switch between Wi-Fi and cellular and retry
  • Transient server issue — wait a few minutes and try again

See Cloud Backup for details.

"No internet connection" but I'm connected​

Android sometimes reports network as connected without actual internet (captive portal, ISP outage). The app uses NET_CAPABILITY_VALIDATED so it knows the difference, but if you see this:

  1. Open a regular browser and load any site. Failing? Your network has no internet.
  2. If the browser works but the app doesn't, restart the app from recents.

Slow downloads​

Speeds depend on:

  • Your Wi-Fi / cellular bandwidth
  • The CDN serving the ROM (some ROMs are hosted on slower hosts)
  • Time of day (peak hours can be slower)

For large ROMs (PSP, NDS), be patient — a 500 MB file at 5 MB/s is over a minute and a half.