Offline Mode keeps MyWatchtower usable at the gate when the server cannot be reached. Gate staff keep looking up properties and visitors from a downloaded copy of community data and keep recording entries, which are sent when the connection returns. This guide is for gate staff.
How offline mode starts and ends
MyWatchtower checks whether the server answers, not just whether the device has Wi-Fi. When the server has failed to answer twice in a row and your community has offline data downloaded, offline mode turns on by itself. When the server answers twice in a row, offline mode ends by itself and the screen refreshes. You do not have to press anything.
You can also turn it on by choice: open Network Status and switch on Work offline. Manual offline mode stays on until you turn it off, for up to 8 hours.
Where the controls are
- Desktop: the network-status button in the navigation rail footer reads Online or Offline Mode. It opens a small menu with your status, the time of your last sync, the Work offline switch and Manage Offline Data.
- Phone: the same control is under Offline Data in the account menu.
- Every page: while offline mode is on, a compact indicator at the top shows how old your data is (*Data from 5 minutes ago*), how many entries are queued, and a Manage button.
If you do not see these controls, your account does not have gate permissions.
Downloading data
Offline mode works only with data downloaded ahead of time. The first time you pick a community with no offline data, the app tells you it will download offline data on this device automatically. You can turn that off from the notice.
To download or refresh by hand: open Manage Offline Data, choose the entity types, and select Download (or Update). Turn on Enable Automatic Downloads and pick a Download Interval (every 15 minutes up to every 24 hours) to keep the copy fresh without thinking about it. The manager's Mode line names how offline mode came on: *Offline Mode (automatic)* or *Offline Mode (manual)*.
The download never includes gate credential numbers or QR code identifiers. Those values stay off the gate computer.
What works while offline
- Mission Control search for properties and visitors, from the downloaded data.
- Record Entry for a visitor in the downloaded data. The entry is saved on this device and sent later. The entry step shows a notice and the count of queued entries.
- The entries list, this property, and this page, as the indicator lists under Still available.
Pages with no offline copy — settings, groups, access levels, schedules, community PINs, reports and camera feeds — show Not available offline instead of empty lists. Create, edit, QR processing and license scanning are paused.
Queued entries
Entries recorded offline are sent in order as soon as the server answers again, and the entry log updates. If one is refused, it stays in Manage Offline Data marked failed with the server's reason; you can Retry, Send now, or Discard it with a note. An entry sent from the queue shows both times on its page: when the device recorded it and when the server received it.
Signing out with unsent entries asks you first: Stay signed in or Discard and sign out. If the server is reachable, the app sends the queue before signing you out.
When there is no offline data
If the server is unreachable and nothing is downloaded for this community, every page shows Server unreachable and says the device cannot work offline until a download completes. Try again checks the server at once. Download data while you are online so this does not happen at the gate.
Signing out clears the downloaded data. On a shared gate computer, each person needs their own download.
Need Help?
If the controls are missing or downloads keep failing, contact your community's management office, or submit a ticket to JEKA Support.