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Technical troubleshooting

This article will help you resolve common technical issues with Sparx Reader and ensure your devices are properly configured.

Updated over a week ago

Device compatibility

Sparx Reader works on most devices that connect to the internet, including laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Sparx Reader is accessed through a web browser rather than an app. Our supported browsers are:

  • Google Chrome (preferred)

  • Mozilla Firefox

  • Safari

  • Microsoft Edge

As these browsers are generally not available on Kindles, it is not possible to use Reader on these devices.

Diagnosing connectivity issues

If students try to log into Sparx and there are network connectivity issues then you may find the following happens:

  • The page may not load at all

  • It may hang indefinitely and show a spinner

  • It may show a screen that mentions connection issues.

Please work through these steps to identify the cause of the issue:

1. Check internet access

Check you can access other websites to ensure that this is not a general Wi-Fi or internet connection issue within school.

2. Use our compatibility checker

Run the Sparx Compatibility Checker on the device experiencing the issue to identify if anything is blocking Sparx from running correctly. Some domains may need to be whitelisted in the school's firewall - your IT team will be able to help with this.

3. Check for incompatible device or browser

  • Try logging in on a different device on the same network

  • Try using a different browser

  • Try accessing reader from an incognito browser window

4. Diagnosing network issues

  • To establish whether some network configuration is blocking requests, we recommend connecting a device to a different network, e.g. a mobile network or home network.

  • If this works, then it suggests that some network configuration is blocking the requests.

  • If this doesn’t work, then it may be that the device is incompatible (see above) or some security software (e.g. anti-virus) is blocking the requests.

  • Try disabling part or all of your firewall and other security software to determine what is blocking the requests.

  • Some firewalls include logging which shows all requests that have been blocked. It might be useful to check those logs for requests to Sparx domains.

  • If you can’t resolve any issues with your firewall or software then you should ask for support from your provider. They will be much more familiar with the specifics of your setup than our support team.

5. Contact us

If you have worked your way through the steps shown here and have still been unable to log in successfully, please contact us through your Sparx site.

Any screenshots or a description of what happened when you tried the suggestions above would be gratefully received and will help us find a solution more quickly.

My school is changing MIS providers - what do I need to do?

If your school changes MIS providers, follow these steps:

  1. Notify Wonde by emailing [email protected] about your planned migration

  2. Wonde will ensure your new MIS is connected correctly, and let Sparx know once it is complete

  3. Sparx will:

    • Temporarily pause your nightly sync

    • Check the new data to ensure student records and classes match

    • Perform a manual sync once everything looks correct

    • Turn the nightly auto sync back on

Important notes:

  • You may need to wait a few days after migration for everything to return to normal

  • New students or class changes made in your MIS during this time might not be reflected immediately in Sparx Reader

  • The migration process is handled carefully to ensure no data is lost.

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