The Online Database inside Apollo is a community library hosted on GitHub (apollo-saves) that the app fetches over the network. When it shows nothing, spins forever, or reports a connection failure, the problem sits in one of four places.
1. The Console’s Connection
- Confirm the console can reach the internet at all (browser or another homebrew with network features).
- Consoles behind restrictive DNS filters or captive portals fail silently. If your network blocks GitHub domains, Apollo can’t fetch the index — try a different network or DNS.
- Ad-hoc / offline jailbreak setups with no LAN connection obviously can’t reach the database.
2. An Old Apollo Build
The database is served from current GitHub infrastructure, and network libraries in old Apollo builds age badly (the 2.x line re-compiled its communication stack with updated cURL/HTTPS support). Update to the current build from the download page and retry — this alone resolves most persistent failures.
3. Point Apollo at a Different Source
- Custom Online DB URL: Apollo’s Settings allow a user-defined Online Database URL — you can point it at a mirror you control.
- FTP source: current builds let you select an FTP server instead of the Online Database for save downloads, and for cloud-style backups of your own library.
- PS2 build: has no network features at all — it loads an offline database from
cdfs:/ormass:/. Nothing is broken if “online” options are absent there.
4. It Loads, But Your Game Isn’t There
That’s content, not connection. The library is community-built and, by the project’s own admission, still limited. Browse the full catalogue and learn how to contribute in our Online Database library tour, and remember every downloaded save must be re-signed — Online Database guide covers the full flow.
Related Guides
Download Apollo · Online Database guide · Library tour · All troubleshooting