Resolving Network Issues With POS and EFTPOS

Background

A Baskin Robbins outlet in Mount Druitt, located inside the Westfield shopping centre, faced persistent network issues for over six months. The shop’s operations were severely impacted, with its point-of-sale (POS) system and EFTPOS machines frequently dropping connection, disrupting sales and causing significant frustration. Despite numerous attempts to fix the issue, including interventions from six NBN technicians and six Telstra technicians, the problem remained unresolved.

Problem Description

The store’s setup involved a Telstra router, an NBN connection, and various network devices connected via Ethernet cables. The main issue was a frequent disconnection between the POS system and the EFTPOS machine. Despite the internet connection itself appearing stable, the POS system and EFTPOS machine were unable to communicate reliably, leading to transaction failures.

The owner of the store, who manages several other outlets, had attempted multiple fixes over the months:

• The Telstra router was replaced once.
• The EFTPOS machine was replaced twice.
• A separate device called “Senor” was replaced.

However, none of these measures resolved the ongoing connectivity issues.

Initial Diagnostics and Findings

Upon arrival, a thorough diagnostic was conducted to identify the root cause of the problem:

1. Internet Connection Check: The NBN connection was tested using a DSL tester, which showed that the internet was stable, with no dropouts and a low noise margin.
2. Ethernet Cables: All Ethernet cables connecting various devices were tested and found to be functioning perfectly, eliminating them as the source of the issue.
3. Router Analysis: The Telstra router was found to be switching between its 4G SIM card and the NBN connection, suggesting it was struggling to maintain a stable Ethernet connection.

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Switch to Wi-Fi: As a temporary measure, the Ethernet cable was disconnected, and a Wi-Fi dongle was installed to allow the POS system to connect wirelessly to the router. This change immediately improved connectivity, confirming that the issue was likely related to the router’s Ethernet ports rather than the internet connection itself.
2. Verification: Further testing showed that all devices worked well when connected via Wi-Fi, but the Ethernet connections remained unreliable. This pinpointed the problem to the Telstra router’s Ethernet ports, which were likely faulty.
3. Replacement of the Router: Since previous router replacements had not fully addressed the issue, the owner decided to source a new Telstra router from a nearby Telstra Business Centre. The new router was pre-configured, allowing for quick installation upon arrival.

Resolution

The new router was installed and all devices were reconnected via Ethernet. Once the new router was operational, the POS system and EFTPOS machine immediately began communicating correctly, resolving the longstanding issue.

Outcome

With the new router in place:

• The POS system was able to process transactions without any disconnections.
• The EFTPOS machine reliably communicated with the POS system.
• Additional devices, such as security cameras, also regained stable network connectivity.

This fix ended six months of operational disruptions, greatly improving the store’s functionality and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

This case highlights the importance of thorough diagnostics when dealing with complex network issues. Despite multiple attempts by various contractors to resolve the problem, the core issue was a faulty Telstra router that failed to provide stable Ethernet connections. By systematically testing each component and verifying network paths, the root cause was identified and effectively resolved with a new router, restoring full functionality to the store’s network-dependent systems.

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