ALOHA POS credit card woes

[JAG1972]

What's up Guys? I am a consultant working with a client thats having trouble with high speed CC transactions. Although all of the PCs on the network have internet(DSL), the high speed credit cards randomly "fail to initialize" during the night. In an effort to remedy the problem I installed a PCI ethernet card and replaced the Cat-5 between the Netgear switch and the file server but no dice.
Sometimes restarting the file server will temporarily fix the problem, but it doesnt last long. Also occasionally the CC will go through on one terminal while simulataneously "failing to initialize" on another.
I called the local distributor/tech support (Texas Cash Register) and they said, "it's your internet connection", and suggested that I install a 56k modem as a backup, which I did. However, that still doesn't fix the problem.

Also, is there a default password for the EDC that will allow me to access the "modem" settings? I asked the aloha tech but he basically refused to give me the password to a system that i bought from them.

Can anyone help me?

 

[alohaakamai3]

It's not necessarily your Internet connection, but they are correct in asserting that a back a modem *should* correct the issue if it's properly configured.

Basically "failed to initialized" just means it can't process over the Internet and has tried to do so over modem, but it can't initialize. Typically it will do this if there is a modem configured or not, it's automatic, but obviously you'll get error if there's no modem there.

What kind of modem is it?

Also, I have seen a condition where network cards would more or less go to sleep after a period of inactivity. This was especially common on systems where we used two network cards to keep things more clear and logical- one for the Aloha network, one for the Internet. Two solutions were-A, put them all on one network card, that always took care of it, or B- turn off the power management on the network card properties so the OS couldn't put it to sleep. That worked *sometimes*.

Have you verified whether or not you have Internet when this happens (like have someone try to open a web brower and see what happens). That info would be kind helpful to know here.

 

[JAG1972]

Thanks for your response. Before this problem arose out of nowhere after nearly a year of being up and running, the fileserver was connected via the intergrated ethernet port and had no 56k backup. When the problem started I began by replacing cables and then I installed a PCI ethernet card thinking that the intergrated one had gone south. So that rules out any sleeping by network cards since I just installed it. Neither of these had any effect on the problem.
I just(last night) installed a Zoom 56k v92 serial modem which works properly. The high speed modem is a commercial model from ATT, run through a Netgear firewall into a Netgear switch, then on to the 3 terminals, the fileserver and an additional PC.Both of the PCs(fileserver and additional) have internet access and will approve a high speed CC transaction, but has been failing intermittently during business hours. Also, I disabled the intergrated ethernet port to eliminate any conflict.

BTW, this is Aloha 6.1 running WIN 2K on the file server.

Thanks for your help....

 

[alohaakamai3]

Well, the sleeping network card issue won't necessarily be circumvented by a new card- power management could still technically be the issue- BUT, if you're telling me the Internet connection and the Aloha network connection are one in the same (i.e. only one NIC in this box), then it is probably not the problem.

You've covered your bases fairly well, IMO. You've done all the quick and dirty "long shot" fixes... the ones where, in the back of your mind, you doubt will resolve the issue.. but they are the easiest to do or most within your control, so you give them a shot anyway.

I think this may just be an Internet connection issue- you didn't say whether or not you were able to verify if the Internet was working or not when it occurred (my guess is either you aren't there or they aren't calling you everytime it happens). But sometimes problems are as obvious as they seem- if everything else appears normal, there may have been some change on the providers end that's now just making it slow.

If it were me, I'd install logmein.com free version on their back office. The next time it doesn't work, they can do one of two things- they can call you to see if you can log in. Or tell them to see if the little logmein icon in the system tray has an X through it, indicating it's not connected. Odds are, if EDC doesn't have enough bandwidth, logmein will almost certainly be saying it's down. And you'll have confirmation that it may be time to switch Internet providers.

 

[radsgeek]

You say they are on 6.1 but you don't say what point release, which is the part after 6.1. Also what credit card processor? There are known issues with paytech and 6.1.13 and lower.

 

[SwampGas]

I should've read this post better. Any chance to trump Texas Cash, I'd drive over and fix the site for you personally.

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