VPN question Micros 3700 POS

[rhesm]

We have a small issue with our POS in that we have to move one of our terminals to an island. It has it's own internet and has no direct connection to the other side of the property. I have set up a VPN and can ping back and forth. Also, I have updated the MDSHosts file to reflect the new IP address of the isolated terminal. But, alas, no joy. Am I missing something? The isolated terminal keeps getting hung up and cannot find the database. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[rhesm]

Actually, I found the answer and I am all set. The mdshosts.xml file has a typo. oops.

 

[FreeSoldier]

Hi rhesm,

I am curious to know how you setup your vpn connection.
A year ago I had asked Micros to see if such a setup was possible with RES 3700 and they told me no. We wanted to setup an outdoor Micros WS5A. We are currently running RES 3700 V 5.1
Did you use a site to site vpn tunnel ? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Moregelen]

As long as its a permanent VPN connection shouldn't have any problems. The big issue is with some of the broadcasting the Micros does.. its like bonjour, and doesn't transmit over a VPN very well. HOWEVER, once you get that first CAL completed it should run just fine. You may have to do what the poster before you did and manually copy over the MDSHost file (though you don't have to manually edit it.. just delete the old one, reload the server, and it will create a new one).

 

[rhesm]

WE used a site to site VPN tunnel (Netgear FVS318G). I changed the IP address of the "island" terminal to match that of the new subnet and then changed the host file on both the server and terminal. After that, everything worked fine. Tickets print to the kitchen terminal back where the server is and it runs pretty smoothly.

I have not tried moving the kitchen printer to the "Island", but I would imagine it may be difficult to do, as the printers are tied to the server location in our setup.

 

[FreeSoldier]

Moregelen & rhesm,
Thanks for the info.
The way Micros like to configure their server is to have 2 network cards. One that connect to the internet and another one that connect to the micros stations/printer/etc and nothing else. (usually they set it up to 192.168.100.xxx).
Did you combine both network on the same card (i.e. internet and micros are on the same network card ?)
Did you change the ip address of the remote station in the Network node in pos configurator as well ?

I would like to test the following setup:
Sonicwall TZ 105 with a USB modem 3g/4g/lte for the remote station/site that has a site to site vpn connection to the micros internet network.

Thanks again

 

[rhesm]

The second network card slot on our server is busted, so we just threw the entire server behind a router. We will eventually go back to the 2 card system when we think about it and actually get it done. So really, the entire Micros network is on its own 192.168.XXX... subnet. Also, we did change the network node in the POS configurator as well. The change of the node in the configurator will not do too much until you change the hosts files.

 

[Moregelen]

Our standard operating is that we put it all on one card. The entire micros network is segmented behind a dedicated firewall appliance. Second NIC is just hardware redundancy for us at that point, though we've done some NIC teaming with our server 2012 installs.

 

[diaczykmd]

Openvpn-als thing called Ditto. The thing to remember is two factor authentication. Works well for windows and 32bit versions of Linux.

 

[Moregelen]

Do you have a sonicwall at both ends? Setting up a site to site VPN with a sonicwall to sonicwall connection is relatively easy. Their SSLVPN is also easy to setup, though establishing a permanent site to site strikes me as more reliable. You can also establish a site to site with a non sonicwall but its never painless, or so it has seemed to me.

 

[FreeSoldier]

So here is my setup:

Micros network 192.168.100.x Gateway 192.168.100.10
Remote network 192.168.200.x Gateway 192.168.200.1

I got site to site vpn tunnel with sonicwall tz 105 on one end and tz 200 on the other. I can ping all nodes from either sites.

When I run Cal on the remote network, nothing pops up. If I manually enter the Micros server IP site (192.168.100.250) then once you save it, the Cal will automatically copy all the micros files.
I then copied MDSHost file to the remote station etc directory. I can run Manager Procedure on the remote site but I can not get RES to run. I don't think it see the license.

I suspect I missing a step somewhere. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Moregelen]

In POS Configurator you have the IP address for the workstation entered correctly?

In C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts The ip address for the workstation is accurate?

In \micros\common\etc\MDSHosts.xml the ip address for the workstation is accurate?

 

[FreeSoldier]

Yes, remote IP Station is 192.168.200.111. it was enter in the POS configurator and I recreated the MDSHost file on the server with a reload the database. And then copied it manually into the remote station.

Does the remote station and micros network need to be on the same lan (i.e 192.168.100.xxx) r can each one reside on a different lan ? currently setup is 192.168.100.xxx for Micros and 192.168.200.xxx for remote location.

And is the Cal supposed to pick the server info ?

Thanks again.

 

[Moregelen]

You can have them on separate subsets, but CAL wont auto find the information if you do that. It's using a UDP broadcast from what I can remember which won't transmit across different subsets. It will work fine on different subsets; that's how we always setup our tablet wifi.

When you manually typed in the workstation information, what did you input for Computer Name and the package to install? If the workstation's computer name doesn't match what's in pos Configurator it ops won't start.

 

[FreeSoldier]

Computer Name was not changed.
Currently is showing up as WindowCE. This could be indeed the problem. I will change the name on Monday and report back.

So if I change my remote site network to 192.168.100.xxx (like Micros) and create a proper vpn tunnel, will Cal see the server then ?

Thanks for all the help.
Best

 

[Moregelen]

If the sonicwall will let you set them up on the same subnet, yes it should. Don't remeber what the site to site vpn rules for sonicwall are.

 

[Moregelen]

And yes if the workstation is still called WindowsCE that's your problem; easy fix.

 

[FreeSoldier]

Moregelan,

It was indeed an easy fix. Corrected the station name and POS ran without a problem.
This VPN connection is great solution to have.

Many thanks for all guidance.

 

[FreeSoldier]

Moregelan,

I have tried to use the setup in a "real environment" and I can NOT have the remote site print anything on the Micros Network side on any of the IDN printers. It can only print on the printers that is physically connected to it via IDN or on an Ethernet printers (and we only have one). With the IDN printers that that are on the Micros Network, I get the following error:
" XXX Printer Check XXXX, YYYY Network Communications Failure Sending to Backup Printer" and when you try to send to the backup printer you get the same error message.

Also if an order is put on the Micros side and requires a printout on the remote site nothing print out and no error message on this one.

Can IDN printer work with the VPN setup ? or are all the printers suppose to be Ethernet Printers to work in this VPN environment?

Thanks in advance.
Best

 

[FreeSoldier]

Update:

I figured out how to get the remote station to print to the micros network IDN printers. The Ethernet printer was working as the Micros Server had the gateway already added to the NIC.
All NIC on workstation need to have the gateway added (as micros CAL leaves it blank). It my case I added 192.168.100.10.

Also the remote order devices was not enable on the local user workstation. My bad . Once enabled, orders are now printing on the remote site.

Printing both direction working now.

Cheers