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For your Payments processing terminal to work properly and to remain PCI-compliant you need to make sure your network hardware and service provide sufficient bandwidth and features. This article will show you what you need for reliable card-processing terminal performance.

Wireless Network Recommendations

Our terminals have certain Wi-Fi requirements in order to remain secure and PCI-compliant. You can check the network requirements below:

1. Your Wi-Fi network must use WPA-Personal or WPA2-Personal encryption and be password protected. Wi-Fi is not supported for non-password-protected or enterprise networks.

2. Choose the correct Wi-Fi frequency (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

   1. A 2.4 GHz connection travels farther but at lower speeds, while 5 GHz frequencies provide faster speeds over a shorter range. Your choice of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz will depend on how you use your Wi-Fi connection the most.

   2. A lot of electronic devices and appliances use the 2.4 GHz frequency, including microwaves, baby monitors, security cameras, and garage door openers. If there are many of these devices in or around your business that 2.4 GHz band is likely to be congested. As a result, this can negatively impact your signal quality and the Wi-Fi connectivity.

   3. Within the 5GHz bandwidth, most routers have different channels you can select for your network. This gives you flexibility to avoid channels your neighbors might already be using. For example, if you try channel 36 at 5GHz and find a neighbor is interfering with your signal, you might switch to channel 149, find it completely clear, and use it without any interruptions. The 2.4GHz frequency has very few channels, and all are commonly used as described above, so it is likely you will experience interference in a populated area.

3. The computer running the point of sale (POS) and the terminal need to be connected to the same network.

There are environmental factors that can impact your Wi-Fi performance:

• Microwaves

• Wireless Security Cameras

• Concrete Walls

• Distance from the Wireless Router or the Nearest Access Point

If the Wi-Fi connection is spotty or having issues, check if your router or terminal can be moved. If moving the router or terminal helps maintain a steady connection then, if possible, it may be worth relocating one or both of them permanently.

Related Topics

P5 Card Reader

P5: Connecting to Ethernet

Basic Hardware Troubleshooting for Card Readers

Store Network Diagram

Troubleshooting Network Problems

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I have a question, but I can't find my answer here, how do I get more assistance?

A: If you need immediate assistance, the team is available 24/7. Feel free to contact our support team at: 877-752-0625. Or you can email us at support@marktpos.com and we will respond within 24-hours.