|
I recently purchased a new register system for my business and among the items purchased was a StarTSP100 receipt printer. I did not realize until now that I bought the wrong model - the model I have only has ethernet ports to connect to the register console, but the register console requires a USB cable. I am past the period of time to return the product and I really don't want to spend another $200 on the correct printer. I was looking up possible cables to make the situation manageable and I found a USB to ethernet cable on Amazon for $10, but I cannot tell if this cable is meant to route internet access through a USB port or if I can use it simply to transmit data from the printer to the register and vice versa. Could someone please shed some light on this? Can I get away with a $10 fix or do I have to buy a new printer?
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2015 00:00
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 27, 2024 04:41 |
|
|
Can the register print to an internet printer? My family's now closed restaurant had POS systems that could print to network printers whether they were receipt or standard one. This was through the pos software mind you. Usually, they need to be given a static IP address on on the network. That way if the network changes, you won't have to reconfigure everything. In fact I think you just go into windows, add the printer. You'll still need the ip address for it though to add it. Unless you are using some special software that will only print to an attached printer. SlayVus fucked around with this message at 03:43 on Jan 12, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2015 03:39
|
|
|
Well, the problem is that my business is located inside of a hospital and I can't hard wire any type of internet for legal reasons (HIPPA violations and other nonsense). So, all of my card transactions are sent over wifi or cellular. Basically, the printer, cash drawer, and register need to be connect via USB. Also, I am using Square as my POS.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2015 05:23
|
|
|
I can't tell you if a USB to Ethernet would work, sorry. You might could try it. Walmart carries them and you get 15 days to return it for a full refund if it doesn't work. Also, how do you get your internet if you can't hardwire? SlayVus fucked around with this message at 06:20 on Jan 12, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2015 06:18
|
|
|
A USB-Ethernet adapter will work IF the "register console" is running something like Windows or Mac OS X where you can install the drivers for this adapter and configure the printer manually. Both the printer and your USB-Ethernet interface will need unique static IPs within the same scheme (192.168.10.10 for the printer and 10.20 for the computer, perhaps) and you would then proceed to install like any other network printer. If this "register console" is something other than a PC then you may be outta luck. If it is a PC..does it not already have an ethernet port? It would be no different than using a USB-Ethernet in this instance. A network printer is a network printer.
|
|
#
?
Jan 12, 2015 07:28
|
|
|
Col. Justice posted:Well, the problem is that my business is located inside of a hospital and I can't hard wire any type of internet for legal reasons (HIPPA violations and other nonsense). So, all of my card transactions are sent over wifi or cellular. Basically, the printer, cash drawer, and register need to be connect via USB. Also, I am using Square as my POS. It sure sounds a lot easier to sell your unnecessary printer on ebay or Amazon marketplace and just buy the correct printer.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2015 03:18
|
|
|
Col. Justice posted:Well, the problem is that my business is located inside of a hospital and I can't hard wire any type of internet for legal reasons (HIPPA violations and other nonsense). So, all of my card transactions are sent over wifi or cellular. Basically, the printer, cash drawer, and register need to be connect via USB. Also, I am using Square as my POS. Technically it isn't internet, you're just running a private network. So no hardwired internet... but it allows cell phones,  Your register needs to be running some sort of OS system for that to work in order to network the printer to it, even via USB. Because I'm pretty sure your printer is just some sort of network printer.
|
|
#
?
Jan 14, 2015 17:06
|
|
|
johnny sack posted:It sure sounds a lot easier to sell your unnecessary printer on ebay or Amazon marketplace and just buy the correct printer. It's definitely easier to sell the unnecessary printer for $40 and buy another one for $200, but if I can just buy an adapter I should probably do that. TLG James posted:Technically it isn't internet, you're just running a private network. Yea, their concept of how people steal information is ridiculous. How could I even grab sensitive client data through a receipt printer? The way its meant to work is you set the printer up via wired ethernet and then connect your ipad on the wifi version of the same network that the wired ethernet is on...and then your printer and POS can communicate. Anyway, I bought an ethernet/usb cord and I hope it works.
|
|
#
?
Jan 16, 2015 23:31
|
|
|
Col. Justice posted:It's definitely easier to sell the unnecessary printer for $40 and buy another one for $200, but if I can just buy an adapter I should probably do that. Post an update with whether it works or not. If it doesn't, and in the future, posting this same thread in this forum would probably be more fruitful: http://forums.somethingawful.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=170
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2015 02:49
|
|
|
It sounds like the PoS software just talks to printer drivers and lets it handle the rest, I've written programs that communicate with PX/PF/PM series Intermec thermal printers (you'll see them in most Australian airports, they're the ones under the counter that print the baggage tickets, though I use them for a different purpose) and over Ethernet or Serial you're just sending basic plain text strings containing X,Y co-ordinates (in terms of lines for X and characters for Y) to mark locations and then the print engine in the printer itself translates this to marks on the medium. I've never done it using USB drivers, but basically what I'm saying is the USB driver for the ethernet adapter isn't going to have any idea what to do with the information your sending it because it's expecting a completely different set of information designed for it, not plain text strings with X,Y co-ordinates and stuff. The printer might be able to do work via Telnet, but it would also require some janking around with the program to make it either do it directly over telnet, or output the string into a sperately opened telnet session. If it was me, I'd cut my losses and flog it off for $40 and buy another for $200. Rudager fucked around with this message at 05:45 on Jan 17, 2015 |
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2015 05:43
|
|
|
Just because it looks like Ethernet doesn't mean it is, I've seen some register systems use a custom cable that uses RJ50 connectors which have 10 wires unlike Ethernet's RJ45 which have 8. If you provide the model of the register system anyone with any internet skills will likely find the correct printer for you pretty quickly. The vendor you bought the register from would love to sell you the appropriate printer for that system as well. Oh and yeah without knowing that you can specifically do that, any kind of Ethernet-to-USB guesswork just isn't going to get you anywhere.
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2015 21:40
|
|
|
johnny sack posted:Post an update with whether it works or not. I will. And thank you - I didn't even know that forum existed! Brut posted:Just because it looks like Ethernet doesn't mean it is, I've seen some register systems use a custom cable that uses RJ50 connectors which have 10 wires unlike Ethernet's RJ45 which have 8. Its a TSP100 by StarMicronics - I bought it off Amazon when I first opened by business 2 years ago and I couldn't get it to work right away, so I just went without it since most people don't care if you have to email or text them a receipt. But now my place is growing and I can't half rear end it anymore. Also important - the TSP100 comes in two models: one with a USB port and one with an ethernet port. Why don't they just include both? I do not know and I obviously bought the wrong one. Rudager posted:
You're probably right and that's probably what I'll have to do, but now I must know if it will work or not!
|
|
#
?
Jan 17, 2015 23:15
|
|
|
Brut posted:Just because it looks like Ethernet doesn't mean it is, I've seen some register systems use a custom cable that uses RJ50 connectors which have 10 wires unlike Ethernet's RJ45 which have 8. Also this, barcode scanners do this poo poo alot.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2015 02:22
|
|
|
Col. Justice posted:I will. And thank you - I didn't even know that forum existed! All point-of-sale gear sucks terribly, is horribly overpriced, and is designed by morons. Much of it uses proprietary gear, custom firmware and software, and old-as-gently caress technology (a lot of systems still use serial ports). For such a reasonably large market, all the current offerings are absolutely terrible.
|
|
#
?
Jan 18, 2015 03:00
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 27, 2024 04:41 |
|
|
Hi everyone - the USB to Ethernet cable did NOT work. Very sad. I had to buy a new printer. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Mar 5, 2015 03:22
|
|