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This guide walks you through how to set up your internet so your Dripos system runs fast and never drops connections. If your internet is not set up correctly, your registers can slow down, printers might stop working, and lines will back up.

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Requirements

All Dripos Devices Must Be on the Same Network All Dripos hardware, which includes your tablets, card readers, and printers, must be connected to the exact same Wi-Fi network. Dripos devices need to talk directly to each other. If your tablet connects to your customer guest Wi-Fi by accident while your printer is on the main network, they will not be able to communicate.
Required Internet Speeds Your internet plan must meet specific speed requirements to handle continuous card processing and printer communication without lagging. When you run a speed test on your network, pay attention to both the download and upload numbers.
  • Absolute Minimums: You must have at least 50 Mbps download speed and 15 Mbps upload speed to run Dripos. Anything lower than this will cause transaction delays and system lag.
  • Recommended Speeds: For the most reliable performance, we recommend having a stronger plan that provides 100 to 300 Mbps download speed and 20 to 25 Mbps upload speed.
You can check your current network performance by searching for a free internet speed test online while connected to your shop Wi-Fi, here: https://www.speedtest.net/
Use a Dedicated Network for Dripos Only The Wi-Fi network you use for your register system is ideally kept completely separate from everything else. Do not let customers, personal phones, laptops, or streaming TVs connect to the Dripos network. If too many outside devices are on the same network, it may overload the system and can cause your checkout process to slow down.
Ensure Your Network is on a 2.4 GHz Network Band Dripos hardware runs best when it is on a dedicated 2.4 GHz network band. Most new routers have a setting called Automatic Band Steering (sometimes called “Smart Connect”). This setting combines two different internet speeds, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, into one single Wi-Fi network. The router then forces your devices to switch back and forth between those speeds automatically. This constant switching can cause card readers and tablets to momentarily disconnect throughout the day.
  • What to do: Log into your router settings, turn off Automatic Band Steering, and create two separate Wi-Fi networks. For example, name one “Dripos 2.4” for your registers and name the other, 5GHz band, “Shop Staff” or “Guest Wi-Fi” for everything else.
  • Avoid standard provider routers: The standard routers given to you by companies like Spectrum sometimes do not let you turn off this automatic band steering feature. If you run into this, we recommend buying your own separate router instead of using the stock one from your internet provider.

Keep the Router Close to Your Registers Wi-Fi signals have a hard time passing through solid objects. In a coffee shop, things like thick countertops, moving crowds, and metal refrigerator or freezer doors will block your signal and can drop your connection.
  • Where to put it: Put your main router as close to your main register station as possible. It is best if you can see the router from the register.
  • Where NOT to put it: Never put your router in a basement, up in the ceiling, or hidden in a back closet.
  • Using Access Points: If your shop is large and uses multiple Wireless Access Points (WAPs) to spread the Wi-Fi signal, make sure at least one of those access point boxes is mounted next to your main register station.

Plug Your Printers Directly Into the Router Plugging equipment in with a physical ethernet cable is always more reliable than using Wi-Fi.
  • Best Method: Use an Ethernet internet cable to plug all receipt and ticket printers directly into your router or an internet switch.
  • Backup Method: If your layout makes it impossible to run a wire, you can plug the printer’s cable into a Wi-Fi extender box placed near the printer. This is not nearly as stable as plugging directly into the router, so only do this if you have no other choice.

Forget all Other Networks In all of your Dripos hardware, to ensure they never have difficulty communicating with one another, you should ensure they only “know” the dedicated Dripos network. By going into your Wi-Fi settings on tablets and card readers, and forgetting all other known networks, you can ensure they’ll never switch off of the dedicated Dripos network.
Use Static IPs Normally, routers automatically change the internal ID number (called an IP address) of your devices every few days. If the router changes a printer’s ID number while you are open, your tablets might lose track of it. You can change your router settings to give your Dripos tablets and printers “Static IPs,” which means their ID numbers will never change. This keeps your connections perfectly stable.

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How to Log Into Your Router Settings

To turn off band steering or change network names, you need to log into your router’s control panel.
  1. Connect a computer or phone to your hardware’s Wi-Fi network.
  2. Open an internet browser and type the router’s IP address into the address bar where you normally type website names. The most common addresses are 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1. You can find the exact number printed on a sticker on the bottom of your physical router.
  3. Enter the username and password. If you have never changed this, the factory default is usually admin for the username and admin for the password.
Some newer routers require you to use a mobile app on your phone to change these settings instead of a web browser.

Recommended Routers You should choose a router based on the total square footage of your shop to make sure the signal reaches everywhere.
TP-Link Archer Series: https://www.tp-link.com/us/home-networking/wifi-router/archer-be3500/You do not absolutely have to buy these specific models for Dripos to work, but we have tested them thoroughly. They are reasonably priced, handle heavy coffee shop traffic well, and make it easy to separate your network.

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Troubleshooting and FAQ

My Dripos devices are not talking to each other. What should I check first? Check the Wi-Fi settings on every single tablet, card reader, and printer. Make sure they are all connected to the exact same Wi-Fi network name. It is very common for a tablet to accidentally jump over to your public guest network or a different band, which cuts off its connection to the printers. My card readers stop working when we hand them out the drive-thru window. Thick exterior building walls and the specialized glass used in drive-thru windows heavily block Wi-Fi signals. If you hand a wireless card reader completely outside the window, it will lose its connection to the router inside.
  • The Fix: Keep the card reader inside the window frame. Have the customer reach toward the window to swipe, insert their card, or tap their phone. This completely eliminates the dropped connections.
What should I do if the system suddenly slows down or disconnects? Always check your internet equipment first. Make sure your router hasn’t accidentally reset itself to default settings, ensure customers aren’t using your private Wi-Fi network, and double-check that all physical internet wires are plugged in tightly. Where can I get help setting this up? If you get stuck or need help figuring out the best setup for your specific shop layout, reach out to your assigned Implementation Specialist or contact the Dripos Support Team directly.