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TRAY Networking Requirements, Recommendations, and Specifications

TRAY is an enterprise-class cloud-based self-service kiosk and POS platform. Maintaining a strong internet connection is a crucial aspect to ensure uninterrupted service or having to operate in offline mode (limited functionality). The minimum recommended download speed to maintain performance is dedicated 5 Mbps download speed with 10 mbps download speed being optimal. The minimum recommended upload speed is 0.5mbps with 1+ mbps speed being optimal. When possible, devices should be hardwired directly to ethernet to ensure constant connectivity (Kitchen Printers require a hardline connection directly into the router or a switch).
Connecting via Wi-Fi is also an available option but is generally not recommended. If connecting via a Wi-Fi connection it is recommended to utilize a high-quality provider for routers and wireless access points (Meraki, Aruba, etc.). In addition, TRAY devices should maintain a clear line-of-site to internet broadcasting access points whenever possible, and Wi-Fi coverage should be tested to ensure adequate coverage of the areas where the devices will be utilized. Testing should include latency and packet loss, not just speed. TRAY also recommends to create and utilize a separate VLAN with a hidden SSID utilizing WPA2 security (or better) solely for the TRAY devices. This network should not be utilized for any guest or employee internet access and should only be available for the TRAY solution.

  • Best Practices Summary:
  • At least 5 Mbps internet download speed (dedicated for TRAY) with 10+ recommended depending on the number of devices (with 10 or more devices 10+ mbps is highly recommended). 0.5 to 1 mbps download speed per device is recommended.
  • At least 0.5 Mbps internet upload speed (dedicated for TRAY) with 1+ mbps recommended depending on the number of devices (with 10 or more devices 1+ mbps is highly recommended). 50 to 100 kbps upload speed per device is recommended
  • Hardwire devices to the internet (instead of Wi-Fi) when possible
  • Ensure no metal wall obstructions between WAP’s and devices
  • Create password-protected WLAN with hidden SSID
  • It is highly recommended for all sites to have a backup network (4g/5g or satellite internet) if the main network provider experiences an outage.
  • If the latency between the TRAY servers and the local network/device goes above 300 milliseconds some slowdown in responses is to be expected.
  • Do not allow any employees or guests access to the network your POS/Kiosk solution utilizes (and make sure the POS network has a minimum dedicated bandwidth).
  • This is often confused with a dedicated wireless SSID. The POS network should be on a dedicated IP subnet that is not used for any other traffic (IE employee or guest personal devices, IP cameras, or other business infrastructure). If supported by the router, a VLAN dedicated to the POS devices will also work. Please document such configurations in a network summary or map.
  • If a dedicated subnet is not feasible or practical, ensure that the network range is large enough to accommodate the expected number of clients. A private /12 or /16 is preferable to the default /24 networks that devices are factory configured to use.
  • If you use Wi-Fi (for tablet and smart printers) make sure the router is configured with fixed/static/reserved IP addresses for those devices
  • MAC or IP based QoS rules to prioritize the traffic of the POS system on the local network.
  • Diversified DNS servers. Most routers will by default assign primary and alternate DNS servers via dhcp from the ISP. In the event of a DNS outage or degradation with these servers, it is recommended to use one DNS server from two different entities. Examples include (as of AUG19):
  • Google
  • 8.8.8
  • 8.4.4
  • Cloudflare
  • 1.1.1
  • 0.0.1
  • OpenDNS
  • 67.222.222
  • 67.220.220
  • VeriSign
  • 6.64.6
  • 6.65.6

To best facilitate the implementation of these requirements, it is strongly recommended that the business or their networking solution provider create and maintain Physical and Logical network maps. This will streamline any future upgrades or troubleshooting. Key information to document includes:

  • Device Name
  • Device Type (Make and Model, serial number)
  • MAC address
  • IP address
  • Connection medium (eg: “cat5e ethernet, ~150 feet”, “802.11ac wifi, ~45 feet from AP-xyz123")

 

Offline mode Requirements

  • Router/APs must support local UDP multicast on the same channel across multiple access points. Multicast channel is 230.0.0.1 and the port is 6789.
  • Routers/APs must support local TCP connections between the devices. TCP server I.P will be the device’s I.P and the TCP port will be in the range of 5000-40000.