Dial-up backup solution

L

LoStMaTt

2[H]4U
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Feb 26, 2003
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I run IT for a restaurant chain. Credit cards run over high speed internet. Internet goes down, credit cards can't go through.

Most POS software/credit card processing offer dial back up modems and a phone number for authorizations -- ours does not...ffffuuuuuuu

It seems like the only/best option is to look for a way to implement a backup internet solution, possibly dial-up and or cellular internet.

It would be nice if when high speed goes down, the switch to the backup solution occurs without any user interaction from management at the store.

Any suggestions?
 
A router that supports 3G for backup? Check out Mikrotik or maybe Sonicwall. Fortinet may be able to do this as well.
 
Probably cheaper to get service from alternate ISP- If you have DSL, get Cable and use pfSense to fail-over. You also might want to check specs on your WAN, evening busy time for restaurants also falls into high-use time for internet.
You can also look into one of the manual impressment machines, then punch the info in and force the transaction when the terminal comes back online. I'd even research if your Merchant Service provides a smart phone app for transactions, or square. Talk to your Merchant Service- they'll probably have the best solution.
 
Well, this is what I do for a living for a large company that supply's internet connections to different business. :)
We offer 2 different types of backup. Both DBU, and wireless. We're using Adtran/Cisco/Fortinet/Netopia. But, to be fair, the Netopia's are EOL.
If you want wireless then either the Cisco, or the Fortinet would probably work best for you. The Cisco you can use a 3G WIC, and the Fortinet you can have a wireless USB dongle plugged in.
How it basically works is that it'll ping an IP address via the WAN connection. When it can't do that, then it'll fall over to backup. It'll keep trying to ping out via the WAN, and when it can again it'll go back over to the primary connection again.
All of that is done in the router. Ideally the sites won't even notice anything other then the cards might take a little bit longer to go through. Now keep in mind that the sites we support connect to our servers, and then to the card company's. Either through IPSec, or MPLS.

If you have any other questions, hit me up.
 
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