Can I connect Label Printer ethernet cord to port hub if my Square Register is hardwired through hub

[Sjb2]

My label printer connection to the Ethernet is unstable. If I hardwire my register to the Ethernet using the port hub, the connection remains steady. Shouldn’t I be able to connect the label printer, which is Ethernet only, to the hub using an Ethernet/usb cord?

It is not working, but since the hub connects all things to the register, it seems like it should.

thank you!

[Sam_400º]

Hey @Sjb2 - while it sounds like it should work (same cable right!), unfortunately it’s not how the machines talk to each other. 

When each device connects to your network it’s assigned an IP address by the router and the systems use these addresses to talk to each other. Without the router in the middle the devices don’t know where they, or anything else it - so the cable doesn’t make any connection if it comes out of your printer and directly into your register hub. 

Depending on your printer you may also have a USB port on there (or be able to cheaply swap the connection to a USB one) - if you share your printer model it can be checked really easily. 

It sounds like the connection to your register isn’t the most stable, so first up you could check that it’s all up to date software wise. Is there any way to leave it hard wired, or does that not suit your operation? You could also see if you could move your router closer to where you have your register or use some sort of booster to improve the connection (that would be last resort - as adding extra jumps on the network always seems like asking for trouble!). 

[Sjb2]

Hey @Sam_400º 

@Thank you for your response. That answers one question. My goal is setting up an Ethernet label printer. I have several square systems, so I know what I’m doing. I have a usb receipt printer that is good to go. The label printer (out of the box new) is for in-house orders (coffee). I have both the register and the printer connected to the router - separate cables, separate ports. Register is good. Printer is set up in hardware settings. Print test works. I test run an order, and print job fails. (Switch out cable, same thing. Switch out printer, same thing.) Register goes to sleep, and it disconnects the printer altogether and can’t find it when I try to reconnect. 
The red and green lights by the Ethernet port are on when it is plugged in. I have switched cables (new and old), I have switched paper rolls, the cover is closed. I am at a loss. When I print the printer info, it has no ip address.

I’ll give anything a try, but I’m out of ideas. I was hoping the hub would work since the register isn’t having issues…

thanks!

[Candlestore]

@Sjb2 ;

When you have the Label Printer setup do you have it set to print Orders and not receipts?  There should be a setting when assigning the printer what type of Printer it is being used for Orders, Orders for fulfillment, Instore Orders, Receipts, etc.  Just checking to see if you have the Label printer setup as a printer to print your correct type of Order.  Also for you printer settings, you may want to assign a Static IP address in your Router for the Printers you use.  My square system was working fine, I installed some IP cameras and they all worked fine.  Lost power and when everything came back up I was having issues with my Printer.  Here it was sending out to have a Static IP Address but came up after one of the Cameras which were given the same address Dynamically.  I then went through all my devices and set Static address and everything that stays connected (Square, Printers, Cameras etc). Cell phones and other wireless devices get dynamically still.  I basically have static address under x.x.x.100 or over x.x.x.200 and then the Dynamic ones for x.x.x.101 - x.x.x.199.  This way my router will not accidently assign a Dynamic address for a turned off Static item.   Once I did this I have not had any issues even when the power flashes, which is when I would have the issues.