Connecting Square Terminal to Ethernet via USB-c Adapter?

[UniHouse]

Hi there! I'm running a few bar services away from our usual venue, so I'll be using our 3 Square terminals. The WiFi at these venues is very unreliable, so I'm looking for a wired solution. 

I have purchased USB-C to Ethernet adapters; however, these do not seem to work with the Square terminals, even with trying to configure manually. I have tested on other devices and they connect just fine. 

Is this an issue others have run into, and is there a solution? 

Thanks! 🙂 

[Laurie_ · Accepted solution]

Hi @UniHouse!

Great question! While Square Terminal does not currently support Ethernet connections via USB-C adapters, you can connect it to a wired network using the Hub for Square Terminal, which includes an Ethernet port.

To set this up, simply select the Ethernet option and connect an ethernet cable to your Square Terminal:

1. Plug Hub for Square Terminal into the port on the side of Square Terminal.
2. Plug the power adapter into Hub for Square Terminal.
3. Plug one end of the power adapter cable into the adapter, and the other end of the power adapter cable into a power outlet.
4. Plug your ethernet cable into the hub.

If you’d prefer not to purchase the Hub, here are some alternative workarounds you can try instead:

1. Use a Portable Wi-Fi Router with Ethernet Backhaul

Instead of connecting Ethernet to the Terminal directly, connect your Ethernet cable to a portable travel router. Then connect the Square Terminal to the local Wi-Fi broadcast by that router. This gives you a stable network with your own hardware.

Setup:

- Plug router into the venue's Ethernet jack.
- Broadcast private Wi-Fi SSID.
- Connect Square Terminal to that Wi-Fi (which now has reliable Ethernet backhaul).

2. LTE Hotspot or Phone Tethering

Similar to the above, use an LTE hotspot or phone tethering + a travel router. Still better than relying on the venue’s open/public Wi-Fi.

I hope this helps! Let us know if anything else comes up.