Square Terminal and Xfinity Mobile hotspot

[obelix74]

Hi

I do art shows and often end up with crowded situations where my phone hotspot does not work. I understood about offline mode but I had a lot of trouble getting my square chip reader working with my phone (the phone app said reader needs internet access to connect).  A support expert asked me to buy a Square Terminal.

I bought the Square Terminal. Offline mode works well.  I am a Xfinity customer and I see that Xfinity has mobile hotspots everywhere. I can connect my mobile phone and computer to Xfinity mobile wifi. My terminal connects to Xfinity mobile Wifi, but I don't get connected to the Internet. It seems like Terminal will not work with Wifi that has a confirmation page of some kind after connecting.

Is there a workaround for this? Is there a way to fix this for the Terminal?

[TheRealChipA]

Hey @obelix74.  This is no fun.  You’ve run into a captive portal, which I detest with every fiber of my being.  But, unfortunately, they still exist.  As far as I know, Terminal does not have a work-around for this.  Honestly, I’m surprised that I haven’t seen this issue pop up here in the Community before your post.  I’m going to tag a few moderators to check in with the engineers and see if there is a secret workaround. @_Violet @Katie_SQ @JJ_ 

While you are waiting, let’s circle back to your chip reader issue.  One thing that I’ve done in situations where my phone data was being quirky was to completely turn off cellular data access for the Square POS app.  Then, when I opened the app, it immediately forced it into offline mode and everything worked fine.  Have you tried that?  On an iPhone, it is as simple as going to your Settings > Square POS and toggling off “Cellular data.”  I’m not sure how to do that on Android, but I know the same functionality exists.

[obelix74 · Accepted solution]

Hi Chip,

I put my iPhone in airplane mode. Even then when square connects to the reader, the reader says it needs internet connection. Now, if the reader is already connected and hasn’t been disconnected, then switching to airplane mode works. Some times. Other times, reader won’t come online. 

anyway, I have a workaround. I have a google pixel 7 sitting around. Pixel phones can be used as WiFi repeaters. I connect the pixel to Xfinity mobile (using the Xfinity app, which configures the phone) and share hotspot from the phone. Unlike iPhones, android can share / repeat WiFi connections. Then the terminal connects to the pixel. 

quite a shame. 

[TheRealChipA]

I think you’ve found an interesting “bug” in the Square POS software there.  Specifically that if you don’t have an internet connection to begin with, then getting into offline mode seems to be impossible — as opposed to having had a connection then losing it, which DOES work.  That’s a new one to me, and hopefully the engineers can look into that, as well.  Thanks for the follow up!  I’m glad you have a workaround, however clunky!

[obelix74]

Exactly. BTW, I tried your solution to turn off cellular data. It works ONLY after initial connection was made with the reader. If I turn off cellular data and then try to launch it, it does not work.

I talked to a Square technician who said that with the chip reader, the offline mode only works if you subscribe for Square retail subscription. He recommended me to get the Terminal which will work on offline mode without any subscription. I am not sure if this was the right recommendation.

Of course, the Terminal does not work with captive portals.