If you have a VAC status error message of "Payment terminal not detected (no ethernet connection)", you either have a bad PINpad terminal, a bad ethernet cable, or a bad VAC control board:
The best way to figure out which of these components is causing this error is to preform an AUX port test to rule out a VAC Control Board issue;
however an AUX port test can only be conducted on a VAC equipped with a touch screen. If you do NOT have a touch screen VAC, contact our support team for alternative ways to test the AUX port.
Note: If the status message says: "Payment terminal not detected", and there is no mention of "(no ethernet connection)", it could mean your VAC does not have the ability to do the AUX port test yet.
Get in contact with our technical support team, so we can update your VACs software which will allow you to conduct this test.
Conducting the AUX Port Test
During an AUX port, the VAC will be attempting to connect to the internet via the AUX port, so in order to conduct this test, the VAC kiosk must be able to go online. If you do not have a working ethernet cable that can provide the VAC with internet, you will be unable to conduct this type of AUX port test.
Step 1: Prepare the VAC to run the AUX Port test
You'll need to go to the back of the VAC and completely remove the Ethernet cable that connects your PINpad terminal to the VAC's AUX1 port.
Then take the main internet's ethernet cable out of the VAC's LAN port, and connect this ethernet cable directly to the VAC's AUX1 port:
Note: It is important to be using a known working ethernet cable, that's able to provide internet to the VAC. The AUX port test will attempt to connect to the internet via the AUX port, so the ethernet cable being used MUST be able to provide a working internet connection for the AUX port test results to be useful
Step 2: Access the VAC Management Menu
To run an AUX port test, you will need to place a Property Management Card into the VAC card holder.
You will NOT need the Management Card's PIN to conduct this test.
Note: this test can only be run on a VAC equipped with a touch screen, and the VAC needs to be online prior to starting the test.
If the VAC is currently offline, diagnose why it's offline before conducting this test.
See our article for: VAC Offline and Internet Issues
Once the Management Card is placed into the VAC's card holder
select the System Status button on the bottom right hand side:
Step 3: Access AUX Port test scree
From the System Status screen, you should find a "Test Aux port" button at the bottom of the screen. Clicking this option will bring you to the AUX Port test screen:
If the above "Test Aux port" option is NOT shown on your VAC, it's likely you VAC requires a software update to add the AUX Port test as an option on your System Status screen. Contact our support team so we can update your VAC's software.
Step 4: Run the AUX Port test
The following screen will describe the step you should've already completed in step 1, however, if you haven't done so already, go to step 1 and plug the main internet cable into the VAC's AUX 1 port.
Once you've connected the main internet cable to the VAC's AUX1 port, click on the "Run Test on Aux port" button:
Note: once the internet cable is plugged into the AUX port, the system needs approx. 30 seconds to 1 minute before it's ready to do the test. So if you didn't do this step in step 1, wait approx 30 seconds before running the AUX port test.
Step 5: Record AUX Port test results and re-test for consistency
The system will then test the Aux port automatically, and return a result. This test usually takes well under 1 min to complete.
If you get a result with the message: "Ensure to plug the internet cable into the AUX port!" this is likely NOT a valid test result.
This message means that the internet cable isn't fully connected, or the system was not ready to do the test yet.
Double check to make sure the internet cable is fully plugged in, and then just wait another 30 seconds before running the test again.
The expected result from this test is "AUX port is good!" when the AUX port is working correctly.
If you see that message, it means that there is nothing wrong with the AUX1 port, and any PINpad terminal that is connected to this VAC should be working/able to communicate with the VAC:
If you get any other result from the AUX port test, take pictures of the results screen, and then run the AUX port test again (we normally recommend running it 3 times in a row - these test can be run back to back to back). You should take pictures of each result, so we can see if the result is consistent.
If neither test results in the "AUX port is good!" message, send your results, as well as a picture of how you've setup the ethernet cables while doing this test (pictures like in step 1) so we can review the results and recommend next steps.
Step 6: Restore VAC's ethernet connections to the normal configuration
Go back to the inside of the VAC and plug the main internet cable back into the VAC's LAN port, and reconnect the PINpad's ethernet cable to the VAC's AUX1 port (restore the connections you changed in step 1).
Interpreting the result of the AUX port test:
If the AUX port test result is not "AUX port is good!", then it's possible you have an issue with the VAC control board's AUX port. If the AUX port is bad, the VAC Control Board will need to be replaced.
If the AUX port is good, then either the ethernet cable connecting the PINpad to the AUX1 port is bad, or there is a problem with the PINpad itself.
If your PINpad terminal has it's own ethernet cable that plugs directly into the VAC control board, it is likely that your PINpad terminal has an internal issue.
If you do have an intermediate ethernet cable connection your PINpad terminal to the VAC control board, try swapping the ethernet cable with a known working one to see if you just have a bad ethernet cable:
You can use the cable from your other VAC (or any spare ethernet cable you may have) to see if the ethernet cable is the issue.
Once you've swapped cables, power cycle the PINpad terminal and VAC kiosk and see if you get the same error message when using a different ethernet cable.
If swapping the ethernet cable doesn't work, then it is likely there is an issue with the PINpad terminal itself.
If you have another PINpad terminal on your other VAC, you can try swapping the 2 to see if the problem follows this PINpad over to the other VAC to confirm this.
Note: Swapping PINpad terminals is a great test, but it is recommended that you get in contact with our technical support team if you plan on swapping PINpads between VACs as some VACs are setup in such a way that settings will need to be changed before you can freely swap PINpad terminals between VACs.
If the PINpad terminal, from the known working VAC, works when connected to the VAC you are testing; and the PINpad, from the VAC you are testing, does not work when connected to the known working VAC, then you know for sure you have a bad PINpad terminal.
If you have a bad PINpad terminal that needs to be replaced:
For US customers,
get in contact with the Laundroworks support team in order to get the correct part number for your specific model PINpad terminal. A replacement PINpad terminal can be purchased from your store's distributor.
When installing a new PINpad terminal, contact the Laundroworks support team in order to registered the new terminal to your VAC kiosk.
For Non-US customers,
get in contact with your payment processor in order to purchase a replacement PINpad terminal for your VAC kiosk.