Setting Up my Restaurant

Hello,

I am new to SambaPOS, and after having a catastrophic failure with an android POS system, I am looking for a new system.

My restaurant is split into 2 areas, each with its own bar and both sharing the same kitchen.

I want a set up where the Upper Bar has 1 terminal and Lower Bar/Restaurant has 2 Terminals.
There would be 3 printers, 1 for upper bar (receipts), 1 for lower bar (receipts), 1 for kitchen (orders). There will be 2 cash drawers, one at each bar.
The 2 terminals at bottom bar would share a printer and cash drawer.

I already have 3 Epson Ethernet thermal printers

What hardware requirements would I need for the server and other terminals?
Does this system need internet access? Or is a wifi network throughout okay?
(I ask this because I am in Africa and Internet goes down quite a bit, but I can keep wifi and PCs on through UPS and inverter)

Many thanks in advance

This documentation will be a good place to start for hardware needs and setup.
http://sambapos.com/wiki/doku.php?id=setting_up_the_hardware_and_windows_system_for_your_pos_system

Additionally there is a great discussion about hardware requirements here.

Also do not miss this post.

You may find even more info by using forum’s search function.

SambaPOS does not require an Internet connection.

For connecting the terminals, I would suggest to have the Lan Hardwired with a Switch. A Wifi Station can be connected (to the private POS network) to connect to the Main Terminal for any tablets. Printers preferable network printers instead of USB.

Thank you very much for the help,
I apologise for sounding ignorant, but just for clarity… No Internet connection is needed for this POS correct? Just a strong wifi environment (in my case I mat need 2 additional access points to cover my restaurant area)

Hi @Keval_Patel, there is no internet needed as @emre confirms.

Anyhow as you don’t use any tablets I would suggest to hard wire the terminals.
Instead of pulling cables a very good solution is to use a AV200 Mini Multi-Streaming Powerline Adapter device like this one.

The only requirement is that the socket outlets are on the same Phase (if you have a 3 Phase connection) I use this already 4 years without any issue. WiFi can give you issues even on short distance.

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Ahh I see, thank you.
I was reading some of the posts that emre had linked and thought I could get away with having the 2 terminals in my lower bar as tablets (the lower bar is around 60 meters away from upper bar as it is in the garden).
Instead I think maybe I should look to mini pc’s…I saw someone on here manage to put samba on a raspberry pi, but maybe thats a bit hopeful for my case.

I am assuming the only powerful pc I need is the one hosting the server? the others can be lower spec and less power consumption correct?

I would always use a respectable spec on all my terminals.
As samba runs within windows 7 there is obviously resources required to run the operating system also.

My preference is something with a reasonable core 2 duo and at least couple of gb of ram for terminal, 4+ for a server/terminal.

I use a tidy Dell 780 USFF, they are pretty lean on power VERY compact and not over the odds on price.

Don’t be too stingy on the pc as just because it boots doesn’t mean it will be good to use, keep clear of any older all in ones with CA7 2ghz etc, or if it has standard ram spec of 512 etc it’s not going to be rapid with windows 7 and knock on is samba performance.
I may be wrong but the raspberry pi would be using RDP to run samba which means another pc is actually doing the work.
Have heard win10 will go on rasberrypi but even then I personally would not use one for a terminal to be heavily used, maybe for a kitchen display etc.

Additionally pretty obvious but network should be solid, obviously if you get network issues it will cause issues with devices using it.

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Hi @Keval_Patel & @JTRTech.

I have place the RaspberryPi article, and you are right. This is only good to serve as Kitchen / Bar display not as full terminal. By running RDP connection the Server is doing the actual work and should be rock solid, the same as for the Network.

@JTRTech @Peter_Cijsouw
Thank you both for your replies. I am just trying to set my system up at home to trial before I go ahead and purchase the computers.

However for the terminals would this laptop suffice Lenovo Flex 2-14

Unrelated to hardware, I need this system to take table orders and quick orders at the same time? Is this possible, I have found threads on this forum where its one or the other, but not both at the same terminal.

Hi @Keval_Patel, the laptop seems really suitable to me because he has a Touch Screen, Look that you can upgrade to maximum Memory possible for Windows.

Yes, SambaPOS is flexible and I’m sure this is possible with a separate Entity Screen, not sure how do do this right at the moment as I’m also pretty new, but sure it’s possible from what I see of the system.

@Keval_Patel
I have looked at this type of machine before and read a review of a very similar one (although think it was a earlier model) and ratings were average but that was in terms of domestic use.

See its a UK site, are you UK based?

The systems I have setup for people all use a USFF PC and a solid ELO touch screen.
I do have a side line reselling hardware setups and they have proven very popular.

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Departments dictate if you enter Table screen or Ticket Screen first. If you want both then make 2 departments. Set one to Select Entity and one to Create Ticket.

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Could anyone tell me if these PCs could be used as terminals?
Shuttle X5020R

I agree with this as your POS system should be rock solid.
You can use the Shuttle as start-up if you don’t like to invest to much, but if heavily used you can get problems with the touch screen.

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