Restaurant POS, Network & Wi-Fi Recovery in Needham, MA

Challenge

The restaurant was experiencing a network failure affecting its Toast POS environment, with the Toast router unable to receive expected connectivity through the existing network path. The site included multiple interconnected systems, including the Comcast Business modem, Cisco Meraki gateway, Toast networking equipment, switches, wireless access points, POS terminals, and receipt printers. Initial testing found multiple physical-layer problems, including incorrect Ethernet termination at a POS station, damaged or unknown CAT5e RJ45 terminations, and network uplink issues. The existing infrastructure also required tracing between floors to identify the cabling path serving the Toast switch and wireless access point.

Solution

Mass IT Pro Solution performed on-site network diagnostics across the restaurant's POS systems, printers, wireless access points, switches, and internet equipment. The Comcast Business connection was tested and confirmed operational, with approximately 227.4 Mbps download and 23.8 Mbps upload available during testing. Technicians identified and corrected an improperly terminated connection at a POS station, replaced damaged CAT5e RJ45 terminations, and replaced the modem-to-Toast-router uplink with CAT6 cabling. Existing cabling serving the Toast switch was traced to the first floor and reterminated to restore reliable connectivity. After the cabling repairs, the Toast and corporate switches successfully returned online. POS equipment and the receipt printer were tested, including a successful test print. The first-floor wireless access-point cable was also traced and reterminated. Corporate wireless networking was then configured for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz operation, wireless channel settings were adjusted, and the existing Netgear wireless extender was configured and validated.

Results

• Restaurant internet connectivity verified and tested
• Toast POS network connectivity restored
• Incorrect POS Ethernet termination corrected
• Damaged CAT5e RJ45 terminations replaced
• Modem-to-Toast-router uplink upgraded with CAT6
• Existing Toast switch cabling traced and reterminated
• Toast and corporate switches restored to service
• POS terminal connectivity restored
• Receipt printer restored and successfully test printed
• First-floor wireless access-point cabling repaired
• Corporate 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi configured
• Wireless channel settings optimized
• Netgear wireless extender configured
• Final connectivity and speed testing completed successfully