PC Network Configuration:

For the simplest 1 Lane installation, both the Lane and Back office can exist on the same PC. No network setup is required for this configuration.

Communications between the two packages on the same PC will work without any further setup in this scenario.

For busier stores, where the Back Office and Lanes are needed to be in use simultaneously, a network is required for the Back Office and Lanes to communicate to each other.

On the Network, each computer NETBIOS name must be unique to the system.

We recommend that you setup each POS Lane in the System simply as LANE1, LANE2, LANE3 etc.

To Do this, Open the Windows Control Panel.

  • Double Click on System
  • Select the 'Computer Name' Tab
  • Click On Change

Manual Picture

  • Enter the NetBIOS Name of the PC as Shown, then Click on OK.

You will have to reboot your PC before continuing with the Installation.

  • The Back Office machine can be called any name as long as it does not conflict with any other PC on the network.

Networking and Setup:

It is beyond the scope of this manual to provide explicit 'How To' instructions on setting up networks, for either Wide or Local Area Networks (WANs or LANs).

  • The Lanes will communicate with each other or the Back Office over standard Ethernet Network adapters and the TCP/IP protocol.
  • It is very important to have the network setup and supported by a qualified technician.
  • All wiring should be to the CAT5 standard or higher, done by a qualified electrician.

The following is a guide to the Network setup only:

  • No Domain setup is necessary..
  • Setup the LAN behind a firewall/router/ connected to the Internet.
  • Setup a Peer-to-Peer workgroup using TCP/IP over Ethernet.
  • The Lanes and Back office should be setup with Static IP Addresses.
  • If you are using the Integrated Debit/Credit system, then the router should have a static IP address on the Internet.
  • Each PC, including the Back Office, should be set to be a member of the same workgroup.
  • NetBIOS over TCP/IP should be enabled on each machine.
  • All PC's in the system should be visible in each other's 'My Network Places' control panel.
  • No specific NetBIOS name need be used for the Back Office Machine, but it should be easily identifiable.
  • Set the Lane PCs to the NetBIOS name LANE1, LANE2 etc.
  • Each PC must have a UNIQUE name on the network.

There are two communications models that are supported.

1/ Communications via the Remoting protocol.

  • Install the eStreamServer Service in the Back Office (See the Back Office Manual for more information)
  • The Microsoft software firewall on the Lanes can be turned ON with NO exceptions.
  • The configured port should be allowed open across the Back Office Firewall as an exception.
  • The scope of the exception should be restricted to allowed IP addresses only
  • As Long as the Lane Server Test is successful then no more configuration is required.

With the IIS model, communications to the Server are initiated at 30 second intervals by the Lanes and at configurable intervals or manually initiated events by the Back Office.

  • Due to the high frequency of communciation events, this protocol is best employed on a LAN, Internet installations may use too much band width and we recommend that option 2 be used for Wide Area networks that rely on the Internet.
2/ Communications via an IIS Server.
  • A central Windows Server 2003/2008 machine must be setup to use IIS version 6 or 7 with .NET version 2 installed. (IIS = Internet Information Server)
  • A Web Site is setup on the Server using the supplied software included with the Back Office Installation as the Web Root folder (C:\eStreamHOWebsite) 
  • An SSL Certificate must be installed on the Site.
  • The Back Office sends changes to the Server and pulls Lane reports from it over TCP port 443 https: protocol
  • The Lanes Sends its reports to the Server and picks up Back Office changes over TCP port 443 https: protocol
  • The firewall can be turned on with no exception on each PC in the system.
  • As all communciations are over Port 443 all machines just require Internet access.

With the IIS model, communications to the Server are initiated at 2 hour intervals by the Lanes and at configurable intervals or manually initiated events by the Back Office.