Hi All!
Got a Quickbooks POS V8 installation that I'm having difficulties with. There's 1 QB "Server", and 5 Workstations/terminals/pos
All of the machines are from HP and are their "Bundled hardware" to go with the Quickbooks (they include touch screens, bar code scanners, cash drawers, etc). All are new (installed less than 1 week ago). They've all got 1 GB of RAM and a 1.6 Ghz proc.
The machines are connected to the server via a Wireless Access point (running cable would be very expensive in this situation).
Everything seems fine, except that on occasion, they all slow to a crawl. Scanning a bar code can take 4-5 seconds (should be almost instant).
The WiFi signal strength varies from"Good" to "Excellent" on all the machines - so I'd be surprised if that turns out to be the problem.
Does QB pull everything across the wire for every transaction, or does it do stuff locally on each terminal, and then send the result to the server?
FWIW, occasionally the machines will become "less than responsive" when doing simple windows things (opening control panel for example).
I'd like to get some input from folks with specific QB experience on this - but of course ALL input/ideas/thoughts are MORE than welcome.
Thanks!
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The QB Sales rep suggests that the server might be underpowered, but
a) he DOES want to sell a replacement hardware bundle, and
2) It's probably better to try this solution first - I was never crazy about the wireless idea (it was causing other problems as well).
So we're digging trenches and running underground cable today. Weee! Manual labor- I LOVE it!
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by: thinkpads_userPosted on 2009-10-04 at 16:25:16ID: 25491530
If your QuickBooks client machine is getting its data from a Server machine (where the ledger is) over wireless, then it will be routinely slow (OK sometimes, slow other times) for more than one client. QuickBooks is data intensive (because it does very little locally for database reasons) and needs a very fast wired connection to perform properly.
I run wirelessly in one business where I am the only user and it is fine. I cannot run wirelessly in all my other businesses with anywhere from 2 to 5 users because it is just to slow.
If a wired connection is truly impractical, then consider upgrading the N wireless. Caution: N wireless may have more vagaries (because it is still new) than you would want in a production environment. It may work well - just be careful.
Also, look very hard at how impractical a wired connection is. I estimate that in half or more of "I must have wireless" cases, a wired connection could be done with modest inconvience. It may not be for you and I realize that.
... Thinkpads_User