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How to connect a card terminal to your POS

An integrated card terminal takes the amount from the POS, so nobody re-keys totals and every card payment is matched to its sale. Choose how it connects, get it on the network, enter the processor's details in the POS, and test every kind of payment before you go live.

October 20, 2026·8 min read
  1. Get a merchant account and terminal Sign up with a processor the POS supports and get a terminal set up for integration with your POS.
  2. Choose local or cloud connection Decide whether the POS reaches the terminal over your local network (by IP address) or through the processor's cloud (by device ID).
  3. Put the terminal on the network Connect it by Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and for a local connection reserve a fixed IP address in the router.
  4. Enter the details in the POS Enter the terminal's IP and port, or the cloud credentials and device reference, from the processor.
  5. Run a test sale Charge a small amount, check the approval on both the terminal and the POS, and print the receipt.
  6. Test tips, voids and refunds Run a sale with a tip, void one sale and refund another, so staff have seen each one.
  7. Close a batch Close the batch at the end of the test day and compare the batch total with the POS card total.

Standalone, semi-integrated and cloud

A standalone terminal is not connected to the POS. The cashier types the amount in by hand, which leads to typos and leaves the POS with no proof of the payment. A semi-integrated terminal is connected: the POS sends the amount, the terminal handles the card, and only the result comes back, so card numbers never pass through the POS.

Semi-integrated terminals connect locally or through the cloud. A local connection sends the amount across the shop's network to the terminal's IP address; it is fast and needs a fixed address. A cloud connection goes through the processor's servers to a terminal identified by its device reference, with no IP set-up; it needs the internet at both ends.

Network set-up

Wired is best for counter terminals. Wi-Fi is fine for portable terminals used at the table. For a local connection, reserve a fixed IP address for the terminal in the router, because a terminal that changes address after a restart stops answering the POS. Keep the terminal and the till on the same network, not the guest Wi-Fi.

For several tills, decide whether each till has its own terminal or shares one. Most counters give each till its own terminal, so two cashiers can take cards at once.

Test every payment type

Before going live, run a debit sale, a credit sale, a sale with a tip on the terminal, a declined card (most processors give test cards or test amounts), a void and a refund. Check that the POS records each one correctly and the receipt prints. Then close a batch and compare the total with the POS. Do this with the staff who will use it, so the first refund on a busy Saturday is not their first.

When a payment stalls

Sooner or later a payment will hang: the network drops mid-transaction or the customer walks off before tapping. The rule is never to charge again until you know whether the first attempt went through. Check the terminal or the POS's transaction history first. A good integration has a safe retry and a way to check the terminal's record.

Doing it in SeroPOS

SeroPOS works with Global Pay Cloud, Global Payments Terminal Plus on the T650P, Moneris Go Cloud and Gravity Payments, and an existing direct network connection to a Global Payments terminal still works. Each is a switch in the app's Settings with a gear for its details. To get a quote for processing, send us a recent statement at payments@seropos.app and we will quote a rate.

  • Global Payments: for Global Pay Cloud, enter your business credentials once and bind each till by the terminal's device reference. For Terminal Plus, SeroPOS runs on the terminal itself, which must be set to Semi-Integrated Internal mode. An existing direct network connection uses the terminal's IP, Port and ECR ID in Global Pay Settings.
  • Global Pay Cloud: enter the Terminal Device Reference (Processing TID) from the terminal's app, then Verify and bind terminal. Business credentials (App ID, App Key, Merchant ID) are stored once; Test terminal checks it.
  • Moneris: Moneris Pay Settings, then Merchant ID, Store ID, API token and Terminal ID. TEST mode turns the screen red so nobody takes real sales on it.
  • Gravity Payments: Gravity Pay Settings, then OID, Token and Device Name.
  • Admin, then Tools, then Card Terminal for This Till: give each till its own terminal ('Save for this till') or 'Use shared'.
  • If a payment stalls, the Global Pay dialog offers 'Check on Terminal' and 'Tap Card Again - Safe Retry', and SeroPOS warns if the same card was charged the same amount moments ago.

Frequently asked questions

Which card terminals work with SeroPOS?

Global Payments terminals through Global Pay Cloud, SeroPOS running on the T650P with Terminal Plus, Moneris Go Cloud and Gravity Payments. An existing direct network connection to a Global Payments terminal also still works. Other terminal brands are not supported for in-store card payments.

What is the difference between a local and a cloud terminal connection?

A local connection sends the amount across your shop network to the terminal's IP address. A cloud connection sends it through the processor's servers to a terminal identified by its device reference, so there is no IP to set up but both ends need the internet.

Can each till use its own terminal?

Yes. In SeroPOS, Card Terminal for This Till in Admin, then Tools, stores terminal details per device, so each client till charges on its own terminal. 'Use shared' goes back to the business-wide setting.

Can SeroPOS help lower my card processing rate?

Send us a recent processing statement at payments@seropos.app and we will quote a rate for a supported processor.

What should I do if a card payment seems stuck?

Do not charge the card again until you have checked. In SeroPOS use Check on Terminal or the terminal's transaction history to see whether it was approved. The app keeps an approved charge safe even if the sale did not save, and warns about duplicate charges.

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