Hardware Setup
This page covers setting up printers and the cash drawer. Payment terminal hardware is covered in Payment Gateways.
Printers Overview
Pratham ResPOS supports multiple printers for different purposes:
| Printer Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Main / Receipt Printer | Prints customer receipts after payment |
| Kitchen Printer (KOT) | Prints kitchen order tickets when an order is placed |
| Label Printer | Prints item labels (optional) |
| Customer Info Printer | Prints a separate customer information slip (optional) |
Multiple kitchen printers can be set up and assigned to specific product categories — for example, one printer for the grill station and another for the bar.
Navigate to POS Settings → Printers to manage all printer configuration.
Image: Screenshot of the Printers settings screen
Supported Connection Types
| Type | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|
| Network (IP) | Windows, Android, iOS |
| Bluetooth | Windows, Android, iOS |
| USB | Windows, Android |
Network printers are the most common for restaurant setups. The printer must be on the same local network as the POS device.
Adding a Network Printer
- Navigate to POS Settings → Printers.
- Tap Add Printer.
- Fill in the printer details:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Printer Name | A label to identify this printer (e.g., "Main Counter", "Kitchen 1") |
| IP Address | The printer's IP address on the local network |
| Port | Default is 9100 for most thermal network printers |
| Paper Width | Select 58mm or 80mm to match your paper roll size |
| Printer Type | Main, Kitchen, Label, or Customer Info |
- Tap Save.
- Tap Test Print to verify the connection.
Image: Screenshot of the Add/Edit Printer form
If the test print fails, confirm the printer is powered on, connected to the network, and that the IP address is correct. Some printers require a static IP — check your router settings.
Paper Size Reference
| Paper Width | Page Width Setting |
|---|---|
| 58mm | 270px |
| 80mm | 384px |
Choose the setting that matches the paper roll installed in your printer. Using the wrong size results in text being cut off or printing with excessive white space.
Kitchen Printers — Category Assignment
Each kitchen printer can be assigned to specific product categories. When an order is placed, items are automatically routed to the correct kitchen printer based on their category.
- Open the kitchen printer in POS Settings → Printers.
- Under Category Assignment, select which product categories this printer handles.
- Save.
Example setup:
| Printer | Assigned Categories |
|---|---|
| Kitchen — Grill | Burgers, Steaks, Grilled Mains |
| Kitchen — Bar | Drinks, Cocktails, Juices |
| Kitchen — Desserts | Cakes, Ice Cream, Waffles |
Image: Screenshot of kitchen printer category assignment
Items from categories not assigned to any kitchen printer will not print a kitchen ticket. Make sure all categories are assigned.
Label Printer Setup
Label printers print small item-level labels (used in some venues for labelling packaged items).
- Add a printer and set the Printer Type to Label.
- Configure label-specific settings:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Label Width | Physical width of the label stock |
| Font Size | Text size for item name, notes, and order number |
| Show Order Number | Print the order number on each label |
| Show Item Notes | Print kitchen notes on the label |
Cash Drawer
The cash drawer opens automatically when a cash payment is completed (or any payment method configured to open it).
Connection
The cash drawer connects to the POS via the receipt printer — most thermal printers have a dedicated cash drawer port (RJ11/RJ12). The printer sends a signal to open the drawer after a cash transaction.
On Windows, the cash drawer is controlled directly via the desktop app integration. Cash drawer support requires the Windows desktop app.
Per-Payment-Method Open Behaviour
You can configure whether the cash drawer opens for each payment method individually:
- Navigate to POS Settings → Payment Methods.
- For each method, toggle Open Cash Drawer on or off.
Typical configuration:
| Payment Method | Open Cash Drawer |
|---|---|
| Cash | Yes |
| Card (EFTPOS) | No |
| Gift Card | No |
| Other | Depends on method |
Image: Screenshot showing the cash drawer toggle in payment method settings
Manual Cash Drawer Open
If the drawer needs to be opened manually (e.g., to make change without a transaction):
- This option is available in the POS if enabled by your manager.
- On Windows, the drawer can also be opened from the Cash Up screen.
Troubleshooting Hardware
| Issue | Steps |
|---|---|
| Printer not found | Check network connection, confirm IP address and port, restart printer |
| Test print fails | Ensure printer is on the same network as the POS device; check firewall settings |
| Paper jammed | Open printer cover, remove jammed paper, reload correctly, close cover |
| Faded/blank receipt | Replace thermal paper — ensure thermal side faces the print head |
| Cash drawer not opening | Check cable connection between drawer and printer; confirm you are using the Windows desktop app |
For more troubleshooting, see Troubleshooting.