Intelio products and services require an always-on secure connection to the Internet from your car wash locations. There are several options, and this article provides some guidance in the form of questions and answers.
Why is Internet access required?
The Internet connection is used to:
- Process credit cards.
- Report wash activity and status. (For WashMax Maintain, Manage, and Market products.)
- Process marketing programs. (For WashMax Market.)
- Provide software updates with security patches, bug fixes, and new features. This help you meet your PCI-DSS compliance requirements.
- Provide technical support. Our technicians can remotely assist you and fix problems.
Is it secure?
Yes! Each Intelio provided computer has a unique key that it uses to connect to our Virtual Private Network (VPN) over an encrypted connection. Each system can only communicate with our servers, which are also secured, and not other locations. Our servers and network meets or exceeds all PCI requirements.
Please see the WashMax PCI Implementation Guide for details on how to implement your car wash site in a secure, compliant way.
Can I use a DSL connection?
Yes, this is the most popular option. Any speed DSL line will do, although a faster connection will allow for quicker software updates and technical support. The line may be "dry", meaning that it only includes Internet access and not a phone line.
Make sure that you receive or buy a quality DSL modem. Some low-end modems are not reliable and you'll find yourself frequently having to reset them to restore service. You do not need a static IP address, although there is no harm if that is the only option. Whether dynamic or static though, the public IP may only be held by the router and not be assigned to equipment. PCI-DSS compliance requires that a hardware firewall be used, including placing of all devices on a Local Area Network (LAN) behind a router.
Can I use a cable connection?
Yes, this is an excellent option due to it's high bandwidth and reliability. You do not need any special options like a business line or static IPs. However, you must add a network router behind the cable modem to provide a secure Local Area Network (LAN) for the equipment.
Can I use a satellite connection?
Yes, although this is not the optimal choice. Satellite Internet has a high latency and low upstream bandwidth, which makes for slow credit card processing and technical support services. Satellite dishes are also easily knocked out of alignment by weather, causing loss of service. That said, several Intelio customers do successfully use satellite services
Can I use Hughes Satellite service?
Hughes Satellite internet services block Intelio's VPN, and so have to be dealt with differently. Instead of the Intelio equipment connecting to Intelio's network, our servers must connect to your Hughes provided network. This requires that you provide Intelio with a special network client hardware device (similar to the one in your stores) to be installed in our server farm. Due to the complexity, overhead, and cost of this solution, it is subject to a minimum order with Intelio. Please consult with your sales representative.
Can I use a cellular data connection?
Yes, although it is sometimes tricky to make it work reliably. You must use a cellular router, which provides a Local Area Connection (LAN) behind the cellular data connection. A simple USB device intended for a single computer is not acceptable, as it does not provide a hardware firewall (routers have built-in firewalls). A cellular hot-spot (Wi-Fi) is also unacceptable due to weaker security of Wi-Fi.
That said, a cellular data router, in a location with a strong signal and an unlimited data plan, is a workable option. If you suffer from frequent loss of service or long credit card authorization delays, you may need to explore another option. Technical support may also be a frustrating experience due to the low bandwidth of most cellular plans.
Can I use a dial-up connection?
Although Intelio strongly recommends a broadband (DSL or cable) connection, this is simply not available in some rural locations. What is truly required is an always-on connection that multiple systems can use (router) and firewall. This can be achieved with a dial-up connection (still available throughout the U.S. from Earthlink, AT&T, and a few others) and a 3Com OfficeConnect 56k LAN Modem (model 3C886A-US). Other hardware may also be available, but this 3Com model is known to work with Intelio's network.
Can I share my Internet connection with other equipment?
Yes, but please make sure that you have sufficient bandwidth with your service to run all the equipment that you have on it, and ensure that you are not compromising the security of your network. Sharing with the store manager's office computer is generally fine, as this system is physically secure and bandwidth use is low. Sharing with a public Wi-Fi for customers is not an option, as this compromises the security of your network and makes it not PCI-DSS compliant.
A popular device, which sometimes causes trouble, is a video security system. These are also called DVRs, although unlike the DVR on your home TV, it records from security cameras. These can share an Internet connection with Intelio equipment, provided that you have a high-bandwidth connection. Often times people will stream video from a store's DVR over a low-speed DSL connection. This will use up all available bandwidth leaving nothing for your car wash operations. Tips:
- Check with your DVR and Internet providers; ensure that the maximum bandwidth used when streaming video is well less than the the guaranteed minimum level of service of your Internet connection.
- Place your car wash related devices on their own router, connected to the store's main router. This ensures that the car wash devices can communicate with each other without competing with DVR data.
