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For the people that read this and are processing credit card transactions, what type of connectivity are you using? DIrect dial for each transaction? Alway on commercial link (T1, &c.)? Local commercial cable or DSL connections?

I'm guessing that the "up" speed doesn't require a substantial amount of bandwidth, so something between 512k and 1m should be sufficient, correct? Latency is probably the more important measure of how well the link will work for CC handling.

I'm looking at two DSL connections to a theatre, one for wireless access for patrons, the other for CC processing and box-office reporting, the latter being firewalled under pretty strict rules. Though I would do that in any case, the firewalling is even more important since virtually every ticketing product out there with a reasonable UI (IE., non-text) is built around Windows.

What have your experiences been?

We clear CC through RTS which uses the internet to Mercurypay. Works fast. I use plain DSL no added high rate packages just your basic. You do not need a static IP either. You can always use a free package like dynamic dns to look like you have a static IP.

Also make sure not to process CC over a wireless network.
It's impossible to 100% completely secure a wireless network.

I also use RTS for my CC processing. In the years since I installed it, I've used dial-up, 64 and 128k ISDN, DSL and broadband cable. All work well with this system. There just isn't that much data exchange for any of these methods to get noticeably bottled up.

I also have used wireless in the past. Seems I recall the exchange is pretty effectively encrypted, so a protected wireless wouldn't seem to be all that risky.

As for your wi-fi setup, you don't need to have two dsl lines. Just set up two routers. Firewall the heck out of the one that your network's on and open up the rules on the one you let the public use.

There are software packages out there that allow you to control access to the hotspot. The most common usage is to allow you to charge for the use. You can always make it free, while using the system to collect information about who your customers are, maybe even promoting emailed newsletters and daily specials, and keeping an eye out for any abuse by neighbors and off-hour "sponges".

CC authorizations need VERY little bandwith. They are like 40kb (or less) packets, each way.