DHCP reservations, also known as IP reservations, ensure that devices on your local network always receive the same IP address from your router, even if the router reboots. Certain printers and payment terminals connect to the Lightspeed Restaurant app based on their IP address, so keeping IP addresses consistent helps ensure a reliable connection between these devices.

When to use DHCP reservations

If your printer, payment terminal, or other hardware meets all three of the conditions below, you'll need to set up a DHCP reservation for it.

Some Epson printers, such as the TM-U220B, have a static IP address by default or after restoring to factory settings. If your Epson's IP address is 192.168.192.168, you'll need to manually enable DHCP configuration for automatic IP addressing.

Accessing your router's settings

DHCP reservations are set up from within the settings page of your Wi-Fi router, sometimes referred to as a network gateway. To access these settings, you'll need to determine your router's IP address and then visit that address to log in.

Finding your router's IP address

The default IP address for your router is usually printed on a sticker attached to the underside of the router. If your router is missing this sticker or you changed the default address, follow the steps below to find the router's IP address.

Select the relevant tab below for Mac, Windows, or iPad-specific instructions.

• To find your router's IP address on a Mac:

  1. Locate a computer that's connected to your local network.
  2. From the menu bar at the top of your screen, click the Apple logo.
  3. Select System Settings from the drop-down menu.
  4. Click Wi-Fi in the left sidebar.
  5. Click the three dots next to your connected network, and select Network Settings.
  6. Look for your router's IP address listed beside Router.

• To find your router's IP address on a Windows PC:

  1. Locate a computer that's connected to your local network.
  2. From the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, click the Windows logo.
  3. Go to Settings > Network & Internet.
  4. Click Advanced network settings (Windows 11) or Status (Windows 10).
  5. Select Hardware and connection properties or View hardware and connection properties.
  6. Look for your router's IP address listed beside IPv4 default gateway.

• To find your router's IP address on an iPad:

  1. Locate an iPad that's connected to your local network.
  2. From your iPad home screen, open Settings.
  3. Tap Wi-Fi.
  4. Tap the i icon next to your current Wi-Fi connection. 
  5. Look for your router's IP address listed beside Router in the IPV4 section.

Logging in to your router

Once you have your router's IP address, you'll need to visit it from a web browser to log in. It's usually easiest to navigate router settings from a computer, but an iPad can work as well.

1. Locate a computer or iPad that's connected to your local network.

2. Type your router's IP address into the address bar of your web browser and press enter.

   You should be taken to a login page that asks for a username and password.

3. Enter the admin username and password for your router, then click Log In or the equivalent button.

   The default username and password are typically located on a sticker underneath your router. If your router is missing this sticker or you changed the login credentials, contact your router manufacturer for assistance.

Finding your device's MAC address

Every device connected to your network has its own permanent Media Access Control (MAC) address that identifies it. To create a DHCP reservation, you need a device's MAC address in order to tell the router which device the reservation applies to.

• Printers: The MAC address appears on the same printout where you obtained the IP address for connecting your printer to Lightspeed Restaurant.
• Payment terminals: Look for the MAC address on the configuration printout or within the network settings screen of the device.

The MAC address is 12 alphanumeric characters long, often in colon or hyphen-separated pairs. For example, a MAC address may look like 0A:1B:2C:D3:4E:5F or 0A-1B-2C-D3-4E-5F.

Configuring a DHCP reservation

From your router's settings, you can configure a DHCP reservation for your hardware device by entering its MAC address and specifying a desired IP address.

Since every router is different, the steps in this section are generalized. For more specific help, contact your router's manufacturer or search the web for your router's model with the text DHCP reservation.

1. Log in to your router's settings.
2. Navigate to the page that contains DHCP settings. This may be in a section labeled Network, LAN, DHCP Server, Advanced, or something similar.
3. Locate the area of the page where you are able to create a DHCP reservation. This may be labeled Address Reservation, Manually Assigned IP, DHCP List, or something similar.
4. Click Add, +, or whatever button allows you to create a DHCP reservation.
5. Enter the device's MAC address and specify the IP address you want to reserve for this device.
6. Save the DHCP reservation.

7. If your router does not automatically restart, manually reboot it.

   Once your router is back online, you've finished creating the DHCP reservation.

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