If you intend to take your Roca Sifter to card shows and conventions to facilitate buying cards at your booth, here are some import considerations and best practices to avoid workflow disruptions.
Before the Event
Always setup and test all of your equipment before you leave for a convention. Setting up your Roca Sifter, routers, or switches should all be done in advance to ensure everything works together as an isolated system. Bandwidth tends to be much lower no matter what type of networking you're on at a convention, so it's important to ensure you have the most recent updates available beforehand as well. To do this, simply power cycle your Roca Sifter. When it turns back on, it will automatically check for updates.
Convention center wi-fi and mobile networks experience high volumes of attendee traffic leading to poor signals and network disruption. To avoid software and hardware issues during peak traffic, we recommend that you avoid setting up your Sifter on these public networks, especially mobile networks.
Convention organizers typically sell internet access for your booth and we strongly recommend opting into that network. Ask your convention organizer the following questions:
- Can I purchase a dedicated wired Ethernet connection at my booth?
- Am I permitted to connect my own router and Ethernet switch to that connection?
- Can multiple devices operate behind a single router?
- Is the internet connection shared or does it include guaranteed bandwidth?
- Is on-site technical support available during all convention hours?
If all of the above are available, then you’re in the best position for success at the convention.
While the convention center may provide an ethernet connection, it is almost always necessary to supply your own router and switches.
At the Event
Here is an optimal configuration for connecting your Sifter(s) to a stable network during a high traffic event. Reminder: Always connect via Ethernet at events.
If the convention organizer can’t provide an Ethernet drop, your next best option is to use a dedicated bandwidth wi-fi network, as opposed to a paid shared network with other vendors/attendees. We still recommend connecting a router to the purchased dedicated wi-fi network, and connecting your Sifter(s) via Ethernet to your router.
Mobile Hotspots
We strongly encourage use of convention center internet services over mobile hotspots since cellular service inside a convention hall is often much weaker. If you find yourself needing to use one, though, we have a few tips to ensure you are successful.
- Make sure ethernet is enabled on your mobile hotspot.
- Some devices have this setting turned off by default and it must be configured to provide internet through the ethernet port.
- Use the designated ethernet port rather than connecting over WiFi.
- Ensure your service plan for the hotspot is paid and has ample bandwidth available.
- Test the connection between your Roca Sifter and the hotspot before you leave for the convention.
Need help?
If you’re preparing for an upcoming convention and you want to fully leverage your Sifter(s), we encourage you to consult with a Roca Expert to make sure you’re set up for success. Send your set up and workflow questions to bemunoz@ebay.com for quick answers, or to schedule a more in-depth consultation.