How to: Set Host File Entries When Running KDS in Environments Without a DNS

Note: This is most likely not necessary in KDS version 21.0.0 of and onwards. From v.21 the KDS uses a different WCF communication model (Duplex/Callback) where it's not mandatory to use Host names . IP addresses can be used as well.

When the Kitchen Service and Display Stations are running on computers on a network without a DNS, you must set network entries on each of the computers so they can resolve the IP addresses to host names.

The Kitchen Service uses the WCF communications standard, and it requires that it is possible to resolve the IP addresses correctly.

On each computer the file is located here: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

  1. Open the file with Administrator privileges, with the text editor of your preference.
  2. Add the new entries, consisting of an IP address and Host name, below the existing lines in the file.

    Note: Make sure you press Enter at the end of the last line, so the line has an EOL (the last line is an empty line).

To find out what the host name of the computer is, open a Command Prompt window and enter the command hostname and press Enter. Use the command ipconfig to find the computer's IP address.

Here is a sample of entries for two fictional computers:

  

Below is an example of how the HOSTS file should look with one new entry on the CLIENTDS1 computer.

You can have the same list with all computers involved in the HOSTS file on each computer on the network. For example, if there are three computers running the KDS, you can have the same three entries in the HOSTS file on each computer.

Note: If a DHCP is in use, you should have the IP addresses on the computers running the KDS fixed, so they do not change on restart.

If a firewall is running on the computers and the KDS is still not working, you might consider setting up Inbound rules for the TCP ports that the KDS uses:

  • Create an Inbound rule for port 17750 on the machine that runs the Kitchen Service.
  • Create an Inbound rule for port range 17800..17830 for the machines running Display Stations.
    - The BasePort for them is 17800 in the config file.