Getting started

PAX A920 / A920 Pro: first setup out of the box

Unbox a PAX A920 or A920 Pro, prepare the battery, fit the SIM, load paper, power on, and join Wi-Fi so the terminal is ready for its payment application.

Applies to
PAX A920, A920 Pro · 4G + Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi only
Last reviewed
Oct 26, 2026 by Abdul Rashid

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Check first

  • Is this a brand-new unit (battery protective tab still fitted) or a unit that has been in service?
  • Will the terminal run on Wi-Fi, cellular, or both?
  • Which payment application and processor will it use? (The app download is controlled by PAXSTORE or the ISO, not by these steps.)

This guide takes a new PAX A920 or A920 Pro from the box to a powered, connected terminal. It does not cover payment application setup, which depends on your processor and on PAXSTORE.

Before you start

  • Check the box: terminal, paper roll, power cable, power adapter. Report anything missing to Allstar.
  • Have the Wi-Fi name and password ready, or an activated SIM if the unit will use cellular data. APN questions go to the SIM provider.
  • If Allstar injected or programmed the unit, leave the payment application alone. Only the hardware steps below are needed.

Steps

  1. Open the battery cover on the bottom, take out the battery, and peel off the white protective tab until the gold POGO pins are fully visible. Refit the battery. Expected: the tab is gone. A brand-new unit will not charge or turn on with the tab in place; this is the most common "dead on arrival" cause.
  2. For cellular use, with the battery out, insert the SIM (and SAM, if supplied) into its slot. Replace the battery and back cover. Expected: the card sits flat and the cover clicks shut.
  3. Load the paper roll (see "PAX A920 / A920 Pro / A80: load a receipt paper roll") and tear off the excess against the cutter. Expected: a short tail of paper shows at the printer door.
  4. Connect the power adapter and cable and charge the unit before first use. Expected: a charging indicator on screen. PAX says never charge for more than 24 hours.
  5. Press and hold the power button for 3 to 5 seconds, then release. Expected: the screen lights and the terminal boots.
  6. Open Settings > Wi-Fi, pick the network and enter the password. SSID and password are case sensitive. Expected: Wi-Fi icon in the status bar, internet access.
  7. If the unit is managed in PAXSTORE, open the PAXSTORE Client app so the terminal registers and receives any pushed applications. Expected: the client logs in and lists available or pushed apps.

If that did not work

  • Will not power on or charge: confirm the battery tab is removed, then try another adapter, cable or outlet. See the battery article.
  • Wi-Fi will not connect: see "PAX A920 / A920 Pro: Wi-Fi will not connect".
  • "Login failed, terminal (SN:...) not registered": the serial has not been added or activated in PAXSTORE. Contact Allstar with the serial number.
  • Any tamper or security message: stop and contact Allstar support. The unit needs RMA.

Sources

Stop and contact support if

  • Any 'Ped Tampered', 'Terminal Be Attacked' or similar security message on screen: stop, do not continue setup, contact Allstar support. The unit must go through RMA.
  • The PAXSTORE Client shows 'Login failed, terminal (SN:...) not registered': the terminal must be added and activated in PAXSTORE first. Contact Allstar (or whoever manages the PAXSTORE reseller account) with the serial number.
  • The terminal asks for a settings or screen-lock password you do not have: contact Allstar support. Never guess or share passwords.

Contact Allstar support (sales@allstarterminals.com, 888-403-7066) with the model, serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen.

Contact support about this

Notes

  • The pax.us quick setup guides carry no version or print date. They cover box contents, battery, SIM, power and card readers only; Wi-Fi, paper loading and printing steps come from the PAX Technical Knowledge Base (PAX's Confluence site, linked from the pax.us Support menu).
  • The quick setup guides do not state which hardware revision (PCI 5 A920 Pro, A920Pro Duo PCI 7) they cover. The A920Pro Duo guide differs: its power-off is a 3-second hold plus an on-screen Power Off confirmation, and it ships a 2-in-1 magnetic/Type-C cable.
  • The Wi-Fi menu path (Settings > Wi-Fi) is from the General FAQ and may sit behind a settings password set by the ISO or PAX. Passwords are never printed here.
  • Whether the payment application downloads automatically depends on PAXSTORE configuration by the reseller or ISO.

Sources

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