Getting started

Verifone VX 520 setup and paper loading: cables, power and receipt roll

Set up a Verifone VX 520 (VX520): connect Ethernet and power, load the thermal receipt roll the right way, and fix blank receipts or a no paper error.

Applies to
Verifone VX 520
Last reviewed
Oct 27, 2026 by Abdul Rashid

Ask Allstar AI about this guide

Check first

  • Will the terminal connect over Ethernet or a phone line? Ask your processor which one it supports.
  • Is a separate PIN pad plugged into the VX 520?
  • Was the terminal programmed and key-injected for your processor before it shipped?
  • Are receipts blank, or does nothing feed at all?

To set up a Verifone VX 520, plug an Ethernet cable into the port marked ETH, connect any PIN pad while the terminal is off, then plug in the power supply last. To load paper, open the paper cover above the display, drop in a thermal roll so the paper feeds from the bottom of the roll, pull the edge up past the tear teeth and press the cover shut until it clicks.

This guide covers the countertop VX 520 (also written VX520). If Allstar programmed and injected your terminal, it arrives ready for your processor; you only need to cable it, power it and load paper.

Before you start

  • Network: most processors connect the VX 520 over Ethernet. A phone line works only if your processor still supports dial-up. If you connect both, the terminal can switch to the phone line when the internet drops (Chase).
  • PIN pad: never plug a PIN pad into a VX 520 that is powered on. It can damage the equipment.
  • Power: use the power supply that shipped with the terminal. A surge protector is recommended.
  • Paper: use thermal paper. To check, run a fingernail down the paper; thermal paper leaves a mark.

Steps

  1. Pick a spot near a power outlet and your router, modem or Ethernet wall jack, with room for air to circulate. Expected: a protected, ventilated spot within cable reach.
  2. Unpack the terminal and peel any protective film off the display, starting at the top right corner. Expected: the display is clear and the case is undamaged.
  3. Plug an Ethernet cable into the port marked ETH or 10Base-T and the other end into your router, modem or wall jack. Only use a phone line if your processor still supports dial-up, and then use a dedicated line with no splitter. Expected: the network cable is seated at both ends.
  4. If you use a separate PIN pad, connect it now, while the VX 520 has no power. Expected: the PIN pad is attached and the terminal is still off.
  5. Plug the power cord into the power supply and into an indoor outlet, then push the small plug into the power port on the back of the terminal. Expected: the terminal powers up.
  6. Open the paper cover: pull up gently on the paper well latch above the display, then lift the cover up and back. Expected: the paper well is open and empty.
  7. Remove the sticker or protective strip from the new roll, unwind past any glue residue and tear off the unwound part. Expected: a clean leading edge.
  8. With the terminal facing you, drop the roll in so the paper comes off the bottom (underside) of the roll. Expected: the roll sits flat, paper feeding from underneath.
  9. Pull the paper up past the tear teeth, then press directly on the cover until it clicks. Expected: the cover is latched with a short tail of paper outside.
  10. Tear off the tail by pulling it down and sideways across the serrated strip. Expected: a clean edge.
  11. Test the printer. On many VX 520 payment applications the 3 key feeds paper from the main screen. If it does nothing on yours, check the next sale receipt instead. Expected: paper advances and prints dark and readable.

If that did not work

  • "No paper" error with a roll loaded: open the paper cover, take the roll out and look for jammed or torn paper. Clear it, put the roll back the right way and close the cover.
  • Paper feeds but the receipt is blank: the roll is either not thermal paper or is loaded backwards. Do the fingernail test, then reload so the paper feeds from the bottom of the roll.
  • Cover will not latch: press on the cover itself, not on the paper, and check the roll is sitting flat in the well.
  • Tamper or security message: stop, do not reboot repeatedly, and contact support.

Contact Allstar support with the model, serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen. Allstar support: 888-403-7066 or support@allstarterminals.com, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Central.

Sources

Stop and contact support if

  • Any tamper, security or alert message on screen: stop, do not reboot repeatedly, and contact support.
  • You only have a power supply that did not come with the terminal: do not use it. A wrong supply can damage the terminal.
  • The terminal asks for a password you do not have: stop and contact support.
  • The printer still jams or prints nothing after a fresh thermal roll is loaded correctly.

Contact Allstar support with the model (VX 520), serial number, payment application, processor and the exact message on screen.

Contact support about this

Notes

  • No Verifone-hosted VX 520 installation guide was found (DOC252-003-EN is only on third-party mirrors). This guide relies on two processors' official VX 520 support material: Chase (US) and Moneris (Canada). Both describe the same hardware steps.
  • Latch location: Moneris says the paper well and its latch are above the display; Chase's page says the latch is 'located on the bottom of the card reader'. The guide follows Moneris. A reviewer with a unit should confirm the wording.
  • Moneris ships its VX 520 with an all-in-one cable and junction box (Moneris calls it the Magic Box). Those Moneris-specific cabling steps are not used here; the cabling steps follow Chase's description of ports on the terminal itself.
  • The 3 key paper feed is documented for the Chase and Moneris payment applications. Key layouts depend on the payment application loaded on the terminal.
  • Chase retired dial-up support on September 1, 2025. Whether other processors still accept dial-up on the VX 520 varies; ask the processor.
  • Roll size is not stated: neither source gives the VX 520 paper width or diameter.

Sources

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