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Troubleshoot card readers

Before you start

This article is for the WisePOS E card reader. If you’re part of the M2 reader beta program or want to learn more about the program, visit our article on the Live Events Mobile App + M2 Card Readers.

Access settings

To open the settings menu, swipe right on the device to reveal a Settings button. Tap the Settings button and enter the admin PIN 07139.

Screenshot of the Wise Pos E admin pin screen

In Settings, you can update your WiFi settings or generate a pairing code for device registration. To close the settings menu, tap the back arrow.

Learn more about the card reader settings from Stripe’s documentation.

Network requirements

To use the card reader:

  1. Your device and the card reader need to be connected to the same WiFi network
  2. The WiFi network must use WPA-Personal or WPA2-Personal encryption and be password protected
  3. The Wifi network must not be an enterprise or IPV6 network

Note: Enterprise networks are common in hotels, airports, and other public locations. These leverage a browser pop-up to enter a passcode to connect and are not compatible with the card reader.

IPV6 networks are also not compatible with Stripe’s card readers, however most WiFi routers can fallback to IPV4. Visit our suggestion for a potential solution.

Could not communicate with the reader

This error will often appear when there is an issue with the card reader’s internet connection. To troubleshoot this:

  • Confirm the card reader and the laptop, tablet, or phone you are using are on the same WiFi network
  • Run diagnostics in the card reader settings
    1. Go to the device settings
    2. Enter the admin pin 07139
    3. Tap Diagnostics

Screenshot of the Wise Pos E device settings

If this does not work, your WiFi network may not be compatible with the card reader. However, you can try to adjust your settings to fix this issue.

Update the browser DNS network

If you are unable to connect to your card reader, you can adjust your browser settings to run on an IPV4 network which may fix the issue.

To do so:

  1. On Google Chrome, visit chrome://settings/security?search=dns
  2. Under Advanced, toggle on Use secure DNS
  3. Next to Select DNS provider, choose Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)

If this still does not fix the issue or you are using another browser, visit Stripe’s documentation for additional troubleshooting tips.

Device is unable to refresh certificates

This error appears when the card reader has entered Tamper Mode.

The device may enter Tamper Mode when it senses someone trying to gain unauthorized access. This can be triggered by dropping the device, damaging the casing, or handling it roughly. 

To fix this issue, you can try to restart the device by holding down the power button for six seconds.

Or, you can initiate a factory reset by holding down the Blue buttons on both sides of the card reader for 15 seconds. Then, tap Yes when prompted.

If the device still does not work after reset, please reach out to our care team.

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