Using an M2 / Chipper 2X – Bluetooth card reader – Android FareHarbor app

Watch the video or follow the instructions below to set up your Bluetooth reader.

1. Turn on the reader. Press the ‘ON’ button on the side of the reader. When the light on the device flashes blue (BBPOS Chipper 2X BT) or green (M2), the device is ready to pair. Note: If the reader does not respond, you may need to charge it.
2. Open the FareHarbor app on your Android phone or tablet and login.

3. Navigate to Settings in the app. When prompted, tap OK to allow FareHarbor to access Bluetooth on your device.

   Note: If you are not prompted by the FareHarbor app to allow Bluetooth use and the reader is not shown in Step 4 below, please manually enable Bluetooth access in the permissions section of the FareHarbor App on your Android device.

4. Make sure your device is still powered on, then tap Settings > Card Readers.

   

   The serial number of the Card Reader will be displayed on the Scan for Card Reader discovery screen.

5. Tap on the serial number of the card reader that you want to pair.

   Note: The serial number displayed on the discovery screen can also be found on the back of your Bluetooth chip card reader.

6. If prompted, tap Allow While Using App to allow FareHarbor to access your device location.

The reader will appear in the Card Reader section as Connected when it has been successfully paired. You can also see the card reader serial number in the Settings screen.

Note: After the initial pairing, your card reader’s firmware may require an update. The update process can take between 5 and 15 minutes. Note that you will not be able to use the card reader while these updates are taking place, however you can continue to use the FareHarbor Dashboard on your Android phone or tablet.

You can also tap the info (“i”) icon on the Scan for Card Readers screen for the following additional information and options:

• Battery life
• A button for manually disconnecting the card reader from your device
• A button for manually checking for card reader updates

Once you have successfully connected your card reader to the FareHarbor app, each time you log in the Bluetooth card reader will automatically attempt to connect to your device.

If the connection is successful, the card reader’s serial number is shown on the Settings page:

For tips on how to resolve auto-connect issues, see Troubleshooting Auto-Connect issues.

In order to make sure the payment terminal works for everyone making bookings, you will need to perform the following steps.

1. On your Dashboard go to Settings > Users & Permissions.
2. Select the Permission Groups tab.
3. Click Edit (next to the group that needs to take terminal payments).
4. Check the box “Skip adding payment when creating bookings” underneath creating.
5. Scroll down and click the Save button.

Note: If you’re unable to make changes, contact FareHarbor Support to request access.

Once you’ve connected your card reader with FareHarbor, you can use it to collect card payments while making bookings in your Dashboard.

1. When making a booking, select the payment option Charge with EMV card reader. This message is shown only for partial or full payment types.
2. Select Complete booking to go to the payment form.
3. Wait for the Total Due. Insert or Tap message on your reader, then insert or tap the card. You can also swipe the card if tapping or inserting is not possible.
4. Remove the card when prompted.

The payment will be added to the completed booking.

Troubleshooting initial setup

Before proceeding, first check: have you contacted FareHarbor Support to enable the use of Bluetooth card readers on your Dashboard? If not, please do so before reading on.

Double-check that the card reader is powered on and is ready for Bluetooth pairing (when the light on the device flashes blue, the device is ready to pair).

If you are still unable to connect your Bluetooth reader, try the following:

1. Turn the reader off and back on again, then repeat the pairing process using the steps shown under Setting up a Bluetooth EMV Reader.
2. Make sure the reader is charged.
3. Make sure the reader’s firmware is updated to the latest version. Tap the gear symbol, then click on the card reader number. Tap on the “i” and press Check for update. If an update is available, you will be prompted to install the update.
4. Click the refresh button on the bottom toolbar to begin the card readers discovery process.
5. If step 4 does not fix the issue, log out and then close the app. Relaunch the app and login again.
6. If none of the troubleshooting steps above work, please delete the app and all of its content, then reinstall the app by following the steps in Setting up a Bluetooth Reader.

Troubleshooting auto-connect issues

If the card reader fails to auto-connect, the Auto Connection to Card Reader Failed message is displayed at the bottom of the app.

To re-pair the device with the FareHarbor app:

1. Tap Settings (or navigate directly to the Card Readers page). The device that was most recently paired with the app is shown on the Settings page.

2. Tap the serial number of the device that has failed to connect (shown as Not connected). The icon indicates that the auto-connect was unsuccessful.

   

   • Tap Cancel to return to the app. Closing the app or logging out and back in will initiate the auto-connect process.

   • Tap Forget to remove the previously paired device from the list of card readers. To add the card reader to the app, navigate back to the Scan for Card Readers page and re-pair the device. Make sure the device is turned on and within range before scanning.

Will my reader stay connected if I’m not always on the app?

Your Bluetooth reader will stay connected to your device as long as the reader itself and the device it’s connected to remain on and the app stays open (even when you navigate away from the FareHarbor app). However, if you manually close the app, or turn off the reader or the device it’s connected to, then the reader will disconnect.

Will the connection to the card reader be maintained if I switch between Dashboards or if I log in as a different user?

Yes, if your card reader has already been paired, the connection will be maintained when switching between Dashboards or when logging in as a new user.

Will my reader stay connected when I log out and log back in?

Yes. Once the Bluetooth reader has been successfully connected for the first time, the next time you log out and back in to the app, it will automatically connect. Read more about the auto-connect setup here.

What are some reasons why the card reader fails to auto-connect?

Sometimes, the auto-connect process may not complete successfully. Here are a few possible reasons for this failure:

• The card reader is not in range or not turned on.
• Bluetooth is not enabled.
• The connection is lost while you are using the app.

• You are not using the most recent version of the app. Auto-connect is supported in v1.1.1 and higher of the FareHarbor Android app.

  Note: the next time the card reader is available and you relaunch the app, the auto-connect process begins again, except for the case where you manually disconnect or “forget” the device.

Will “Save card to charge later” work with my chip card reader?

Not at the moment. If you want to save a card to charge later, you’ll need to manually enter the card information, or use a USB card swiper, if you have one.

What does the color of the status light mean on my BBPOS Chipper chip card reader?

• None: The reader is off.
• Flashing blue every second: The reader is on and ready to connect to a device. If no action is taken within five minutes, the reader will power off.
• Multicolored flashing: The reader has been discovered and is ready to connect.
• Steady blue: The reader is connected to a device.
• Flashing blue every 5 seconds: The reader is in standby mode. The reader can remain in standby indefinitely.
• Alternating red and pink: The reader is charging.
• Flashing red: The reader’s battery is low.
• Rapidly flashing blue and orange: The reader has finished installing a software update. If the reader is unresponsive after the update completes, restart the reader by turning it off and back on.

Does having NFC-enabled payment methods interfere with using my EMV chip card reader?

Yes, if you have set up an alternative payment method that uses Near Field Communication (NFC) such as Apple Pay, Google Pay or even paying through your mobile banking app, it can interfere with the operation of the Bluetooth chip card reader. While making payments with the Bluetooth card reader, please make sure to turn off the NFC capability on your phone, or keep the phone further away from the card reader so that the NFC will not interfere with the payment process.

Can I pair more than one Bluetooth card reader to my FareHarbor app?

During the “discovery” phase of the auto-connect setup, the FareHarbor app can detect more than one Bluetooth card reader. However, only one reader can be paired to the app at a time.

Can I have more than one device paired to my Bluetooth card reader at the same time?

No, the card reader can be paired with only one device at a time. For example, if you have the card reader paired to your Android phone and you would like to use it with your Android tablet, we recommend first disconnecting the card reader for the phone (on your phone tap Settings > Bluetooth Readers > Card Reader, then tap on the card reader serial number and tap Disconnect).

You can then follow the steps to pair the card reader with the new device.

Why am I seeing a message saying the token has expired or has generated an error?

Something may have prevented your reader from connecting. Please follow steps 1-6 above to reconnect your reader.