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Setting Up Your Stripe Credit Card Reader šŸ’³

Learn how to set up, use, and troubleshoot your Stripe credit card reader for in-person payments in AcuBliss.

Overview

Want to accept tap, chip, or swipe payments in person? Acubliss connects directly to a Stripe card reader so you can charge patients right at checkout, no manual card entry needed.

Stripe Reader Benefits and Fees

  • Manual Card Entry and Stored Cards: Acubliss also lets you accept credit card payments online securely. With manual card entry or patients storing cards on file, Stripe charges 2.9% + 30Ā¢ per successful card charge.

  • Using Stripe Readers: Purchase the Stripe Reader S700 and connect it through WiFi to tap, chip, or swipe cards, with Stripe charging 2.7% + 5Ā¢ per successful card charge with the reader. Alternatively, use the Stripe BBPOS WisePOS Reader, which also works perfectly with Acubliss.

  • Connecting a Stripe Account: Connect a new or existing Stripe account to our software. Use the email associated with your Stripe account during setup.

Watch this video on how to set up the Stripe reader - https://vimeo.com/acubliss/stripereader

Adding the Stripe Card Reader

To add a terminal to your Stripe account, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to the Stripe dashboard.

  2. Go to Payments > Terminal, and place your order with the Shop button.

  3. Once received, add your location and then add your terminal to your location for a seamless setup.

āš ļø Your Stripe Reader and Computer must be on the same WiFi Network!

Troubleshooting Your Stripe Card Reader

Connection Requirements

  • Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi network: Your computer and card reader need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi. This is the most common cause of connection issues.

  • Disable ethernet on your computer: If your computer is connected via ethernet cable, disconnect it and switch to Wi-Fi instead. The card reader does not work over ethernet.

  • Use a computer, not a tablet: The card reader is not compatible with iPads or tablets. You must use a computer.

  • Connection is automatic: Once your Stripe account is connected in AcuBliss and your Stripe terminal is synced to the same account, the reader connects automatically. No manual pairing is needed in most cases.

Mac Users: Allow Chrome to Access the Local Network

On a Mac, your system's privacy settings may be blocking Chrome from communicating with the card reader. This is one of the most common causes of connection failures that otherwise seem unexplained.

To fix it:

  1. Open System Settings on your Mac.

  2. Go to Privacy & Security.

  3. Scroll down to Local Network.

  4. Find Google Chrome in the list and toggle it on.

šŸ’” Customer tip! This fix was shared by one of our users ā€” her IT professional husband tracked it down after Chrome silently blocked local network access on a Mac. If everything else checks out, this is likely your issue.

Browser Blocking the Connection (Certificate Errors)

Your browser can also prevent the reader from connecting due to missing SSL certificate errors. If you're seeing a connection failure and the steps above don't resolve it, follow Stripe's guide for fixing certificate errors with internet readers.

Browser Blocking the Connection (DNS Errors)

Some internet providers and networks use DNS settings that block the address your browser uses to find the card reader on your local network. When that happens, everything looks connected, but the browser can't reach the reader. The fix is to switch your network to a public DNS provider.

Step 1: Confirm it's a DNS issue

  1. On the card reader, swipe left to right to open settings.

  2. Go to Settings > Diagnostics.

  3. Run the diagnostics and look at the DNS resolution test result. If it fails, follow the steps below.

[Screenshot: card reader Diagnostics screen showing the DNS resolution test]

Step 2: Switch to a public DNS provider

Use one of these providers. Enter both addresses where your settings ask for a primary and secondary DNS:

  • Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1

  • Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

šŸ’” Important: Changing DNS settings may require administrator access to your computer or router. If your practice has an IT person, share this section with them.

Option A: Change it on your router (recommended)

Changing the DNS on the Wi-Fi router at your practice fixes it for every computer and reader on that network at once.

  1. Log in to your router's admin page (the address and login are usually on a sticker on the router).

  2. Find the DNS settings, often under Internet, WAN, or Network settings.

  3. Replace the automatic DNS with the two addresses above and save.

  4. Restart the router and the card reader.

Option B: Change it on your Mac

  1. Open System Settings > Wi-Fi.

  2. Click Details next to your connected network.

  3. Select DNS, click +, and add both addresses above.

  4. Click OK, then refresh AcuBliss.

[Screenshot: Mac Wi-Fi Details > DNS with the new addresses added]

Option C: Change it on your Windows computer

  1. Open Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi.

  2. Click your network's properties (on some versions, Hardware properties).

  3. Next to DNS server assignment, click Edit and choose Manual.

  4. Turn on IPv4, enter the first address as Preferred DNS and the second as Alternate DNS, then click Save.

[Screenshot: Windows DNS server assignment with Manual IPv4 settings]

Option D: Change it in your browser

If you can't change your router or computer settings, you can set a secure DNS provider directly in the browser:

  • Google Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Security, turn on Use secure DNS, and select Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (Public DNS).

  • Firefox: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security, scroll to DNS over HTTPS, choose Increased Protection or Max Protection, and select Cloudflare as the provider.

  • Safari: Safari doesn't have this setting, so use Option A or Option B instead.

[Screenshot: Chrome Use secure DNS setting with Cloudflare selected]

If the browser setting alone doesn't fix it, change the DNS on your router as well. For more details, see Stripe's guide for fixing DNS errors.

Re-register the Reader with a New Pairing Code

If the connection still fails after checking all of the above, you can generate a fresh pairing code directly from the reader and re-register it in AcuBliss:

  1. Swipe left to right on the card reader screen to access settings.

  2. Generate a new pairing code.

  3. Enter the PIN when prompted: 07139.

  4. Type the new pairing code into AcuBliss to re-register the reader.

  5. Pro tip: Write the PIN (07139) on the back of your card reader with a white marker so you always have it handy.

Still not connecting? Reach out to our support team and we'll help you get set up. āœØ

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