Setting Up Your Rented Check-in Kiosks (Printers + Tablets) from PheedLoop

Welcome to PheedLoop's personal guide to using our rental kiosks. We value the effort you and your team are putting in opening this page and ensuring the printers and tablets are used to their full potential. As part of our appreciation, we want to convey all the important information your team needs to know in this organized guide.

We have divided this guide into six chapters from the beginning when your team receives the kiosks, all the way to the end once your team has finished the event and is ready to return the kiosks. For easier navigation, we will leave a brief summary for each chapter below.

We recommend that your team sets up the kiosk for at least three hours ahead of your event start time. If possible, we recommend working during PheedLoop’s business hours (Monday to Friday 9AM to 5PM EST) for any questions. Setting up in this timeframe allows our PheedLoop staff to respond in a timely manner.

Index

Chapter One - Unpacking Kiosks and Setting Up PheedLoop Printers

This chapter covers what contents in each kiosk as well as the best practices for setting up the printers.

Chapter Two - Inserting Badge Stock Into Your Printer

This chapter covers how to feed both label rolls and direct thermal badges into the printer.

Chapter Three - Setting up your PheedLoop iPads

This chapter covers how to set up your iPads for attendee check-in.

Chapter Four - Testing Your Printer

This chapter covers how to print a badge from the Event Dashboard and PheedLoop OnSite.

Chapter Five - Troubleshooting and Quick Fixes

This chapter covers common issues our customers face and quick fixes for them. We also recommend reviewing our troubleshooting article for additional information.

Chapter Six - Packing Up and Returning Kiosks

The final chapter covers how to best pack up your kiosk and send them back to PheedLoop.

Chapter One - Unpacking Kiosks and Setting Up PheedLoop Printers

Once the kiosks arrive at your location, you can set them down at your designated spot and set up the equipment.

Each kiosk contains the following:

1 Zebra Printer
1 Power Cable for the Zebra Printer
1 USB A to USB B Cable
2 iPads
2 iPad Cases
2 iPad Chargers
2 iPad Stands

If any of these parts are missing, please contact logistics@pheedloop.com so replacements can be shipped to your venue. Please note that the USB A to USB B Cable provided is only required for advanced troubleshooting and is not necessary for printing. It is fine to leave the cable in the kiosk for the duration of your event.

When removing the items in the Kiosk, please keep the return label on hand. The return label is required in order to return the kiosks to PheedLoop. If you misplace the labels at any point, please email logistics@pheedloop.com for a new digital copy. Return labels are prepaid by PheedLoop so your team does not need to cover any expense when handing it off to UPS.

Setting up the Printers

Each kiosk requires a minimum of three power outlets for the printer and the two iPads to charge. We recommend getting a power bar to manage this requirement along with any other devices your booth may need to charge.

Ensure that there is hardwired internet connection available at your location for the printers, and wireless internet for the iPads. PheedLoop printers require a dedicated ethernet cable without any restrictions such as:

Login page
Password
Splash screen
MAC or IP address filtering
Firewall

It is recommended to speak to your venue’s internet technician ahead of the event to ensure the requirements are met and for assistance. The most common cause for connection problems with printers is because the wifi has some restriction set in place. We recommend having the venue’s IT technician on standby for assistance when connecting the printers.

For more information on internet requirements, please review our Understanding Internet Requirements for On-Site Success article.

Once the internet is ready, plug the power cord and the ethernet cable into the printer.

Select the power button to turn on the printer
1. If the internet connection is stable, the printer should automatically connect to the internet.
2. The printer connection light should appear green
From the Event Dashboard, navigate to OnSite > Badges & Printers > Badge Printers
Under the Status column for printers, confirm that the status appears as Online
If the printer is not appearing as Online, refresh the page

If the printer is still appearing as offline, turn the printer on and off again and check the ethernet cables to ensure they are functioning. Consult your venue internet technician to confirm that there are no restrictions set for the wifi.

Now that your printer is online we can begin loading the media into your printer in preparation of a test print.

Chapter Two - Inserting Badge Stock Into Your Printer

This chapter covers how to feed your badge stock into the printer in preparation of a test print. For instructions on how to conduct a test print, please see Chapter Four.

Feeding label rolls to your printer

Pull back the two yellow tabs on the sides of the printer and once you hear a release, pull the top open
Pull the two yellow label holders horizontally in opposite directions of each other
Feed the label roll in between the label holders and let them hold the roll in place
1. Ensure the sticker labels are facing up
2. Use the rolling adjuster to tighten/loosen the label holders.
3. Make sure a bit of the label (1-2 inches) is sticking out of the printer.
Tuck the unrolled labels underneath the two small yellow tabs which will help keep the labels fed through
Feed the labels through the front entrance of the printer so the labels stick out 1-2 inches
Close the top of the printer tightly, you will hear a plastic click when it is properly closed
The printer will display a pause screen, select the pause button to unpause the printer

The printer will now calibrate and feed through the badge to adjust to the proper spot. Once it cuts a badge and remains in an idle position, it is ready to print.

Feeding Direct Thermals Badges to your printer

Pull back the two yellow tabs on the sides of the printer and once you hear a release, pull the top open
Feed the badges through the back opening of the printer
1. Ensure the badge design is facing up and the front design is upright with the back design inverted when feeding the badges into the printer.
Feed the badges underneath the two small tabs which will help keep the labels fed through
Feed the badges through the cutter entrance of the printer so the labels stick out
Close the top of the printer tightly, you will hear a plastic click when it is properly closed
The printer will display a pause screen, select the pause button to unpause the printer

The printer will now begin smart calibration and feed through the badge to adjust to the proper spot.

Chapter Three - Setting up your PheedLoop iPads

The iPads that come with the kiosks will be powered off when they arrive. Turn them on to begin setting them up at your venue.

Turn on the iPads and enter the password included in the kiosk checklist
Navigate to the settings page
Navigate to Wi-Fi
Select the wifi at your venue and enter the password

For more information on internet requirements, please review our Understanding Internet Requirements for On-Site Success article.

Once your iPads are turned on and connected to the wifi, you are ready to use PheedLoop OnSite for your event. We recommend testing the wifi by going to a webpage or playing an online video to confirm there are no issues with connectivity. Once done, you can proceed with connecting the iPads to PheedLoop OnSite.

From the Ipad home screen, navigate to the PheedLoop OnSite app
From the app, enter your event code or the custom URL extension for your event
1. The Event Code can be found in the Event Dashboard by navigating to General > Details under Event Code and Custom URL Extension respectively.
Select Go
Login with a team member’s or staff member’s login credentials
Select Login to OnSite

If the login receives an authentication error, please ensure you are added as a staff member in the Event Dashboard. For more instructions on how to use PheedLoop OnSite for Attendee check-ins and badge printing, please review our Setting Up Your OnSite Check-in iPads and Customizing the Attendee Check-in Experience article.

Chapter Four - Testing Your Printer

Before starting your event, we recommend doing a test print to ensure everything is functioning correctly. It is important that the following checks are accounted for your printer:

You have media in the printer itself with at least an inch of the badge sticking out
Your printer is turned on and not in the paused state
Your printer is connected to the internet

Once everything is accounted for, you can now print attendee badges from the Event Dashboard and PheedLoop OnSite. We recommend printing once in the Event Dashboard to confirm the printer works and once in PheedLoop OnSite to ensure the app is connected to the printer.

Printing Badges from the Event Dashboard

From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Attendees > Attendees
Select the attendee you wish to print
1. You are able to print up to a maximum of 50 attendee badges at once.
Above the Attendees table, select Actions > Print Badge
Under Select Printer, select one of the printers you wish to print from
Under Select Template, select the template you wish to print the Attendee information to
1. If you do not have your Badge Label Template set up and would like to learn more, please review our Setting Up Your Badge Label Template for On-site Badge Printing article for more information.
Toggle on the Check In checkbox to check in the attendee along with printing their badge
Select Print

Printing Badges from PheedLoop OnSite

From the iPad’s App Library, open PheedLoop OnSite
Enter the Event Code
1. The Event Code can be found under General > Details
Enter your login information
From the PheedLoop OnSite app, login with a team member or staff member account
Navigate to Check In
Select the gear icon at the top right corner to access the settings
Under Printers, select the printer you wish to restrict printing from
Under Templates, select the template you wish for the printer to use during printing
From the Home Screen, select Search and enter the name of an attendee
1. Alternatively, you can select Scan and present the eBadge of an attendee from the PheedLoop Go! App.
Select the Attendee from the list
Select Yes

Please note, we recommend reviewing our Setting Up Your OnSite Check-in Tablets and Customizing the Attendee Check-in Experience article for more information.

Printing Badges from OnSite Kiosk

Alternatively, you may use the OnSite Kiosk browser if you do not wish to use the included iPads.

From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Event Portals > OnSite Kiosk
Login to OnSite with a team member’s account
Select the gear icon at the top right corner to access the settings
Under Printers, select the printer you wish to restrict printing from
Under Templates, select the template you wish for the printer to use during printing
From the Home Screen, select Search and enter the name of an attendee
1. Alternatively, you can select Scan and present the eBadge of an attendee from the PheedLoop Go! App.
Select the Attendee from the list
Select Yes

Resetting the Badge Print Status from the Event Dashboard

Once the badge has been printed, the Badge Printed column in the Event Dashboard will change from a No to a Yes. The Badge Printed column can be found by navigating to Attendees > Attendees. There is no issue with leaving the Badge Printed status as Yes. The only difference will appear in the OnSite portal which will display a confirmation message asking if the attendee wishes to reprint the badge.

If it is preferable, the Badge Printed status can be resetted in the Event Dashboard.

From the Event Dashboard, navigate to Attendees > Attendees
Select the checkbox of the Attendee you wish to reset
Above the Attendees table, select Actions > Reset Badge Print Status

The status will now be reset and displayed as No instead of Yes under the Badge Printed column.

Chapter Five - Troubleshooting and Quick Fixes

This chapter covers common issues our customers face when using our kiosks. We recommend reading this chapter if you are facing any issues while printing.

Common Causes for Issues

Ensuring cords are properly connected to the printer

If the printer is appearing as offline in the Event Dashboard, ensure the ethernet cable at the back of the printer is properly connected. The cord should snap into place when inserting into the printer. Squeeze the clip down and pull out the cord before plugging it back in. Do not yank out the cord as that may damage the connector on the Printer. PheedLoop will charge for any damages to printers.

If the issue persists and the venue technician has checked that the wifi is properly set up, swap the ethernet cable with a replacement. Sometimes the ethernet cable simply does not work and replacing it will resolve the issue. In most cases, the issue stems from the ethernet cable being broken or some sort of protection still remains in the venue’s wifi.

Tripping over the Ethernet or Power Cables

A common issue that event staff run into is someone unintentionally kicking the cord resulting in the printers being disconnected. If the printers are disconnected the app will need to be refreshed in order for the connection to be restored. The Event Dashboard will need to be refreshed as well if printing from there. To avoid this issue, we recommend securing the cords to the floor with duct tape or a floor guard so that attendees and staff can walk past them without issue.

Ensuring iPads are connected to the Internet

When using the iPads, ensure that they are connected to the strongest wifi at your venue or to PheedLoop’s hotspot if the Portable Internet Station is included. If the iPads have a poor connection to wifi, delays can appear in app loading times and selecting attendees to print. Please note, the printers and iPads do not need to be connected to the same wifi to function.

Quick Fixes

If your printers are experiencing issues, we recommend trying the following to resolve them.

Refreshing the Event Dashboard and/or PheedLoop OnSite

If the printer is appearing as offline in the Event Dashboard or is not responding, refresh the Event Dashboard. Once the page has reloaded, conduct a test print to ensure everything is working properly.

If you are using PheedLoop OnSite, you may need to refresh the app as well in order for the printers to be connected successfully.

Matching the Serial Number in the Event Dashboard with the Printer

While incredibly rare, it is possible that the printer on hand does not match with the serial number in the Event Dashboard. If this is the case, then the printer will not be able to connect with the Event Dashboard or OnSite Kiosk.

Flip over your printer and you will notice a sticker as shown below, and take note of your printer's "Serial No." (in this case, "D9N223901538"). Please note, you can also find the serial number by selecting Printer Info and reading the serial number of the Printer row from your printer’s touchscreen. This is ideal if moving the printer is ill-advised.

If the serial number does not match, edit the serial number in the Event Dashboard.

From the Event Dashboard, navigate to OnSite > Badge Printers
Select the printer with the incorrect serial number
Under the Serial Number field, enter the serial number as shown in your printer
Select Save Changes
Once the change has been saved, refresh the page

The printer should now appear online under the status column. We recommend conducting a test print to confirm everything is functioning properly.

Restarting the Printers

If the printers are not behaving as expected, we recommend restarting the printer. Hold the power button until the printer powers off and press the power button again to turn it on. Afterwards, recalibrate the printer and conduct another test print to confirm everything is functioning as intended.

Swapping Ethernet Cables

If the printer is appearing as offline despite being connected to the ethernet cable, swap out the ethernet cable to confirm if that is the cause of the problem.

Isolating the Issue to One Printer

Determine if the issue is only occurring in one printer. If the issue is only affecting printers in one area then the location may be affecting the printer. For example, If printers at one entrance of the venue don’t work but printers in other areas do, that might mean the ethernet cable in the affected area does not work.

If you are still experiencing issues, please review our dedicated troubleshooting article. If the article does not apply to your problem, please contact logistics@pheedloop.com for further assistance.

Chapter Six - Packing Up and Returning Kiosks

The final chapter in this article covers how to pack kiosks and return them via UPS. Once the rental period has expired, you are now ready to return the kiosks to PheedLoop. If you would like to extend your rental period, please contact logistics@pheedloop.com for assistance.

Please note, when unplugging the ethernet cable on your printers, it is important to squeeze the clasp as you pull out. Forcing the cord out can damage the printer’s ethernet connector outlet, causing the cable to slide out easily. If this part is damaged, PheedLoop will need to repair the printer and will charge for any damages.

Packing Kiosks

By default, we place the printer on the right side of the case facing you when opening. The stands, iPads and accompanying cables should be placed on the left side of the case.

On the left side of the case, from top to bottom, you'll want to put stands, printer cables, and the iPad chargers in the openings of the foam. The iPad stands can be stacked on top of each other and placed in the top left opening. Please ensure that the printer cable is disconnected, meaning the outlet plug and box are separated, before putting them in the case.

To save some space, we recommend rolling up the cables so that the cables are secure and do not move around during shipping.

Please note that the stands should be facing away from the printer so as to avoid hitting it during shipping.

Once that's done, place the iPads on top of the cables.

On the right side of the case, you can place the printer on the large opening of the foam. Please ensure none of the items are touching the printer to avoid damage.

If returning multiple kiosks, please avoid mixing parts in different cases unless instructed otherwise from PheedLoop staff.

Returning Kiosks

Once all of the kiosks have been packed, they are now ready to be returned to PheedLoop. Take the shipping label stored within the kiosk and stick it on the outside of the kiosk. All shipping labels are prepaid, meaning your organization does not need to pay any return fees.

Contact your local UPS store to arrange pick up, once all kiosks have been sent your team has successfully performed all obligations in handling the kiosks.

Thank you for choosing our services! We truly appreciate your business and the trust you have placed in us.

We hope you had a positive experience and look forward to the opportunity to serve you again in the future. If you have any feedback or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to logistics@pheedloop.com.