FAQs – Frequently asked questions

How do i put the scans on my spreadsheet (or other software)?

  1. Download Barcode to PC server
  2. Install and start the server on your computer
  3. Install the app on your smartphone and open it
  4. Now the app should connect automatically to the server, if nothing happens follow the instructions on screen
  5. Once the app is connected open your spreadsheet or whatever software in which you want to scan in, and position
    the cursor wherever you want to scan
  6. Scan your barcodes by tapping the camera icon in the app
  7. Thanks to the Keyboard Emulation, the barcode will be typed in the cursor position

Can i use it without a Wi-Fi connection?

If you don’t have access to a Wi-Fi network, you can always use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, by following this steps:

  1. Enable the Wi-Fi hotspot on your smartphone See how here
  2. Connect your computer to the Wi-Fi hotspot
  3. Add the server manually using the QR Code

Note that Barcode to PC server doesn’t require an internet connection, as matter of fact that it uses the LAN to communicate, thus, in most of the cases it is required only the Wi-Fi network.

What are the supported barcode types?

See the Supported barcode formats list

The app doesn’t find the computer

Make you sure that:

  1. Your computer and your smartphone are connected to the same network.

    It doesn’t matter if your computer has a wired connection as long as it is plugged into the same access point where your smartphone is connected.

  2. Barcode to PC server is in your Antivirus exceptions list. (It’s the most common cause of connection errors)
  3. Your computer is discoverable. See Windows Firewall settings
  4. Both app and server are updated to the latest version.

If you’re still unable to connect, try to pair the app with the QR Code, as explained here

How do i configure the firewall?

You must add the Barcode to PC server executable to the firewall exceptions, and allow the connections for the port 57891 TCP and 5353 UDP.
 
Once you do that, follow the appropriate tutorial for your OS:

Add the server manually

There are two ways to add the server manually.
The first is by using the QR Code:

  1. Open the server
  2. Click Info, and the connect QR Code should appear
  3. Open the app
  4. Open the menu and tap “Select server”
  5. Tap the scan icon [ ] and scan the QR Code displayed on your computer

The second one:

  1. Open the app
  2. Open the menu and tap “Select server”
  3. Tap the “+ ADD SERVER” button and type the IP address of the server

To find your PC’s IP address:

The app shows the “Connection problem” error

The most common cause of this issue is that the firewall and/or antivirus is blocking the communication between the
app and the server. See How do i configure my firewall?

Which port does the server use?

Barcode to PC server runs a WebSocket server on the 57891 TCP port.

If you’re using the smartphone from an external network you need to add the server manually using your public IP address.

The server shows the “Apple Bonjour is missing” error

This means that the installer has failed to install the Apple Bonjour package and this implies that the app may fail to detect the server automatically, and in order to connect the app you may need to add the server manually.
To remove this alert and take advantage of the auto-discovery feature:

  • If you’re on Windows try to install Barcode to PC server again with an administrator account and then reboot your system.
  • If you’re on Linux install avahi.
    To learn more see ZeroConf – Debian Wiki.

Other issues

If you have other issues feel free to contact us at: [email protected]

If you want to report a bug or want to submit a feature request open an issue on GitHub: