Troubleshooting login at devices

“Help! I’m PaperCut administrator and users are reporting that they are unable to log into copiers/MFPs with their ID card or badge (swipe card authentication). How should I go about troubleshooting this?”

This article covers common troubleshooting steps for users logging in on devices , also known as copiers or multifunction devices (MFDs).

For the quickest help, we recommend reaching out to your PaperCut Partner. They’re the experts when it comes to integrating PaperCut MF with third-party hardware. You can find their contact details by logging into your PaperCut Admin console and navigating to the Help tab under Support Info.

For device connectivity issues and general MF Embedded troubleshooting, head over to Troubleshooting PaperCut MF Embedded Devices .

For card reader specifics, have a look at Card/ID Number and Card Reader FAQ .

“Invalid Authentication” error

This error message pops up on the photocopier screen when a user tries to authenticate after swiping their card. Let’s dive into a few questions to pinpoint the issue.

• Try logging in with username and password: As a test have the user try logging in without a card using their username and password.
  • If that failed: If only one user is affected, it’s possible the user doesn’t exist in PaperCut MF or there’s a broader problem with authenticating users with the Sync Source (like Active Directory or G-Suite). Try having the user can log into the PaperCut user web interface. See our guides: Troubleshooting Active Directory Authentication / AD login issues and Troubleshooting User/Group Sync for the next steps.
  • If that worked: this points to an issue with the card reader or the user’s card ID number in PaperCut. Continue the checks below.
• Double check the user’s Card/ID and Pin: Especially if only one user is affected, their account may be misconfigured with the wrong card number in PaperCut MF. To check, log into the PaperCut Admin console, head to the Users tab, select the username, and confirm their details (including their password and PIN ID).
• Test the card and reader: If the user’s details look good in the PaperCut MF admin console but the issue persists then the card reader might not be configured correctly. If the card reader supports it, plug it into a computer and open a text editor, like Notepad. Then swipe the card, and you should see the numbers it generates. If needed, reach out to your PaperCut partner who supplied the card readers for further troubleshooting.
• Check the logs: Log into the PaperCut Admin console and navigate to the Logs tab, then to Application Logs. This is a great spot to identify any errors that pop up when a user tries to authenticate.

Unknown card/ID number

If you see “Unknown card/ID number” in the Application Log (Logs > Application Log), it means the card isn’t linked to a user in the Users tab. Use the Quick Find filter under Users to check.

If the card number looks strange (like extra zeros: 00001234 instead of 1234), see our guide: Card/ID Number and Card Reader FAQ for help on converting formats (e.g., Hex to Decimal).

Invalid pin number

This means PaperCut doesn’t recognize the user’s PIN. You can reset it by going to the Users tab in the Admin console, selecting the user, and re-entering the PIN under Card/ID PIN.

Users can also change their own PIN if the admin enables it under Options > General (tick “Allow users to change their card/ID PIN”). For instructions, check out our guide: User Card/ID Self-Management .

Check the Application Log for any related errors.

Nothing happens when card is swiped

What if the swipe card beeps, indicating it’s receiving data, but the MFD interface doesn’t respond? Let’s cover some basic checks and troubleshooting steps.

• Try logging in with just the username and password: If that fails, it could indicate that the user’s account is disabled or that their credentials have expired. If authentication only fails for domain-joined user accounts, check out our guide on Troubleshooting Active Directory Authentication .
• Power cycle the card reader: by unplugging it and plugging it back in.
• Make sure Swipe Card authentication is enabled: Ensure that the card self-association feature is enabled. This allows users to link their card with their account without needing admin assistance. For more details, check out this knowledge base article: Authentication Methods .
  
• Verify the embedded app version and card reader compatibility: Are you using the correct version for your setup? Your PaperCut Partner can help determine if your card reader model is supported for the specific device.
• Check the card reader firmware: Ensure the card reader is using the recommended firmware version.
• Try Client Mode (RFIDeas 241 only): If your card reader is an RFIDeas 241, try configuring it for Client Mode instead of Generic Mode for the best results. This option was added in PaperCut version 17.2.3 and can enhance communication stability on flaky or unstable networks. For more information, see our Network Card Reader Technical Overview .
• If the problem started following an update: While we wouldn’t expect that to happen, we want to know if it does so we can assist with troubleshooting.