Local integration

Integrate your ECR · task 3 of 8

This section takes your test terminal online, connected to AIC, and you have made a test payment in AIC's built-in ECR simulator, before you write any code.

You'll need everything from Get your test kit: the test terminal with its connector cable, power supply and Ethernet cable, a test card, the merchant password for the terminal menu, and the AIC package. Never use production cards on a test terminal.

Stage 1: Connect terminal to AIC.

Step 1: Open your office firewall

Your test terminal must be able to reach Aera.

See Network requirements for the address of each environment.

For a test terminal, you need the test transaction gateway, and your AIC computer on TCP 8001 (you open this port in Step 3: Open the AIC ports).

Open the addresses and ports in Traffic from the terminal on Network requirements. Allow the hostnames, not IP addresses: the IP addresses behind them change without notice.

Check: the terminal needs DNS servers. If your network uses DHCP, make sure the DHCP server also hands out DNS servers. See DNS.

Step 2: Install AIC in Development mode

Install AIC in Development mode, so AIC also starts the ECR simulator you use in step 6. Follow the guide Install on-premise AIC, then come back here.

You should see: a log folder in the AIC folder, with a log file for today named AIC_<hostname>_<environment>_YYYYMMDD.log. On the AIC computer, http://localhost:8002 opens the ECR simulator.

Didn't work?

• The simulator doesn't open: AIC isn't running in Development mode. On Windows, run install-service.bat again and choose Development. If you start AIC yourself, add --environment=Development.
• Look in the newest log file in the log folder.

You switch to Production mode before release. See Prepare your release.

Step 3: Open the AIC ports

AIC listens on two TCP ports:

Allow incoming traffic on both ports in the AIC computer's firewall, but only from your own terminals and ECRs.

You should see: you check port 8001 in Step 5: Connect the terminal to AIC (the terminal shows ECR connected) and port 8002 in Step 6: Make a test payment in the ECR simulator (the simulator opens from another computer).

Step 4: Get the terminal online

1. Plug the cable's HDMI connector into the back of the terminal.
2. Plug the cable's Ethernet end into your network outlet or router.
3. Plug the cable's power end into power. The terminal starts like an Android device.
4. Start the Aera Payment App (APA) by tapping the app with the Aera logo. You may need to swipe left to find it.

The app shows the idle screen. The terminal uses DHCP by default, so it gets an IP address from your router and goes online.

Check that the terminal is online:

1. Open the menu: press 0 and . together, or tap Menu on the idle screen.
2. Select Merchant, enter the merchant password and select Network information.

You should see: an IP address for the terminal.

Didn't work?

• No IP address: check that the Ethernet end of the cable is in your network outlet or router, and that the router gives out IP addresses (DHCP). The router must also give out DNS server addresses (see Step 1: Open your office firewall).

Step 5: Connect the terminal to AIC

1. Find the IP address of the computer running AIC. On Windows, open Command Prompt and type ipconfig.
2. On the terminal, open the menu: press 0 and . together. Select Merchant, enter the merchant password, and select Network information, then ECR IP.
3. Enter the AIC computer's IP address.
4. Go back to the idle screen. The terminal now connects to AIC.
5. Swipe down from the top of the screen.

You should see: "ECR connected".

Didn't work?

• If it shows an IP address instead, check that the address is correct. Tap Exit on the idle screen and start the app again.
• If the address is correct, check that the AIC computer's firewall allows TCP port 8001 (Step 3: Open the AIC ports).

Step 6: Make a test payment in the ECR simulator

No code needed yet.

1. Open http://<AIC computer IP>:8002 in a browser. On the same computer, use http://localhost:8002.
2. Use the simulator to log in and make a test payment.
3. Tap a test card on the terminal when it asks for a card.

You should see: the terminal asks for a card when you start the payment.

Didn't work?

• The simulator doesn't open on the AIC computer: AIC isn't in Development mode. Go back to Step 2: Install AIC in Development mode.
• The simulator opens on the AIC computer but not from another computer: check that the firewall allows TCP port 8002 (Step 3: Open the AIC ports).
• The terminal doesn't react: swipe down on the terminal and check that it still shows ECR connected (Step 5: Connect the terminal to AIC).

It works? Now do the same from your own code in the next task.

Good to know

• Your test terminal is connected to Aera's test environment. Aera uses it for development and testing, and it has no SLA: Aera can't guarantee that it is always available and stable. See Test environments.
• Not every menu item is implemented yet. If nothing happens when you select an item, that function isn't available.
• AIC settings, logs and other setups (store server, IP over USB, production) are described in Local integration.