This article covers troubleshooting for the Dynamag desktop card swiper. If you're using an eDynamo mobile card swiper, see Why isn't the eDynamo card swiper working? instead.
If your Dynamag card swiper isn't reading cards, won't turn on, or is showing an error, use the steps below to troubleshoot the issue.
Check the indicator light
Your Dynamag's LED tells you its current status:
Solid or flashing green - The swiper is powered on and ready to use.
Red or amber - There's a configuration error. Unplug the swiper, wait five seconds, then plug it back in.
No light - The swiper isn't receiving power. Make sure the USB cable is fully plugged into your computer.
Try basic hardware fixes
Swipe technique - Swipe the card in one smooth, continuous motion. Don't stop or hesitate halfway through.
Card orientation - Make sure the card's magnetic stripe faces the front of the swiper, toward the MagTek logo, and stays fully inserted in the slot during the swipe.
USB port - If your computer doesn't recognize the swiper, plug it into a different USB port. Use a rear port on a desktop computer or a side port on a laptop.
Clean the swiper
If the swiper is failing to read cards frequently, dust may be blocking the internal read head.
To clean your Dynamag card swiper:
Wrap a clean card in a paper towel lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol.
Swipe the wrapped card through the swiper three to four times.