9 Common Mistakes Committed in Ingress, Avoid Them for A Successful Installation.

Sunday, February 28, 2016 TimeTec 2 Comments


Introduction

Ingress is an integrated access control management software that is running on MySQL or MS Access database platforms, totally different platforms but recent and better platforms as compared to the Visual FoxPro of TCMS V2. Ingress provides elaborate access control features and it comes with amazing time attendance functions consolidated in a single unified system with more focus on user-friendliness. With the various functions that our Ingress software is capable of and the new look and feel of the software, misssteps when setting up any tabs could happen and hence, jeopardizing the whole system.

Benefit

Go through this list of common issues users often encounter and compare them with what you are doing. When you follow them right, Ingress will be up and running in no time and you’ll find more treasures in Ingress than you ever thought available.

Connection Issues
Question 1:
When I start my Ingress, I encounter “Unable to connect to Server” error.
Solution :
Have you run the DB installer? This error appears because the connection between Ingress and MySQL server has been broken, probably due to network change. To re-establish the connection between Ingress and MySQL, you need to run the DB installer.

Important Note: The DB installer must be re-initiated after the following changes:
            i)                    Change of range in the network IP.
ii)                   Ingress updated to a newer version.
iii)                 After DB restoration.
 
 
 
Question 2:
I can’t seem to establish a connection from Ingress Client to Ingress Server. What could be wrong?
Solutions: 
You need to make sure that you have done these three crucial settings.
1) Enable ports in the Windows Firewall.  Port 3000 (Ingress) and port 3306
     (MySQL)
2) DO NOT enable the Strict Mode. Look at the diagram below, don’t check on the box
     “Enable Strict Mode”.
 
 
3)  “Enable root access from remote machine” option must be selected. Check that
       select box before you proceed.
 
 
For more info regarding the connection between the Ingress Client and Ingress Server, refer to the link HERE.

Backup & Restore Issues

Question 3:

Restoration of the DB usually takes a very long time, sometimes up to a few hours. How can I speed up the restoration process?
Solution:
Have you downloaded SQL Manager software? This is a useful tool to use during data restoration because Ingress reads the database line by line to minimize error, whereas the SQL Manager reads the database by batch. By using SQL Manager, restoration time can be minimized. For a step-by-step guide to backup and restore Ingress DB, click on the link HERE.
 
Monitoring
Question 4:
Each time I restart my Ingress Server, my Monitoring page does not show any records unless I restart the services manually.
Solution:
You need to set the services to Auto Restart. You can set the services to Auto Restart each time the service stopped. Go to Services > Ingress Service > Right Click > Properties > Recovery > Change to Restart the Service.
 
Repeat the steps for Attendance Service as well as MySQL Service.
 
Question 5:
I couldn’t find any monitoring data and audit list appearing in Monitoring Tab. Help!
Solution:
You need to assign the terminal(s) to a door. After adding the standalone terminal in Devices, please make sure that you add the terminal in Doors in order to get the Door/Zone or Real-time monitoring. Otherwise, you will only be able to see the transactions in the log list. Follow the steps in the link HERE below on what you should do to use Ingress Software solely for attendance.
 
Assigning Leave & Roster for Specific User
Question 6:
I don’t know how to Assign Leave to users?
Solution:
Before you can proceed to assign leave to users, you will first need to create the leave type at Attendance Tab > Leave Type.
 

Proceed to User Duty Planner to assign leave to each user by following the steps below.
             i)   Scroll to find the User ID
            ii)   Double click (you can click any column as long as it’s on the same row with the
                   User ID) > Edit > Right Click on the date that you want to assign the leave
                   to.

 
            iii)   Select Leave Type and click OK > Save
 

Question 7:
How to change Shift for a user without affecting the rest of the users in the same group?
Solution:  
Is the user being assigned to a group duty roster? Go to User Duty Planner > Scroll to find the User ID > Double click (you can click any column as long as it’s on the same row with the User ID) > Edit > Right Click on the date that you want to change the shift > Select Schedule > OK > Save
 
Scheduling
Question 8:  
What is Range? Have I been using it wrongly?
Solution:
Go to Clocking Range tab. Range is to determine the maximum time that one slot could record before it is considered as the time for the corresponding slot. By default, if this time slots are left empty, Ingress will take the midpoint of two clocking columns as results. In doubt, leave range alone until you understand how it works.  
 
 
Reporting
Question 9: 
Report Scheduler not working accordingly.
Solution:
If the report scheduler is not sending out report automatically, check on these 3 following things.

1) Whether the service has been started and running?
 
 
2) Set up the SMTP Email Setting in Ingress. Go to System Setting> Email
 
3) You need to set up the report scheduler accordingly and make sure that the enable box
     is checked.
 
 

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Smooth Troubleshooting Date/Time Change in FingerTec Terminals to Ensure Accurate Data Accumulation

Thursday, February 25, 2016 TimeTec 2 Comments


Introduction

These tips are to assist users to determine the root cause of the time change issue on the terminals so that they  will know how to tackle the situation effectively.

Since it is related to the users’ attendance data, an inaccurate time and date in the devices needs to be solved at the soonest. This is because if the time and date shown on the screen is incorrect, users willl encounter faulty attendance recording as the r transactions operates based on the time set in the respective device.

Benefits

This troubleshooting tips will:
-   Ease the user to determine the cause of this issue, whether it is a setting issue, or a
    faulty hardware.
-   Save the troubleshooting time. If it is setting issue, users may directly check the setting
     via their Software. If it is hardware issue, user can directly check the physical
     device.

Process

There are 3 possibilities that can cause the date and time to change in the terminals. Kindly refer to the checklist below.

1)   CMOS battery is weak. If you encounter the time changes to 00:00 after restarting the
       terminal, there is a possibility that the CMOS’s battery is weak. You can replace
       a new CMOS battery in this scenario.
 In other cases, if you set in the software to automatically synchronize the PC time and
 date into the device, you need to check the PC’s time and date, if the PC time and date
  is incorrect, you need to change new a CMOS battery for the PC.

  You can get the CMOS Battery in the electronic shop nearest you. The CMOS battery
   code is CR1220 - 3 volt.
 
 
2)   The terminal is connected to Webster/Webserver. Terminal time will change based on
       the time zone of the server. You need to check back the server and the configuration,
       whether the terminal is connected to any Webster/Webserver. You will also need to
       check the time zone setting in the software (Webster/Webserver/TimeTec TA).
 


 
3)   Faulty Timer Crystal. A MCU board consists of a crystal component, which controls the
 time displayed in the terminal. If the crystal component is faulty, you need to
 change  the MCU board. Normally if these component is faulty, you will see that the
 time on the terminal is delayed or faster from the original time that you have
 configured. If your device is still under warranty, you can claim the warranty for the
 faulty MCU board at http://warranty.fingertec.com.

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Understand How To Troubleshoot Connection Error When Using TCP/IP

Thursday, February 25, 2016 TimeTec 87 Comments


Introduction

FingerTec software is specifically designed to centralize, store and manage all data extracted from FingerTec terminals to create an easily managed and networked attendance solution. There are several ways to connect to FingerTec terminals, including TCP/IP, USB and Serial Port (RS485 or RS232), where TCP/IP is the most commonly used connection type due to its stability.

Benefits

Adhering to the steps below, you can learn how the device communicates with the software and how it will inevitably shortened your troubleshooting time.

Solution

You may encounter these error messages in the software if there is no connection between the device and the software.

 

Troubleshooting Steps:
1.       Ping the IP Address
            -  Use Windows Command Prompt to ping the Device’s IP Address.
                  -  Type ping<space><ip address of the device><space>-t, then press Enter.

You will get this reply if the connection is up and running:
 
And this if there is no connection, you will get this message, as shown below:
 2.       Check IP Address,  Gateway, Subnet Mask setting on Device
             -   Make sure the IP Address, Subnet mask and the Gateway setting in the
                  FingerTec device tallies with the Local Network.           
             -   You can check your network information by using Command Prompt > type
                  ipconfig > press Enter button, or refer to your IT personnel who’s in charge of
                  the office’s network setting.
 
 3.       Check COM Key and Ethernet setting on Device
            -   If you can ping the Device’s IP Address, but still unable connect to the software,
                 you may checkup the COM Key and Ethernet (for Black and White screen model
                 only) setting in the device.
            -   The use of Com Key is to avoid any unauthorized person to use another copy of
                 TCMS v2 or BioBridge SDK to connect to FingerTec Device to carry out any
                 operation.
            -   The connection will fail if there is a mismatch of Com Key in the terminal and in
                 the software.
           -    Also you can set the COM  Key at :
                 ·         Black and White screen Device:
                             Press Menu > Option > Comm Option > COM
                 ·         Colour Screen Device
                             Press Menu > Com option > TCPIP / Security > Password
           -   For Black and White Device such as R2 and Kadex, there is a function called
               Ethernet which can be turned off to disable the TCP/IP connection. You can check
               it at Menu > Option > Comm Option > Ethernet. Make sure the Ethernet is set Y to
               enable the TCP/IP function.
 
4.       Check network cable and network switch.
           -   You can check the LED status on the router or network switch.  If the port’s LED
               that you have connected the device to has no light, it means that there is a
               faulty part, which could be the devices’ hardware or the network cable (CAT5/
               CAT6). Proceed by trying to swap the network cable with a working one to see if
               you are able to establish a connection. If it still fails, please move on to the next s
               step.
 
5.       Change device’s part
           -   The parts that interferes with the network communication function of a FingerTec
               devices is either the oreboard or the MCU Board.
           -   Coreboard is where the Network IC and Network Chip is located at. Usually if
                there is a lightning strike, or power surge, these components will
                be damaged.
           -   MCU Board is where the Network Port is located. If there is any physical damage
                on the network port, it will affect the Network communication.
            -   Kindly claim the faulty part at http://warranty.fingertec.com , if valid.

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Easily Resolve OLE Error when downloading data into TCMS v2.2.027 to Correct Download Process

Thursday, February 25, 2016 TimeTec 2 Comments


Introduction
Recently, there have been multiple cases where users encountered an error while downloading data from terminals into TCMS v2.2.027. This is identified as the “OLE error” where the software is not able to read and retrieve the data due to incompatibility of the BioBridge SDK that is bundled with TCMS v2 software.

Benefits
By adhering to these tips, users will be able to clarify and solve the OLE error when downloading clocking data from FingerTec terminals.

Process

To resolve your issue, kindly follow these steps:
1) Close TCMS v2 software
2) Download the latest ft.exe file from HERE.
3) Rename the downloaded file to "ft.exe" (remove all the numbers in the file name, and
     leave it as ft.exe or ft depending on your PC's setting).
4) Copy the above file, and paste it in TCMS v2 folder (Local Disk C > Program Files (x86) >
     FingerTec Worldwide > TCMSv2) to replace the existing ft.exe file.
5) Download SDK Installer from this HERE.
6) Unzip the downloaded file and run the installer accordingly. Please note that there are 2
     files in this folder, kindly select the one with .exe format.
7) Restart PC
8) The OLE error will not re-appear once you relaunch the TCMSv2 Software.

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Turning On Group Verify Type for Face ID 4 series terminal for Better Authenticity of Attendance Recording

Thursday, February 25, 2016 TimeTec 0 Comments


Introduction

Most of the FingerTec terminals come with multiple verification method, such as card verification, password verification, fingerprint verification or face verification. The credentials of the users is very important - The credentials of the users are very important. Either verification for time attendance or door access, each user will have their own identification credentials, where it can only be verified by the user alone. However, there are cases where access card or password is being shared among users, which leads to the issue of buddy- punching.

Benefits

Group verify type function will give the administrator an option to perform verification using combination of credentials. Combination of different credentials will give the administrator an advantage, to make sure that users access to a door or record their attendance truthfully, without cheating. Cases such as stolen cards or leaked passwords can be prevented if this feature is activated, where users need to verify their different credentials, in order for the log to be recorded, or to release the door lock.

Process:

1.  To turn on this feature for Face ID 4, kindly download the tool from HERE.
      Run the tool and insert the terminal IP address and click at the "Connect" button.


2.   The tool will list out the terminal information. Please check the terminal information
       shown on the screen, and make sure that the information belongs to the terminal
       that you want to update. Click the “Update” button if confirmed.


3.   The tool will prompt a message if the setting successfully updated.


4.   Please restart the terminal by clicking the “Restart” button.

 
5.   You will see the Group Verify Type configuration at Menu > Systems > Log Settings >
       Default Authority in the Face ID 4/Face ID 4d terminal.

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