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Credit Card and Check Readers FAQ

Jennifer Frazier
Modified on: Tue, 28 Jul, 2020 at 4:49 PM

What check and credit card readers does Forte support?

Click here to view, price, and/or purchase a Forte-supported check and/or card reader.

Where can I find drivers for the USB MagTek reader?

Click here to download the necessary drivers for USB MagTek readers. The MagTek USB driver is necessary to use the APTM USB, CAPS4USB, IntelliPINUSB, MiniMICRUSB, or MICRImageUSB models with a Windows operating system. These devices can be installed on the same PC if required. After you unzip the files to a folder on your hard disk, attach the device to the PC. To install the reader on a 32-bit system, select the USB-332 folder; to install them on a 64-bit system, select the USB-64 folder.

Where can I find the MagTek Configuration Tool with Device Loads?

Click here to download the MagTek MICR Configuration Tool with Device Loads. MICR readers can be configured using the MICRbase program. Included as part of the download are commonly used device loads for supported MagTek products.

How can I reconfigure my MagTek credit card swipe reader to factory default settings?

To reconfigure your Magtek credit card swiper (Model #21040107 and #21040145) to factory defaults, complete the following steps:

  1. Disconnect the Magtek swipe reader from the computer's USB port.
  2. Click the link to download USB Swipe and Insert Reader from MagTek's website.
  3. Run the Setup Wizard to install the downloaded program. The installation of source code is not required.
  4. From the Start (All Programs) menu, navigate to the MagTek folder and click on MagTekUSBMSRDemo. 
  5. Connect the MagtTek swipe reader to an available USB port on the computer. At the bottom of the USB MSR program window, a status message will be displayed that the reader has been connected. 
  6. From the File menu, select Open. 
  7. From the Open dialog box, double click on the following command file: "Change to Keyboard.txt."
  8. In the yellow "Load From File" section, click the Download button. This will execute the commands in the file and reset your MagTek credit card swipe reader to keyboard emulation mode. Results will be displayed in the Communications Dialog text box. 
  9. From the peach "Send Message (Hex)" section to the right of the SendMsg button, enter the following text: 01 04 63.*
  10. Click the SendMsg button. Results will be displayed in the Communication Dialog text box.
  11. From the peach "Send Message (Hex)" section to the right of the SendMsg button, enter the following text: 01 05 0D.*
  12. Click the SendMsg button. Results will be displayed in the Communication Dialog text box. 
  13. Upon execution of the steps above, disconnect the MagTek swipe reader from the computer's USB port.
  14. Wait 30 seconds and reconnect the MagTek swipe reader to the computer's USB port. At the bottom of the USB MSR program window, a status message will be displayed that the credit card reader emulating a keyboard has been connected.
  15. Close the MagTek USB MSR application. 

*Readers purchased by Acclivity/MYOB merchants will use the following messages in lieu of those detailed in steps 9 and 11:

  • Step 9: Use the following text: 01 04 73.
  • Step 11: Use the following text: 01 05 09.

Refer to the Readme.txt for additional information on the Magtek USB MSR application.

How do I program my MagTek Reader (#22533003)?

  1. Right click on the following link to download the device load to your desktop: https://www.paymentsgateway.net/code/Micr.zip.
  2. From the context menu, choose Save target as and specify to save the file to the desktop using the default file name Micro/zip.
  3. Using an industry-standard zip/unzip tool, preferable WinZip, extract 22533001.mic (not PN22533001.mic).
  4. Click on the following link to download the MicrBase application from MagTek's website: http://www.magtek.com/support/software/downloads/sw/99510075.exe. 
  5. Choose to Save the file to your desktop, double click 95510075. This icon has a red background with white letters. From the next dialog box choose Unzip and the files will be extracted to the MICRBASE folder on the desktop. Click OK on the confirmation dialog box to continue and then click Close.
  6. Move the 22533001.mic file from the desktop to the MICRBASE folder also on the desktop.
  7. Open the MICRBASE folder and double click on the MICRBASE.exe application. This icon has a gray background with red letters. From the File menu choose Open, double click on the 22533001.mic file, and a Configure dialog box displays.
  8. Click on the Com Setup button.
  9. Click on Auto Detect RS232 Parameters and upon completion, the status indicator will display the following message: "MICR Detected." Click the Test button and the status indicator will display the following message: "Communication test passed."
  10. Click OK.
  11. Click DOWNload Configuration to MICR from the Configure dialog box. Once complete, click OK and close the MICRbase application. 
  12. As a sanity check, Forte recommends logging into the Virtual Terminal and attempting to swipe a credit card or check using the reader.

How do I install the MagTek Excella device?

  1. Download the excella.zip file: https://www.paymentsgateway.net/code/excella.zip.
  2. Install the file by double clicking on the setup-204.exe file.
  3. Plug in the Excella power and USB cords.                        
  4. Select Search for a suitable driver for my device when the Found New Hardware wizard displays.
  5. Browse to Excella.inf                        
  6. Browse to the Excella Installation folder (i.e., C:\Program Files\MagTek\Excella Demo) and double click on ExcellaUSBConfig.exe.
  7. Apply the following settings to your device:
    • Excella Device(s) in MICRDEV.INI file: Excella_USB
    • IP Address (PC Side): 192.168.99.5
    • IP Address (Device Side): 192.168.99.100
    • Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
  8. Restart your system.
  9. Verify settings by going to the micrdev.inifile located here:
    • C:\WINNT for Windows 2000/98
    • C:\WINNT for XP
  10. The file should look like the following:
    [DEVICE 1]
    Name=EXCELLA_ETHER
Transport=ETHERNET
ConnectionString=192.168.10.100
SimulatorFile=c:\program files\magtek\Excella Demo\Script\Device1.ini
ScriptFile=c:\program files\magtek\Excella Demo\Script\Script1.ini
    [DEVICE 2]
    Device=Excella
Name=EXCELLA_USB
Transport=ETHERNET
ConnectionString=192.168.99.100
SimulatorFile=c:\program files\magtek\Excella Demo\Script\Device1.ini
ScriptFile=c:\program files\magtek\Excella Demo\Script\Script1.ini

    *Verify the ConnectionString contains the correct IP Address(es); if ok, restart the computer.

  11. Open Direct Billing v3.51 or higher.
  12. Click the ARC Entry icon (to the right of the calendar icon).
  13. Click the Connect to Image icon in the ARC Check Entry window and then the process icon.

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