Before you start
You need three things:
- The machine, plugged into power, sitting where members will use it.
- A network cable running from the machine to your internet router.
- About fifteen minutes.
You do not need a computer, any software from the machine's box, or help from your internet provider.
Get the machine on the internet
Press the Menu key on the machine. On most machines this is the key marked M/OK.
MenuComm.EthernetDHCP: ON
Wait a few seconds. The screen should show an IP address — a set of numbers like 192.168.1.45.
On the same screen, look at the line called DNS. If it shows 0.0.0.0 or is empty, change it to 8.8.8.8 — the machine needs it to find Aeren on the internet. If the machine will not let you change it, contact us.
Find the serial number
Every machine has its own serial number. It is usually printed on a sticker on the back, next to the letters S/N.
If you cannot find the sticker, the machine will tell you:
MenuSystem InfoDevice Info
Write it down exactly as it appears, including any letters. You will need it in the next step.
Add the machine in Aeren
Open Aeren on your computer or phone and go to:
MachinesAdd machine
On a phone, Machines is under More.
- Give the machine a name you will recognise later, like "Front desk".
- Type in the serial number you wrote down.
- Press Next.
Tell the machine where to send scans
Aeren is now showing you a Server address and a Port. Keep that screen open — you are about to type those two things into the machine.
MenuComm.Cloud Server Setting
Fill in these settings. Not every machine shows every line — if yours does not have one, skip it.
- Server Mode
- ADMS
- Enable Domain Name
- ON
- Server Address
- the address Aeren showed you
- Server Port
- the port Aeren showed you
- Enable Proxy Server
- OFF
- HTTPS
- OFF
Type the address exactly as Aeren shows it — no http:// in front of it and nothing after it.
Press OK to save. Then restart the machine:
MenuSystemRestart
Add your members' fingers
Every member needs to press their finger on the machine once. It takes about 40 seconds per person — roughly the time it takes to collect a payment.
For each member:
- In Aeren, go to Machines → Enroll a member.
- Search for the member and select them. Aeren gives them a number and shows it on screen.
- On the machine, go to Menu → User Mgmt and open that number.
- Choose Fingerprint.
- The member presses the same finger three times.
- Press OK to save.
Aeren shows a green tick as soon as it sees their first scan, so you know it worked.
If a finger still will not read after a few tries, that member can keep using the QR check-in in the Aeren app instead. Nobody has to be turned away.
Check that it is working
Ask a member you have already added to scan their finger.
- The machine beeps and shows their number.
- In Aeren, go to Machines. Their name appears under "Live scans" within a few seconds.
- Go to Attendance → Register. They are marked Present, with a "Machine" tag next to their name.
If you can see all three, your machine is set up correctly and you are finished.
What happens from now on
Nothing. A member walks in, touches the sensor, and they are marked present in Aeren a few seconds later.
- Members do not need a phone.
- Members do not need the Aeren app.
- Members do not need to remember a code or a number.
- You do not need to open Aeren at all.
You can still mark attendance by hand at any time. Both work together, and the register shows you which is which.
If your internet goes down
The machine keeps working normally. It saves every scan inside itself — most machines can hold tens of thousands.
When the internet comes back, the machine sends everything it saved, with the correct original times. Nothing is lost, and you do not have to do anything.
Aeren is showing a number instead of a name
This happens when a finger was added straight on the machine without using Aeren, so we do not yet know whose number it is. Nothing is lost — the scans are safely saved.
- Go to Machines.
- You will see a box saying something like "1 number needs a name".
- Press Link and choose the member. Aeren usually suggests who it probably is.
All of that number's earlier scans are added to attendance straight away, on the correct days and at the correct times.
If something is not working
Aeren still says "Waiting for your machine" after 5 minutes
First look at the cloud or globe icon on the machine's home screen. If it has an X, the machine is not reaching the internet — go back to Step 1 and check the cable, the IP address and the DNS. If the icon looks fine, open Menu → Comm. → Cloud Server Setting and check every line against Step 4: the address and port exactly as Aeren shows them, Enable Proxy Server OFF, and HTTPS OFF. Restart the machine after any change.
There is no "Cloud Server" menu on my machine
Look for ADMS or Server Setting instead — it is the same menu with a different name. If your machine has none of these, it is an older model that cannot send scans by itself. Contact us and we will set you up a different way.
My machine will only accept numbers as the server address
Some machines have no Enable Domain Name option, or it will not stay on. Contact us and we will give you a number address to type in instead.
It says connected, but no scans are arriving
Check the "Last scan" time on the machine card in Aeren. If "Last seen" is recent but "Last scan" says never, the machine is talking to us fine and the problem is that no fingers have been added yet. Go back to Step 5.
Scans are arriving but nobody is marked present
The numbers on the machine have not been linked to your members yet. Go to Machines and look for the box saying a number needs a name.
The machine will not let me into the Menu
Somebody has been set as an administrator on the machine, and only their finger opens the menu. Ask that person to scan. This is worth knowing before you make anyone an administrator — it is the most common way a gym locks itself out of its own machine.
The times on the scans look wrong
The machine's own clock has drifted. Aeren corrects it automatically once a day, so this usually fixes itself overnight. If it does not, contact us.
Common questions
Do you store our members' fingerprints?
No. The fingerprint never leaves the machine. When somebody scans, all Aeren receives is a number and a time. We cannot see, copy, or rebuild anybody's fingerprint, because we never have it.
Do members need to install the Aeren app?
No. They only need to touch the sensor. The app is optional and separate.
What happens if a member's plan has expired?
They can still scan and they will still be marked present, but Aeren shows a red "Plan expired" tag next to their name so your staff can have a word with them. We do not block them at the door, because removing somebody from the machine also deletes their fingerprint — they would have to be added all over again when they renew.
Can I use more than one machine?
Yes. Add each one the same way. A member keeps the same number on all of them.
What happens when a member leaves?
Unlink their number in Aeren. Do not give that number to a new member — Aeren keeps old numbers retired on purpose, so your past attendance records stay correct.
Which machines work with Aeren?
Most fingerprint machines sold in India work, including eSSL, ZKTeco, Biomax and similar brands, because they all use the same underlying system. The quickest way to check yours is to look for a Cloud Server or ADMS option in its Comm. menu. If it is there, it will work.
My gym is open past midnight. Which day does a 1am scan count as?
By default it counts as the new day. If you would rather it counted as the night before, tell us and we will set your machine's day to start at whatever hour suits you.
Still stuck?
Write to support@aeren.io and tell us the make and model of your machine and what the screen is showing. We will walk you through it.
If you would rather not do this yourself at all, we can set it up with you over a video call in about fifteen minutes. Just ask.