Connect Device and Device ID explained

Introduction

Every Android device running InfoBox Digital Signage generates a Device ID, a unique code the Platform uses to identify which physical device a screen entry should send content to. If your screen wasn't pre-paired by us before shipping, you pair it manually using this Device ID. This article explains the flow.

When do I need to pair manually?

Pairing is only required in some cases:

• You don't if you ordered an InfoBox Basic stick or a native Android display from us. We pre-pair those before shipping.
• You do if you bought a native Android display elsewhere and installed InfoBox Digital Signage via APK.
• You do if you're using your own Android device with InfoBox Digital Signage from Google Play.
• You do if you're swapping out an existing screen for a different physical device. Use the Change Device ID flow described later in this article.

Where to find the Device ID

Look at the screen running InfoBox Digital Signage:

• Open the InfoBox Digital Signage app on your Android device.
• The app displays the Device ID directly on screen, usually with the label "Device ID".
• If the Device ID doesn't appear, the app can't reach our servers. Typically this is a WiFi or firewall issue. See No network connection.

How to pair the device on the Platform

Enter the Device ID in the Connect Device dialog:

• Sign in to app.infoboxi.com on a separate device (laptop, phone, anything with a browser).
• Open All screens from the side menu.
• Find the screen we provisioned for you. Screens without a device show a Connect (FI: Yhdistä) button in the row; they're also listed under Screens without a device in the Needs attention bell.
• Click Connect. A dialog titled Connect Device opens: "Enter the device ID to connect this screen to an Android device."
• Type the Device ID into the Device ID field exactly as shown on the screen. The ID is case-sensitive.
• Click Connect. The button shows Connecting... and the dialog closes with the toast "Device connected successfully".
• That's it. The device picks up its connection on its next check-in, within about half a minute, and the screen's status changes to Online. Nothing needs to be typed on the device itself.

Changing or replacing the device

If you need to swap a screen to different hardware:

• From All screens, click Change Device ID on the screen's row. The same dialog opens, now titled Change Device ID, with the button Change.
• Or open the screen editor's settings and find the Device ID panel. Edit the ID and click Change Device ID. A confirmation shows the current and new IDs; click Confirm.
• The old device stops receiving content within a minute. The new one starts within about half a minute.

Common errors and what they mean

If pairing fails:

• Incorrect ID or device not found: the ID you typed doesn't exist. Re-check for typos, especially confusing characters like 0/O and 1/l. The ID is case-sensitive.
• Device ID is required: the field was empty.
• Failed to connect device: a temporary error. Try again in 30 seconds. If it persists, the device's WiFi may have dropped.
• No Device ID appears in InfoBox Digital Signage at all: the app can't reach our servers. Check WiFi and firewall, see No network connection.

Summary

Pairing is a one-time step per physical device: type the Device ID, click Connect, done. Once a screen is paired, it stays paired across reboots, WiFi changes, and content updates. You only need to pair again when swapping hardware.