Connection Card Pro Help & Documentation

Connection Card Pro supports Zebra thermal label printers for check-in printing, including name tags and pickup tags. This guide walks through installing Zebra Browser Print, which allows Connection Card Pro to communicate with a Zebra printer from your web browser.

Before you begin

You should already have:

• A Zebra thermal label printer installed on the check-in computer
• The correct Zebra driver installed
• The correct label stock loaded
• The ability to print a test label from Windows or macOS

Connection Card Pro works through Zebra Browser Print, a Zebra application that runs in the background and allows web pages to communicate with Zebra printers connected to the computer. Zebra’s documentation describes Browser Print as an application that allows web pages to communicate with Zebra printers accessible to the client computer, including USB and network-connected printers.

Supported printers and browsers

Connection Card Pro is designed for Zebra thermal label printers that work with Zebra Browser Print, including the Zebra ZD421.

Zebra’s Browser Print documentation lists support for Zebra printers connected by USB or network on Windows and macOS desktop computers, and Zebra’s supported-features list includes models such as ZD410, ZD420, ZD500, ZD620, ZQ-series, ZT-series, GX420d, KR403, QLn-series, and TLP2824+.

Zebra’s current support page identifies ZD421 as a Zebra desktop printer model, and Connection Card Pro supports ZD421 printers when they are properly installed and detected through Browser Print.

For best results, we recommend using Google Chrome. Zebra’s Browser Print documentation also lists support for several other browsers, but Chrome is the preferred option for check-in stations.

Step 1: Download Zebra Browser Print

1. Go to Zebra’s official Browser Print download page:
   https://www.zebra.com/us/en/support-downloads/software/printer-software/browser-print.html
2. Download the correct version for your computer:
   • Windows PC
   • OSX / macOS

Zebra provides separate downloads for Windows and macOS from the Browser Print support page.

Step 2: Install Zebra Browser Print on Windows

1. Open the downloaded Zebra Browser Print installer.
2. Follow the installer prompts.
3. Accept the Zebra license agreement when prompted.
4. When asked whether to launch Zebra Browser Print, leave that option checked.
5. Finish the installation.

When Browser Print starts, you should see a small Zebra icon in the Windows system tray, usually near the clock. You may have to click the small upward arrow (^) to see hidden tray icons.

Zebra’s Windows installation guide notes that the installer normally adds Browser Print to the startup menu automatically so it runs when the computer restarts.

Step 3: Install Zebra Browser Print on Mac

1. Open the downloaded Zebra Browser Print file.
2. Drag Zebra Browser Print into the Applications folder.
3. Open Applications and launch Browser Print.
4. Accept the Zebra license agreement when prompted.
5. Allow Browser Print to communicate with connected Zebra devices when asked.

Zebra’s Mac instructions describe dragging Browser Print into the Applications folder, opening it from Applications, accepting the license agreement, and allowing access to connected Zebra devices.

If macOS blocks the app because it was downloaded from the internet, open System Settings > Privacy & Security and allow the app to open.

Step 4: Allow Connection Card Pro to connect

When you use Connection Card Pro with Browser Print for the first time, Browser Print may ask whether you want to allow the website to access connected Zebra devices. As long as Browser Print is running, navigating to the Kiosk Check-in Settings page on Connection Card Pro  will attempt to connect to Browser Print and will prompt a notification from Browser Print. 

Only allow the connection if the host is:

• connectioncardpro.com
• www.connectioncardpro.com

Do not allow unknown websites to access Browser Print.

Browser Print keeps a list of Accepted Hosts and Blocked Hosts in its settings. Zebra’s guide explains that accepted hosts are the web addresses allowed to access devices, and that websites may prompt for permission before being added to that list.

Step 5: Confirm Browser Print is running

In Browser Print settings, you may see:

• Default Devices
• Added Devices
• Accepted Hosts
• Blocked Hosts

Setting a Default Device in Browser Print is not required for Connection Card Pro. Connection Card Pro ignores the Browser Print default device and lets you choose the printer inside Connection Card Pro.

Step 6: Use the Zebra printer in Connection Card Pro

Once the printer is installed and Browser Print is running, Connection Card Pro will automatically detect available Zebra printers in:

• Kiosk check-in settings
• Kiosk > Start Print Server

When setting up a check-in session, choose the printer from the list of available printers.

Zebra printers may take several seconds to appear because Connection Card Pro has to connect through Browser Print. This is normal. Zebra printers generally take longer to initialize than Dymo printers.

Step 7: Make sure Browser Print starts automatically

Browser Print must be running whenever you want to print Zebra check-in labels.

Windows 10 / Windows 11 steps

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Devices > Printers & scanners
   • On Windows 11, this may be Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
3. Click your Zebra printer.
4. Click Manage.
5. Click Printer properties.
6. Open the Driver Settings tab.
7. Click Settings on the left side.
8. Find Printer status or Status checking.
9. Set Status checking to Disabled.
10. Click Apply or OK.

If a print job is already stuck as Error - Not Accessible, rebooting the computer is often the simplest way to clear it. We recommend disabling status checking before rebooting to prevent this issue in the future. 

Troubleshooting checklist

If the Zebra printer does not appear in Connection Card Pro or labels do not print:

Zebra also notes that Browser Print cannot run correctly if another program is already using ports 9100 or 9101, which are used for RAW printing.

Best practices for check-in stations

• Install and test the Zebra printer before Sunday morning or the event start time.
• Keep Browser Print running in the background.
• Use Chrome for check-in when possible.
• Test name tags and pickup tags before families arrive.
• Leave the printer connected to the same computer used for check-in.
• Reboot the check-in computer before a major event if it has been running for a long time.
• Only approve Browser Print access for trusted Connection Card Pro domains.

Once Zebra Browser Print is installed and running, Connection Card Pro should detect the Zebra printer automatically in kiosk check-in and print server settings.