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Connect a phone with a QR code

A phone uploads to NS Analytics once it is connected to a workspace. You connect it by scanning a QR code from the workspace’s Devices page, or by tapping a link on that page if you are reading it on the phone. There is no password to type.

Before you start

Section titled “Before you start”

You need an NS Analytics workspace. Go to analytics.networksurvey.app and create one there first. See Pricing for the plans, including what the free plan includes.

Get the QR code

Section titled “Get the QR code”
  1. On a computer, open your workspace at analytics.networksurvey.app.
  2. Open Devices and choose Register.
  3. A QR code appears on screen, with a link for phones.

The code carries a registration token, the workspace and the server address. A code can only be used once and it expires; if the app says “This code has expired or was already used.”, create a new one on the Devices page.

Connect the phone

Section titled “Connect the phone”

Connect to NS Analytics page: what NS Analytics is, the three How to connect steps, and the Scan the QR code button

  1. Open the Connect to NS Analytics page. Any of these gets you there:
    • More > NS Analytics
    • Connect on the NS Analytics row of the Survey tab
    • On first run, the answer My team’s NS Analytics workspace to “Where should the data go?”
  2. Tap Scan the QR code and allow the camera if Android asks.
  3. Point the camera at the QR code on your computer screen.
  4. The app asks Connect this phone to ? (“Records from surveys that send to NS Analytics will upload to this workspace.”). Tap Connect.
  5. “Connecting this phone…” shows briefly. When it is done, the page shows Connected to your workspace, and the NS Analytics row on the Survey tab shows the workspace name.
Section titled “Reading this on the phone? Use the link”

If you open the workspace’s Devices page on the phone itself, tap the link there instead of scanning. It opens Network Survey and asks the same Connect this phone to ? question.

Phones without a camera

Section titled “Phones without a camera”

On a phone with no camera, the page says “This device has no camera, so it cannot scan a code.” Open the Devices page in the phone’s browser and use the link instead.

If connecting fails

Section titled “If connecting fails”

The app says what went wrong. For example:

  • “Couldn’t reach NS Analytics. Check the connection and try again.”
  • “This code has expired or was already used. Create a new one on the Devices page.”
  • “This workspace has no room for another phone. Ask the workspace owner.”
  • “This workspace’s license has expired. Ask the workspace owner.”

A connection error offers Try again. If you scan a QR code that isn’t from NS Analytics, the app says “This isn’t an NS Analytics code. Use the one on the Devices page.”

What happens when you connect

Section titled “What happens when you connect”

The phone sends the workspace:

  • A device ID (the first time, this is the Device serial number shown in More > Settings > Device IDs)
  • A device name made of the manufacturer and model, for example “Google Pixel 6”
  • The phone model, Android version and app version

Connecting uploads nothing by itself. Records upload only from surveys that send to NS Analytics:

  1. On the Survey tab, turn on the NS Analytics row under Where should the data go?
  2. Tap Start survey.

If a survey that already had NS Analytics turned on is running when you connect, it starts sending to NS Analytics right away.

Records are uploaded about every 15 minutes while Upload automatically is on, or when you tap Upload now. See The NS Analytics page.

The device serial number

Section titled “The device serial number”

The device serial number is a random identifier Android creates for Network Survey on your phone. It is not the hardware serial number set by the manufacturer. You can see it in More > Settings > Device IDs > Device serial number.

Disconnect a phone

Section titled “Disconnect a phone”

From the phone

Section titled “From the phone”
  1. Stop the survey first. While one is running, the row says Stop the survey first.
  2. Open More > NS Analytics and tap Disconnect this phone.
  3. Confirm Disconnect this phone? (“This phone stops uploading to . Records waiting to upload stay on this phone and upload if you connect it again.”) with Disconnect.

The phone needs an internet connection to disconnect. Records already uploaded stay in NS Analytics. To throw away records that are still waiting instead, use Clear the upload queue first.

From the NS Analytics website

Section titled “From the NS Analytics website”

When someone removes the phone from the workspace on the website, a running survey notices within about 5 minutes. It stops sending to NS Analytics (or stops entirely if NS Analytics was its only destination), keeps the records already on the phone, and posts No longer connected to NS Analytics. The NS Analytics page then says This phone was disconnected: “Someone disconnected this phone from the workspace on the NS Analytics website. Scan a new QR code to connect it again.” Tap Scan a new code to connect again.

Switch to another workspace

Section titled “Switch to another workspace”

A phone is connected to one workspace at a time. If you scan another workspace’s code while connected, the app tells you which workspace you are connected to and which one it found: “To connect to a different workspace, first choose Disconnect this phone on this page, then scan the code again.”

On a managed phone

Section titled “On a managed phone”

If your organization manages the phone (MDM):

  • First run is skipped, so connect from More > NS Analytics or the NS Analytics row on the Survey tab.
  • Your organization can turn NS Analytics off. It then disappears from the Survey tab and from More.
  • Your organization can make NS Analytics always on for the survey, but that does not connect the phone. Someone still has to scan the workspace’s code (or tap its link) on the phone.

See MDM configuration.

Section titled “Related”