Zebra MC3300ax troubleshooting guide: errors, faults and fixes

Short answer: The French MC3300ax quick start guide calls this a “charging error”: temperature too high or too low, or charging that has gone on too long without finishing (usually eight hours). Let the mobile computer return to between 0 °C and 40 °C before restarting charging.

Likely cause

Table 3 of the quick start guide (“Charging/notification LED indicators”): red flashing rapidly indicates a charging error, caused by the temperature or by charging for too long.

Caution: The MC3300ax quick start guide says to follow the battery safety guidelines in the product reference guide and to charge batteries between 0 °C and 40 °C.

What to do

1. Take the mobile computer out of its cradle or unplug the cable, then let it adjust to the temperature.
2. Restart charging in a room between 0 °C and 40 °C, the range specified by Zebra.
3. If a hand strap is fitted, check that it does not obstruct the charging contacts: the guide makes this a condition for correct operation.
4. If the error keeps recurring at a suitable temperature, watch the light after charging: solid red indicates a battery at the end of its life (see battery at end of life).

Sources: Charging/notification LED indicators (opens in a new window) · Charging the mobile computer (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) (official documentation).

Short answer: According to Zebra, solid red means that the battery, whether charging or already charged, has reached the end of its useful life. Plan to replace it, for example with the 7,000 mAh PowerPrecision+ battery supplied as standard with the MC3300ax.

Likely cause

The MC3300ax quick start guide gives two descriptions for solid red: “The spare battery is charging, but it is at the end of its useful life” and “Battery charging is complete, but the battery is at the end of its useful life”.

Caution: The MC3300ax quick start guide says to follow the battery safety guidelines in the product reference guide and to charge batteries between 0 °C and 40 °C.

What to do

1. Identify the battery concerned: the battery in the mobile computer or a spare battery being charged.
2. Set it aside and replace it with a compatible battery: 7,000 mAh PowerPrecision+, the 7,000 mAh BLE beacon version, or the MC3300's 2,740 mAh and 5,200 mAh batteries (see compatible batteries).
3. After insertion, the light should turn solid orange while charging, then solid green.

Sources: Charging/notification LED indicators (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Battery (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer (official documentation).

Short answer: According to the quick start guide, a notification appears when an incompatible battery is used, and it can be neither disabled nor removed on the MC3300ax. Install a battery intended for the mobile computer: the 7,000 mAh PowerPrecision+, its BLE beacon version, or the MC3300's 2,740 and 5,200 mAh batteries.

Likely cause

The guide states: “the battery notification cannot be disabled or removed”. The data sheet lists the standard 7,000 mAh battery, the optional 7,000 mAh BLE beacon battery and compatibility with the MC3300's 2,740 mAh (1X) and 5,200 mAh (2X) batteries.

Caution: The quick start guide refers to the battery safety guidelines in the MC3300ax product reference guide.

What to do

1. Remove the battery (two release buttons) and read its part number.
2. Replace it with one of the batteries Zebra lists for the MC3300ax: 7,000 mAh PowerPrecision+ (supplied), 7,000 mAh with BLE beacon (optional), 5,200 mAh or 2,740 mAh from the MC33 range.
3. Insert it, press firmly and check that both release buttons return to position.

Sources: Battery notification (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Installing the battery (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Battery (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer (official documentation).

Short answer: According to the quick start guide, the scan button and the trigger only start capture if a scanning application is active, with a text field selected. In picklist mode, the mobile computer only decodes once the crosshair of the aiming pattern is placed on the barcode.

Likely cause

The quick start guide describes scanning with the internal imager (SE4770 or SE4850-ER) and picklist mode. The DataWedge documentation points out that the symbology must be enabled in the profile's decoders.

What to do

1. Open an app and select a text field.
2. Point the scan window at the barcode and press and hold the scan button or the trigger (MC3300ax-G).
3. Place the barcode within the aiming area: a successful decode is indicated by the green scan LED and a beep.
4. Take the distance into account: the data sheet gives up to 60 cm for the standard SE4770 imager and up to 21.4 m for the SE4850 ERI extended-range imager.
5. If only the barcode under the crosshair is read, picklist mode is active: aim precisely, or set Picklist to Disable in the DataWedge profile.
6. In the DataWedge profile (Configure scanner settings > Decoders), check that the barcode's symbology is ticked.

The DataWedge documentation advises against the Auto illumination mode for continuous scanning sessions in changing lighting.

Sources: Scanning with the internal imager (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Data Capture (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer · Barcode Input (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – DataWedge (official documentation).

Short answer: If scanning works in the DataWedge demo app but not in yours, Zebra explains that a DataWedge profile associated with your application, with a suitable output, is missing. Without this profile, Profile0 applies, without knowing where to send the data.

Likely cause

The DataWedge FAQ attributes this symptom to an application without a profile, or to a profile whose input or output is incorrectly configured. Profile0 applies to any application not associated with a profile.

What to do

1. In DataWedge, create a profile for your application and associate the application with this profile (an application can only belong to one profile).
2. Configure the Barcode input and an output: Keystroke (keyboard entry) or Intent, depending on your application.
3. Do not disable Profile0 without a dedicated profile: scanning would become impossible in applications that have not been configured.
4. After a restart, wait a few seconds for DataWedge to initialise before scanning.

Sources: Frequently Asked Questions (opens in a new window) · DataWedge Profiles (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – DataWedge (official documentation).

Short answer: These settings are in the Basic Data Formatting section of the DataWedge profile: “Prefix to data”, “Suffix to data”, “Send TAB key” and “Send ENTER key”. According to Zebra, unticking “Send data” does not prevent the prefix and suffix from being sent.

Likely cause

The DataWedge guide describes the basic formatting options; as long as basic formatting is not enabled, the scanned data is sent as is.

What to do

1. Open the application's DataWedge profile, then the basic data formatting of the output in use.
2. Fill in Prefix to data (characters added at the start) or Suffix to data (characters added at the end).
3. Tick Send ENTER key to end each scan with Enter, or Send TAB key for a tab.
4. Leave Send data ticked: if it is unticked, only the prefix and suffix are sent.
5. The Send as hex option sends the data in hexadecimal.

Source: Basic Data Formatting (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – DataWedge (official documentation).

Short answer: According to the Zebra data sheet, the MC3300ax supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MU-MIMO on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Check that your access point transmits in 802.11ax on one of these bands and that the mobile computer's Wi-Fi country is correct.

Likely cause

The data sheet lists the 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax standards and the two bands, 2.4 GHz (up to 286.8 Mbit/s) and 5 GHz (up to 1,201 Mbit/s). Zebra's Wi-Fi Manager documentation explains that the choice of country and permitted bands can be enforced by the administrator.

What to do

1. Check that the access point transmits in 802.11ax on 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz: the MC3300ax data sheet does not mention any other band.
2. Country: in “AUTO”, the mobile computer sets itself according to the network's 802.11d beacon. According to Zebra, countries whose infrastructure does not support 802.11d must be selected manually, and not all channels are available in all countries.
3. If your fleet is managed, ask the administrator whether a band selection (for example 2.4 GHz only) or a channel mask has been applied.
4. After a battery replacement, the connection is only maintained for 30 seconds (see hot swap).

When to call a technician: the connection still fails: according to Zebra, advanced Wi-Fi logging (Fusion, /fusionlogs folder) is generally used at the request of Zebra support.

Zebra also lists a power-saving option specific to Wi-Fi 6 (TWT), which requires MX 11.1 or later and Android API 30 or later.

Sources: WLAN (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer · Wi-Fi Manager (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – MX · Replacing the battery (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) (official documentation).

Short answer: When the light stays off, “the battery is not charging”. The MC3300ax guide points out that an incorrectly positioned hand strap can obstruct the charging contacts; also check the accessory used and the temperature (0 °C to 40 °C).

Likely cause

Table 3 of the quick start guide: light off = battery not charging. The guide points out that the hand strap, if fitted, must not interfere with the charging contacts.

Caution: The MC3300ax quick start guide says to follow the battery safety guidelines in the product reference guide and to charge batteries between 0 °C and 40 °C.

What to do

1. If a hand strap is fitted, move it away from the charging contacts and put the mobile computer back.
2. Use a charging accessory listed by Zebra: single-slot USB charging cradle with spare battery charger (CRD-MC33-2SUCHG-01), 5-slot ShareCradle (with or without Ethernet, with or without a 4-battery charger), USB charging cable (CBL-MC33-USBCHG-01), or single-slot MC32N0 cradle with the MC33XX charge-only adapter.
3. Charge between 0 °C and 40 °C.
4. The light should turn solid orange while charging, then solid green. According to the data sheet, the 7,000 mAh battery fully recharges in less than five hours.
5. A flashing blue light is not related to charging: it indicates that an app notification has been received.

Sources: Charging/notification LED indicators (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Charging accessories (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Battery (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer (official documentation).

Short answer: The MC3300ax is in hot swap mode: the screen goes off, the mobile computer switches to power saving and, according to Zebra, the MC3300ax-G and MC3300ax-S keep their wireless connection for 30 seconds. Put a battery back in within five minutes to retain the RAM contents.

Likely cause

The quick start guide associates flashing orange with “an active wireless connectivity session during battery hot swap”. The data sheet refers to temporary persistence of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sessions.

What to do

1. Loosen the hand strap if one is fitted, press the two release buttons and remove the battery.
2. Slide the front of the new battery into the compartment and press firmly until both release buttons return to position.
3. Act within five minutes: this is how long the data in RAM is preserved.
4. The mobile computer reactivates automatically. Press the Power button only if it was switched off or has been without a battery for a long time.

Sources: Replacing the battery (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Charging/notification LED indicators (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Battery (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer (official documentation).

Short answer: According to Zebra, the secondary BLE beacon only works if the MC33 BLE beacon battery was in the mobile computer before it was powered off, and the mobile computer must be switched on after this battery is inserted. In addition, beacon transmission is disabled by default: it is configured with Beacon Manager.

Likely cause

The quick start guide sets two conditions (battery inserted before switching off, mobile computer switched on after insertion). The Beacon Manager documentation states that the settings are only copied to the battery when the mobile computer is switched on, that transmission is disabled by default and that it stops if the battery is removed.

What to do

1. Insert the MC33 BLE beacon battery, then switch on the mobile computer so that its settings are copied to the battery.
2. Have the administrator check that transmission (Beaconing) is enabled in Beacon Manager: it is disabled by default.
3. If the mobile computer is switched off in Airplane mode, the beacon only transmits if the Airplane mode transmission option is enabled; it is disabled by default.
4. Then switch off the mobile computer without removing the battery: a battery that has been removed stops transmitting. After a configured battery is reinserted, transmission resumes in about 30 seconds.

The data sheet presents this optional 7,000 mAh battery as a solution for locating the mobile computer when it is switched off.

Sources: MC33 rechargeable Li-Ion battery with BLE beacon (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Beacon Manager (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – MX · Battery (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer (official documentation).

Short answer: Yes: according to the Zebra data sheet, the MC3300ax is backward compatible with existing MC3300x accessories and accepts the MC3300's 2,740 mAh and 5,200 mAh batteries. The quick start guide also lists the single-slot MC32N0 cradle, with the MC33XX charge-only adapter.

Likely cause

The data sheet states compatibility with MC3300x accessories and MC3300 batteries; the quick start guide lists the charging accessories for the MC3300ax.

What to do

1. Reuse the 5-slot ShareCradles, the single-slot USB cradle and the USB charging cable from the MC33 range.
2. On a single-slot MC32N0 cradle, install the MC33XX charge-only adapter.
3. Check that the hand strap, if fitted, does not interfere with the charging contacts.

Sources: Battery (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer · Charging accessories (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) (official documentation).

Short answer: If the software stops responding, press and hold the Power button and choose “Redémarrage” (restart), as the quick start guide describes. The deeper resets, Enterprise Reset and Factory Reset, erase data: keep them for faults that persist.

Likely cause

The quick start guide offers “Redémarrage” (restart), which “restarts the mobile computer when the software stops responding”. Zebra's MX documentation defines the resets: a restart keeps settings and apps, Enterprise Reset erases data while preserving the /enterprise partition, and Factory Reset erases /data, /cache and /enterprise.

Caution: Enterprise Reset, Factory Reset and Full Device Wipe erase data and apps. Zebra warns that an Enterprise Reset triggered manually without the bypass option may leave the mobile computer in an unexpected state.

What to do, from the lightest to the most drastic

1. Press and hold the Power button, then tap “Redémarrage” (restart).
2. For a complete shutdown, choose “Mise hors tension” (power off) in the same menu, then switch back on by pressing and holding the Power button until the Zebra splash screen appears.
3. Enterprise Reset: returns to the state defined by the company; according to Zebra, it works like a Factory Reset but keeps the /enterprise partition. The mobile computer restarts in Recovery mode.
4. Factory Reset: erases the /data, /cache and /enterprise partitions; removable storage cards are not erased.
5. Full Device Wipe: Factory Reset plus erasure of all storage cards; the mobile computer keeps its Android version.

Sources: On/Off button (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) · Power Manager (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – MX (official documentation).

Short answer: In the DataWedge settings, the “Restore defaults” option returns DataWedge to its factory settings. Zebra warns that the operation is irreversible: export the configuration first if you want to keep it.

Likely cause

The “DataWedge Settings” page describes restoring the factory settings, and exporting and importing the configuration. It states that a restore deletes the current configuration file.

Caution: Zebra states that the restore cannot be undone (“This action cannot be undone”).

What to do

1. Open DataWedge (icon on the home screen or in the app drawer), then the three-dot menu.
2. To back up, use export: the complete configuration is saved to the mobile computer's storage. Do not rename or modify the exported file.
3. Tap Restore defaults to return to the factory settings.
4. To reapply a configuration, import the file: the import replaces all the DataWedge settings and profiles on the mobile computer.

Sources: DataWedge Settings (opens in a new window) · About DataWedge (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – DataWedge (official documentation).

Short answer: Make sure the battery is properly engaged, with both release buttons back in position, then press and hold the Power button until the Zebra splash screen appears. If the battery is flat, place the mobile computer in its cradle: the light should turn solid orange.

Likely cause

The quick start guide describes powering on by pressing and holding the Power button until the Zebra splash screen appears, after a battery installation confirmed by both release buttons returning to position.

What to do

1. Loosen the hand strap if necessary, position the battery, slide its front into the compartment and press firmly.
2. Check that both release buttons have returned to position, then retighten the hand strap.
3. Press and hold the Power button until the Zebra splash screen appears.
4. With the BLE beacon battery, Zebra says to power on the mobile computer after inserting the battery.
5. If the mobile computer starts but stops responding, see reset the MC3300ax.

Sources: Installing the battery (opens in a new window) · Powering on (opens in a new window) · Charging/notification LED indicators (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) (official documentation).

Short answer: Yes: the Zebra data sheet states that the MC3300ax can be upgraded to Android 14 and is covered by LifeGuard, Zebra's Android security update programme. The update restarts the mobile computer in Recovery mode.

Likely cause

MC3300ax data sheet: “Upgradeable to Android 14”, with LifeGuard. The MX documentation (Power Manager) describes updating the operating system from a Zip file or an update list, with a restart in Recovery mode.

What to do

1. The operating system update is applied from a Zip file or an update list, according to Zebra's MX documentation.
2. Apply it: the mobile computer restarts in Recovery mode during installation.
3. According to Zebra, since Android 8, the operating system update action can only be used to upgrade: it cannot be used to go back to an earlier version.

The data sheet also mentions Enterprise Browser, supplied free of charge with the MC3300ax.

Sources: Operating System (opens in a new window) – Product Spec Sheet – MC3300ax Mobile Computer · Power Manager (opens in a new window) – Zebra TechDocs – MX (official documentation).

Short answer: The Zebra guide says to observe precautions against electrostatic discharge: anti-static mat and earthed operator. Remove the cover, open the holder, insert the card with the contacts facing down, then close the holder and refit the cover.

Likely cause

microSD card installation section of the quick start guide, with an ESD warning.

Caution: “Observe electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions” to avoid damaging the microSD card (Zebra quick start guide).

What to do

1. Work on an anti-static mat, with the operator earthed.
2. Remove the access cover and open the card holder.
3. Insert the microSD card, contacts facing down.
4. Close the holder, then refit the cover.

Source: Installing the microSD card (opens in a new window) – MC3300ax mobile computer quick start guide (MN-004195-01FR Rev. A) (official documentation).