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With physical web integration in new google chrome browser (still in beta), its possible to detect beacons that emit Eddystone Url frames.

source: http://www.blueupbeacons.com/index.php?page=/blog/physicalweb

I downloaded Chrome Beta, enabled physical web going to chrome://flags, gave the app access to location services, gave runtime permission for using location (I am using Marshmallow), but the browser still wasn't able to detect a beacon nearby. I tried using physical web app as well as Opera Labs version and both are able to detect the same beacon.

I am using RadBeacon USB by Radius Networks.

What am I missing here?

Floern
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Nishkarsh
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3 Answers3

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My first guess is that your URL is an HTTP URL. You have to be pointing to an HTTPS URL for Chrome to display it.

Chrome 50 will have a physical-web diagnostics page to show issues like this.

Conley Owens
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Now that Chrome 49 is out for Android, it's built in natively to the functionality but you still have to enable the physical web flag on your device (Chrome://flags#enable-physical-web). You will get prompted to restart the browser. Also, make sure your bluetooth is on and you allow Chrome to have access to your location which you will be prompted for. Now you should start to see Eddystone-URL broadcasts that are close to you. Make sure that your RadBeacon is Eddystone-URL compliant as I know that some of the usb beacons they released did not support eddy-url. I'm using a bkon beacon and it's working well. Make sure that your end destination site is https as well and you can do this for free using letsencrypt. Good luck!

Bob R
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Go to your chrome beta settings, then privacy and check if physical Web is on. Also, the broadcasting URL should be an https secured URL. Also, your browser location should be on.

Sometimes it takes time for your browser to detect for URL's. Try to lock your phone screen by pressing the power button and then unlock it. You should se physical web.

Repeat this activity several times.

Still if you are not able to see physical Web then try reinstalling chrome beta.

abhishek Kanodia
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