RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
This doesn't fix transfer speeds to the printer, but I did find one thing that I at least found useful. That is PrusaConnect. When using PrusaConnect (instead of PrusaLink) to transfer a file to the printer, the file first is uploaded to PrusaConnect which is pretty fast. Once it's on their servers, they will begin transferring it to your printer. This second part still takes as long as with PrusaLink (or perhaps even longer), but the benefit I found was I could have my printer printing, slice up a file I wanted to print next, and then use PrusaConnect to transfer it to my MK4. Once it uploaded to Connect I could shut off my computer and go to work. When back from work, the file that was printing was done, and the file I sliced was now on the printer and ready to go as soon as I cleared the sheet off.
Also, unlike PrusaLink, with Connect you can select multiple files to sent to the printer. They still transfer one at a time, but they are queued up and automatically transferred one after the other with Connect.
So it doesn't help if your printer is sitting idle and you just want to slice and immediately print, but it is useful if your printer is already printing so you can't remove the USB drive and you want to get one or more files on the printer so they are ready to go when your current print finishes, or you want to shut your computer off instead of leaving it on for a really long time to transfer the file.
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
... which is the case most of the time for me, unfortunately
So it doesn't help if your printer is sitting idle and you just want to slice and immediately print,
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Same for me, fairly regularily. So in those cases I just yank the USB and plug it into my computer. That's what I was doing with my Mini most of the time, as it has the same terrible WiFi speeds as the MK4.
But when I do print, it's also not uncommon to have multiple files I want to print back-to-back, and this is where I found Connect to be very useful. And this was a pro over my Mini, as the Mini works with PrusaLink but not Connect.
... which is the case most of the time for me, unfortunately
So it doesn't help if your printer is sitting idle and you just want to slice and immediately print,
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Just confirming I have the same "problem" on 5.0.0-RC - uploads to the MK4 using Prusalink seem a little slower than on the MINI using Prusalink - I am now considering using Octoprint instead, as I do on my MK3
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Well, probably someone concerned with the MK4 file transfer speed, will be happy to know that there is another way.... 😎
Today I was testing the FlashAir SD on the Prusa MK4. I used FlashAir since day zero on the MK3S, and I could not live without it.
Since there is no SD card slot on the MK4 I used an USB card reader, and inserted it on the MK4, to check if the MK4 was able to read the SD through the reader.
And.... IT WORKED! 😍
So, now the SD in the MK4 is mapped with its own hi-speed Wi-Fi protocol to my PC (as drive K:) and I can read and write directly on the SD without involving any action from the MK4 board: all is handled directly by the SD. The only thing I noticed is that on the printer in the settings, Hardware, the SD Type = FlashAir option does not exist any more, and it seems not supported any more on the firmware. I still need to check if new files written directly on the SD from the PC drive K: are detected by the MK4 that is able to detect a refresh the FAT32 contents or the MK4 will just corrupt everything if I write anything from the PC...
- I will do further tests. 🙄
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Sounds interesting, but I really hope there is a firmware update coming to address this issue. Admittedly might try this though if nothing improves over the next few updates.
RE:
So, now the SD in the MK4 is mapped with its own hi-speed Wi-Fi protocol to my PC (as drive K:) and I can read and write directly on the SD without involving any action from the MK4 board: all is handled directly by the SD.
Of course, but this is akin to just pulling the USB drive, just using a specialised piece of hardware that simplifies the process. It is by no means an acceptable "solution" to this problem.
I get that in the grand scheme of things, a 4 minute upload time of a 26mb gcode that takes 10 hours to print is not really a big problem, but it's indicating to me that the manufacturer doesn't know how to write software for their own hardware, because in 2023 the time it takes to transfer 26mb over Wi-Fi, let alone Ethernet, should be measured in seconds if not milliseconds, and if it isn't then you're doing something wrong.
It is by no means an urgent problem, but I expect Prusa Research to eventually fix it, and until they do they need to at least acknowledge the problem and clarify the reason for the atrocious performance.
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Yeah the wifi upload speed is pretty unacceptable at this rate
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Unfortunately the FlashAir on the does not work as expected on the MK4. 😔
I can read all the files, and delete files, but I can not save or edit any file from remote.
So, while works well on the MK3S, unless they implement the support of the FlashAir on the MK4 firmware this can be used only as debug tool. 🙁
RE:
Unfortunately the FlashAir on the does not work as expected on the MK4. 😔
I can read all the files, and delete files, but I can not save or edit any file from remote.
So, while works well on the MK3S, unless they implement the support of the FlashAir on the MK4 firmware this can be used only as debug tool. 🙁
Were you ever able to get this working or find any other solution?
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Total newbie here, I just assembled the mk4 (thanks Ifti!). The layman that I am, I expected to hook up the mk4 with an Ethernet cable to my MacBookPro (one of the last models with full size ethernet port), open PrusaSlicer, load a model and press “print’.
I’m a bit baffled about all this USB stick, PrusaConnect,PrusaLink, etc stuff. Perhaps I got a bit too spoiled in Apple’s walled garden but before I start tearing up stuff, is it even possible to directly hook up a mk4 hardwired to a laptop? PrusaSlicer can’t find a printer at all, so now it’s USB sticks, which frankly sounds insane to me.
many thanks for any help.
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
You have to enter the printer IP address and the access data in the printer profile in Prusa Slicer. But this is very well documented in the knowledge base.
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
Check out https://help.prusa3d.com/guide/wi-fi-and-prusalink-setup-mk4_413293
RE:
I just transferred a 44 MB file with the final 5.0 and got a transfer rate of 1.17 Mbit/s
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
My took 2 minutes for a file of 26.40MB
When the print is around 45 MB then it takes around 4 minutes, and then 4 minutes seems an eternity.... 😒
RE: WiFi File Transfer speeds concerns?
To be honest, the Wifi transfer speed is very bad. It is dial up internet speeds in 2023.
If this can't be fixed via a firmware update, its a pretty embarrassing to have Wifi listed as a feature of the printer.
IT IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.
Its way quicker for me to walk across the house and use the USB MK3 style...
Please address concerns and fix.