wifi vs ethernet speeds
For prusa mk4 owners - could you test g-code upload speeds over wifi and over network? (by uploading some artificial 50MB g-code file for example, counting time etc).
I wonder what are the values?
For mini (which has the same microcontroller as MK4 I think - STM32F407 and uses the same ESP wifi module) it was:
"The transfer speed from your computer to the printer should be around 250-300 KB/s over the Ethernet and 45-100 KB/s over the Wi-Fi."
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I don't have a Mk4 yet but I can say that for the Mini the WiFi upload speed is atrocious. After a while I gave up and put my Minis on Ethernet, which isn't a speed demon either but at least I'm not growing a beard watching files upload.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I don't have a Mk4 yet but I can say that for the Mini the WiFi upload speed is atrocious. After a while I gave up and put my Minis on Ethernet, which isn't a speed demon either but at least I'm not growing a beard watching files upload.
Oh I get this. If I have a 1 MB gcode file, I’ll upload over WiFi. The other day sliced up a 25 hour print that was 50 MB. I just went downstairs and got the USB, transferred the file to it, and took it back to the MINI.
A 3D printer is fixed equipment. Always use direct wiring for fixed equipment unless there is some unbridgable physical barrier. Wifi is intended for portable kit and is susceptible to the sort of interference that electronics and moving metal generate...
I anticipate we are going to see lot of Wifi issues in future and a standard response will be 'Use a wire'.
Cheerio,
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
Silly question - but if sending a g-code file across to the printer, be it Ethernet or Wi-Fi, I can then shut down my computer, or put to sleep, and the print will continue, right? I don’t have to keep my computer on the whole time as it will send the entire file across before printing begins?
--> MK4 - MK4S - MINI+ - Accelerometer Guide <--
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
Yes, the entire file will be transferred to the printer and stored on its USB stick so you can shut your computer down.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I think we do know. The built-in stack is modeled on the 32 bit buddy board in the Mini, and PrusaLink and PrusaConnect work by writing files to the USB stick. IIRC (but I'm not 100% sure) this was also mentioned on the recent Live show or on the interview Tom Sandladerer did with Joe Prusa and Miklas Zuza. Of course you can still use Octopi.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
There are ethernet to WIFI adaptors, you configure the adaptor on the PC to connect it to your WIFI network, then plug it into the device. But they do need USB power too. One of these with support for the latest WIFI standards will perform pretty well I'd say.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
Not sure about ethernet as I have no desire to have even more cables running around. What I can say though is a 9.5MB gcode file took 1m31s which to me is insanely slow. Hopefully there will be some firmware update that improves this. Uploading the same file to my Octoprint controlled printers took < 1 second.
For prusa mk4 owners - could you test g-code upload speeds over wifi and over network? (by uploading some artificial 50MB g-code file for example, counting time etc).
I wonder what are the values?
For mini (which has the same microcontroller as MK4 I think - STM32F407 and uses the same ESP wifi module) it was:
"The transfer speed from your computer to the printer should be around 250-300 KB/s over the Ethernet and 45-100 KB/s over the Wi-Fi."
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I get the impression these ESP8266 modules are for WIFI connectivity on very simple devices where speed isn't the issue, think Internet of Things. They use a sort of Hayes dialup modem command set.
You're better off with a ethernet to WIFI bridge.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
What I can say though is a 9.5MB gcode file took 1m31s which to me is insanely slow.
That's in line with what I'm seeing with the Mini. Atrocious.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
Speed is an issue when you're doing things like process monitoring and live viewing.
I get the impression these ESP8266 modules are for WIFI connectivity on very simple devices where speed isn't the issue, think Internet of Things. They use a sort of Hayes dialup modem command set.
You're better off with a ethernet to WIFI bridge.
RE:
What I can say though is a 9.5MB gcode file took 1m31s which to me is insanely slow. Uploading the same file to my Octoprint controlled printers took < 1 second./
Ok, so MK4 (I assume it's MK4 since this subject is about MK4) wifi is also about ~100KB/s.
(and upload to octoprint doesn't upload the g-code to the printer but only to octoprint host (default "Upload");
octoprint has "Upload to SD", too in interface which is about 3KB/s on 8-bit hardware... on MK4 32bit board this could be faster but still is limited by serial 115k capability which is about 11KB/s;
there is also sdwire hardware which takes over "Upload to SD" handling and is able to reach 10MB/s to upload to printer sd card)
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I don't use upload to SD for the very same reason I won't be using the in-built wifi on the MK4. It's slower than snails.
What I can say though is a 9.5MB gcode file took 1m31s which to me is insanely slow. Uploading the same file to my Octoprint controlled printers took < 1 second./
Ok, so MK4 (I assume it's MK4 since this subject is about MK4) wifi is also about ~100KB/s.
(and upload to octoprint doesn't upload the g-code to the printer but only to octoprint host (default "Upload");
octoprint has "Upload to SD", too in interface which is about 3KB/s on 8-bit hardware... on MK4 32bit board this could be faster but still is limited by serial 115k capability which is about 11KB/s;
there is also sdwire hardware which takes over "Upload to SD" handling and is able to reach 10MB/s to upload to printer sd card)
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I can confirm MK4 network speeds are unnaceptable for 2023....wifi speed 100kb/s, ethernet 300-400kb/s.
I am very dissapointed with MK4 (I have several MK3S and bambu X1C). No replacement parts at this moment, slightly speed upgrade only (5-10%), same noise, same low extrusion flow rate, erratic Prusalink/Prusa Connect (this affects also MK3S), etc...
I want to believe time will solve that problems.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
I wish I could get that speed, I just transferred a 8.6Mb gcode to the printer and it took 16 Minutes! so about 2 Mins per Mbyte.
With the included usb stick was 4x slower than that.
This is with the hard wired ethernet not wifi.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
Uh, I wonder why. That's only about 9KB/s.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
It seems to be something to do with PrusaConnect, I have now got PrusaLink working offline and uploading prints to the printer is reasonably fast i.e. a few seconds rather than minutes.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
Ah, ok. The question from this thread was about direct (LAN) upload, so prusa link.
RE: wifi vs ethernet speeds
This right here! Use hard-wired ethernet if at all possible. you don't want your wifi-router getting rebooted by your isp for firmware update while you've got a multi-day print going...
A 3D printer is fixed equipment. Always use direct wiring for fixed equipment unless there is some unbridgable physical barrier. Wifi is intended for portable kit and is susceptible to the sort of interference that electronics and moving metal generate...
I anticipate we are going to see lot of Wifi issues in future and a standard response will be 'Use a wire'.
Cheerio,