Advantages to printing on a LAN ?
I am a little confused with the options. Right now I process models in the PrusaSlicer, slice and then send ti the printer via the PrusaConnect which sends it online. I then go downstairs turn the printer on, load the filament and again have to go online to finish the transfer and start the print…..from the phone or ipad.
Is the process any different if through the LAN or am I already using it? It is connected to WIFI.
THANKS
You have identified the core problem, it's inefficient.
Remote operation is only of any use to people running a print farm where employee(s) tend the printers so that the design and print scheduling can be done from elsewhere.
Anyone with too few printers to justify employing operators is adding to their workload by using network connections.
WIFI is also a mistake around moving machinery, signal bounces from moving metal are always likely to degrade connections, running cables to every machine makes networking sense but doesn't affect the basic inefficiency.
I did run cables to my machines some time ago but aside a brief, (less than two weeks) flirtation with Octoprint I never used them.
Cheerio,
RE: Advantages to printing on a LAN ?
Thank you. I use the app for what it is worth. If the printer is ON, I can send the file to the printer and start. I can also monitor the progress.
I am not quite sure if there is a difference between the two connections or if there are two connections.
Ok, here is another way to ask the question, if my internet went down, can I use the mobile app to send files and start on the LAN? So then, additional setup is necessary?thank you!
RE: Advantages to printing on a LAN ?
PRUSALINK. Log into printer in LAN @ http:/10.0.0.7.
The Username is baked in and the password is a long alphanumeric. I made the mistake of pushing the generate new password choice after logging in and had to reenter the pw. I am going to try and contrast this method of accessing the printer!
RE: Advantages to printing on a LAN ?
The app doesn't speak PrusaLink, so you can't use it without internet. But if your phone and printer are on the same LAN, and there's no client isolation, you can type http:// and your printer IP address or host name in a web browser, in order to access the PrusaLink web interface. Here you can upload (b)gcode files, print files already on the printer memory stick, and see printer and print job status.
You can only use PrusaLink if the printer is already on, because it uses a tiny web server running on the printer itself. You can't queue a print job and turn on the printer after. With PrusaConnect, including with the app, you speak with Prusa's cloud servers and those then speak with your printer, and they can wait if it's not online at the moment.
If you want to use PrusaLink, but not keep the printer on all of the time, or run to it and turn it on every time, you can connect the printer to a smart plug that can be turned on and off with an app or remote.