Wi-Fi connection: via Raspberry Pi and Octoprint  

RE: Wi-Fi connection: via Raspberry Pi and Octoprint

Well, any version of the Pi will work, but some have WiFi already on-board. While others simply need a USB WiFi dongle to connect.

RE: Wi-Fi connection: via Raspberry Pi and Octoprint

Availability of all Raspberry Pi's looks to be a challenge right now.

Here's one that would work from Adafruit, but it's out-of-stock: https://www.adafruit.com/product/4292

And Canakit is offering pre-orders: https://www.canakit.com/raspberry-pi-4-4gb.html

RE: Wi-Fi connection: via Raspberry Pi and Octoprint

...what is Octoprint used for?

OctoPrint is an open source 3D printer controller application. It displays printers' status and allows user to remotely control the printer (and much more...).

OctoPrint.org

wbr,

Karl

RE:

Regardless of Prusa's documentation do NOT use a Pi Zero.

I would say that the principle reason for using Octoprint is that it eliminates sneaker net (ie the physical carrying of data sticks to the printer).

Octopi is a preconfigured image of Octoprint, it runs a script with half a dozen questions and you're good to go.

You can configure your slicer to send it's output directly to Octoprint and optionally initiate printing.

RE: Wi-Fi connection: via Raspberry Pi and Octoprint

OctoPrint has a plug-in architecture and there are many many plug-ins to do different things.

The Most Popular OctoPrint Plugins (And How to Install Them)

RE: Wi-Fi connection: via Raspberry Pi and Octoprint

My favorite plugins
- Bed level visualiser: Displays 3D mesh of bed topography report
- Exclude region: Adds the ability to prevent printing within rectangular or circular regions of the currently active gcode file
- PrintTimeGenius: Use a gcode pre-analysis to provide better print time estimation 
- Octolapse: Create a stabilized timelapse of your 3D prints

RE:

what is the Octoprint used for

OctoPrint is a print server. Instead of inserting a SD card with the g.code into your printer you connect OctoPrint via USB (or the serial port on the einsy) and let it send the g.code bit by bit to the printer. 

Advantage: Since the code is send sequentially from Octoprint you have various ways to interact with it while printing (cancel objects or areas, visualize things, tweak parameters, remote control ect ). You can also use Octoprint to update the firmware and command the printer to move, home, heat or extrude while no print is in progress...

Disadvantage: Powerloss recovery will not work.

PS.: You don't have to use WiFi on the Raspi, you can also connect it with a LAN cable to your WiFi router to make it accessible in your WiFi network.