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First Printer Setup

This guide walks you through adding your first printer to Bambuddy.


Prerequisites

Before adding a printer, ensure:

  • Bambuddy is running (Installation or Docker)
  • Your printer is powered on and connected to your network
  • LAN Mode is enabled (see guide)
  • You have the IP address, serial number, and access code

Adding Your Printer

Step 1: Open the Add Printer Dialog

  1. Open Bambuddy in your browser
  2. Go to the Printers page
  3. Click the Add Printer button

Step 2: Enter Printer Details

Fill in the required information:

Field Description Example
Name A friendly name for your printer Workshop X1C
IP Address Your printer's local IP address 192.168.1.100
Access Code 8-character code from LAN Mode 12345678
Serial Number Your printer's serial number 01P00A000000001

Finding Serial Number

The serial number format varies by model:

  • X1 Series: Starts with 01S or 01P
  • P1 Series: Starts with 01P
  • A1 Series: Starts with 01A
  • H2 Series: Starts with 03W

Step 3: Save and Connect

  1. Click Save
  2. Bambuddy will attempt to connect to your printer
  3. Wait for the connection indicator to turn green

Verifying Connection

A successfully connected printer shows:

Green Indicator

Connection is active and healthy

Live Temperatures

Nozzle, bed, and chamber readings update in real-time

HMS Status

Health Management System shows "OK" (green)


Understanding the Printer Card

Once connected, your printer card displays:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [●] Workshop X1C                              [📷] [⚙️]   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                             │
│  🌡️ Nozzle: 220°C    🛏️ Bed: 60°C    🏠 Chamber: 35°C     │
│                                                             │
│  ████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░  45%              │
│  Layer 120 of 267  •  1h 23m remaining  •  45g used        │
│                                                             │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │  AMS                                                 │   │
│  │  [🔵] PLA Blue   [🔴] PLA Red   [⚪] Empty   [⚪]    │   │
│  │  💧 45%  🌡️ 28°C                                     │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                             │
│  HMS: ✅ OK                                                 │
│                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Card Elements

Element Description
Connection indicator Green = connected, Red = disconnected
Camera button Open live camera feed
Settings button Edit printer settings
Temperatures Live nozzle, bed, and chamber temps
Progress bar Current print progress (if printing)
Layer info Current layer / total layers
Time remaining Estimated completion time
Filament used Grams consumed this print
AMS section Filament slots, humidity, and temperature
HMS status Health status indicator

Camera Setup

Bambuddy supports live camera streaming:

  1. Click the camera icon on the printer card
  2. A new window opens with the live feed
  3. Toggle between Live stream and Snapshot mode

Camera Requirements

  • Camera must be enabled in your printer settings
  • Requires ffmpeg installed on the Bambuddy server for MJPEG streaming
  • Works over LAN Mode connection

Connection Issues?

If your printer won't connect:

Check These First

  1. Is LAN Mode enabled? Re-check the setting on your printer
  2. Correct IP address? Verify in printer network settings
  3. Access code fresh? Codes change when LAN Mode is toggled
  4. Same network? Bambuddy server and printer must be on the same LAN
  5. Firewall rules? Ensure ports 8883 (MQTT) and 990 (FTPS) are open

Status Indicators

Indicator Meaning
Green Connected and communicating
Yellow Connecting or reconnecting
Red Disconnected or error

Still Having Issues?

See the full Troubleshooting Guide.


Adding More Printers

Repeat the process to add additional printers. Bambuddy supports unlimited printers - manage your entire print farm from one interface!


What Happens Next?

Once your printer is connected, Bambuddy automatically:

  1. Monitors print status in real-time
  2. Archives completed prints with full metadata
  3. Captures camera snapshots on print completion (if enabled)
  4. Tracks statistics for your dashboard

Start a print from Bambu Studio, Handy, or the printer itself - Bambuddy will detect it automatically!


🏁 Next Steps