Would it be possible to use a USB network dongle to connect to the J1 via ethernet?
I have no idea how much Snapmaker 2.0 and J1 have in common in terms of “brain” - but with Sanpmaker 2.0’s Android-based touchscreen controller it works: Works: USB to Ethernet adapter
Interesting. Looks like you have to use the USB A port on the front of the machine, if it is to work at all. I would only be interested if I can use the B port in the back, really don’t want a wire hanging off the front of the machine into my shop space.
OK, I can only guess - but from the fact that it is a USB-B port, and looking in the somewhat preliminary-looking Users Manual, I’d infer that this is actually the port you connect the PC to, i.e. usually a USB-to-Serial-Adapter that allows feeding in GCode. So no direct Ethernet connection here I’d assume. You might however connect a Raspberry Pi with Octoprint on it and let it act as a “bridge”.
But it is all educated guesswork - better double check!
Oh wow - I had heard of Octoprint before, never had a reason to look at it. At first glance it looks like it might work, but before spending a bunch of time digging into it - does anyone have experience with it, and should it work?
I am not sure how many J1-users are there - is the machine delivered already? Unless someone with a device has better information, all I now say is still guesswork. As far as I can tell J1 is running - like Snapmaker 2.0 - on a Marlin-based firmware (e.g. the Cura-Plugin code lists it as Marlin-flavoured). Octoprint works well with Marlin-style printers, so the likelihood that Octoprint will work well with J1 is high. A few features might not work, like e.g. filament runout detection - see Snapmaker 2.0 forum parts.
The general idea of Octoprint is to provide a more versatile interface for 3D-printers, providing a web interface, Smartphone interaction etc. Octoprint works as a “print server”, i.e. it receives the GCode file, and feeds it into the printer via (usually) the serial/USB interface. It provides more options to change parameters on the fly, to control the print process etc. as most built-in printer-interfaces do. As it typically runs on a Raspberry Pi computer, it is also very versatile regarding interfaces to the outside world, be it WiFi, Ethernet cable, USB drive etc. And, since Octoprint has a very active community, tons of addins exist that can help a lot with 3D printing problems.
With Snapmaker 2.0, there is quite a number users, search the forum and I guess you can get a lot of help. I myself yet did not really use it admittedly, but I certainly at some point in the future will.
Wow - thank you for the detailed write-up.
Do you know if Octoprint commands the printer via the USB port, or if it sends the file to the controller and let’s the controller ‘run’ the file? On another crappy printer a buddy gave me, he told me to always use the SD card to transfer the file to the controller and run it from the controller, as there are quality issues running the file remotely and sending the commands through the USB port.
That didn’t really make a whole lot of sense to me, other than maybe it resolves some timing issues with the extrusion / motion, but it’s so little data that’s actually being transferred, I have a hard time believing that’s the case. I have no actual experience with it though.
Octoprint transfers via USB port, sending in GCode commands, not a file. It in a way does the same as the printer’s controller. I would not see how using the USB port would be a problem on that crappy printer, but of course you never know - if the firmware implementation has issues, all things might happen. But why not try it out with a simple test print?
Thanks Hauke! I have a spare Pi here that I’ll set up this afternoon and give a go.
I’m with you, I don’t see how sending commands via USB would create issues, but I’m also very inexperienced with printing, although I do operate about every other type of CNC out there.
Yes, Octoprint works when plugged into the rear USB using the included USB host cable.
I do have an OctoPrint Pi connected to mine. However, I have just been sending my prints directly to the J1 over WiFi though and really plan to use OctoPrint for visual monitoring via camera. I am still working through getting a camera perfect. My current camera module has too narrow of a FOV.