Excuse me if this a basic question.
I am in the market for my 1st 3d printer and have the P2S on the top of my list. Now I just trying to save up and do my due diligence before dropping the cash.
There are lots of things to watch on youtube about various types of 3d prints but Bambu seems to be the only one where people mention the cloud. Please excuse my ignorance but does this not mean that you have to now pay a monthly subscription fee to the cloud to use your printer or to have network connectivity (send prints jobs to it, updates, stream the camera, etc..) without the cloud service what does that mean?
Thereâs no fee for using any of the cloud features and you can also use lan only mode if you prefer to not use the cloud at all.
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As it is often the case with cloud computing: you pay with your data. You get: printing from your smartphone.
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From what I read using the printer in LAN mode only disable some features of the printer?
Thank you people for the feedback.
I canât see myself being out at work or doing shopping and having the need to start a print job so remotely starting doesnât seem like a deal breaker.
The Handy app I assume is just the cell phone app, which I would think you would be able to do everything plus more via the desktop computer app.
The Print History would be handy.
The history is on the printer. As far as my understanding of this topic goes. What do you expect from âprint historyâ? The slicer tools I use (Bambu and Orca) both have a list of recently opened projects. What else can one expect?
(When in cloud mode you can âdisableâ the print history. - Yeah, sure⌠
)
You canât rename the printer in LAN only mode. At least I canât now. When in cloud mode I was able to change the name.
And you have to update the firmware manually from a media.
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Donât worry about the talks about cloud (some very negatively) because one can always use the LAN mode. I have been using LAN mode from the start, even though I could have used the cloud as well since none of what I design or print is top secret stuff (I share most of them on MakerWorld).
You can update the firmware completely offline, too. But I have also been logging into the clould briefly to do the update then log off right after.
Thatâs correct. However, one can change the printer name while logging into cloud to do the firmware update and log off right after. The new name carries over to LAN mode.
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@DWdesigns - just worried in the sense of spending $1000+ on a printer only to find it gets bricked by the manufacturer because I printed a Disney character key chain for the kids or now to use the printer there is a monthly fee. My overall use for the printer is to print some solutions if different thing around the house (tool organizing, hangers, some car molded brackets), try my hand at CADâing something and some neat things on MakerWorld I have seen. Nothing sinister by any means.
Why do you feel the need to just use LAN mode?
How to do know that there is a update for the printer if your always in LAN?
Firmware updates always create discussion and complaints here on the forum, so I always know when a new update is available.
If my printer works the way I want, why do I care about an update?
LAN mode is faster and more reliable. I donât depend on a cloud server that is often slow or even down.
I do not need Bambuâs authorization to use MY printer, and I can use better software if I wish.
On the very rare occasions that I want to use the cloud (maybe once a year?), it can be activated with a few taps.
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This topic should probably be in the P2S area, or Studio, since the printer of interest does not use Bambu Suite.
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does going back and forth from LAN to Cloud not crate issues?
âThis topic should probably be in the P2S area, or Studio, since the printer of interest does not use Bambu Suite.â
Sorry ⌠is there way I can change it?
These are far-fetched. But since you thought like this, maybe I should say it here to doubly assure you know that Bambu Lab printers are closed-source (think iPhone and Apple laptop). I donât want to see another user buying a closed-source printer and later complaining it is closed-source
I donât need the cloud feature. I only print when I am at home. Going through the cloud addes a layer that is unnecessary in my use case. However, I can see the convenience of the cloud for people who enjoy printing from their phone (the Handy app) using the one-step printing feature.
Well, the same question can be asked of other brand printers that donât offer the cloud, right?
The updates can show up in the Bambu Lab wiki, or announcements and posts discussing the updates on this forum. But I mostly got the notice on Bambu Studio.
But this is basic logistic for any printer and it shouldnât be a concern. I am guessing so far you have limited expereince on machines that need to update firmware? Or limited experience on using machines/devices in general? If you are not sure if you would enjoy a 3D printer, it maybe a good idea to go through some Bambu Lab Academy Courses and see if the learning experience is something you can see yourself enjoy.
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Bambuâs chaining to the cloud and phone-first feature development are the only things keeping me from recommending them to other printer people I talk to. [ok yeah, apple pricing too, but not everyone cares about price]
Have you ever done a bambu mobo replacement? Think real hard about that period of time where you had completed the physical repair, the machine is whole and should work, but bambuâs [overseas] support is still waiting to activate it. Canât bind it via pc or phone, slicers crash on bind or send. Printer only accepts gcode on SD. The news scaremongers about âkill switchesâ in cars, but like, here one is⌠Some bit gets flipped in a database in AWS and all of a sudden it all works. Could be maliciously/incompetantly done in inverse to brick valid devices⌠Iâm not saying that bambu is unique in using its service backbone to âbrickâ non-compliant devices, but it always sucks, every time that any company does it. âyou will own nothing and be happyâ
âBut this is basic logistic for any printer and it shouldnât be a concern. I am guessing so far you have limited expereince on machines that need to update firmware? Or limited experience on using machines/devices in general? If you are not sure if you would enjoy a 3D printer, it maybe a good idea to go through some Bambu Lab Academy Courses and see if the learning experience is something you can see yourself enjoy.â
- I see what your saying and I will take some time and go through the Academy Courses. To the point of not having that much experience on machines that need to be updated. I just made the assumption that if the printer is always in LAN mode your not getting any auto updates from Bambu thus always needing to check and stay up to date yourself. Currently I am just trying to figure things out. Am I going to enjoy the world of 3D printing, I am interested in what they can do, Iâm interested figuring out the CAD aspect of it and working with all the different filaments (materials) I would like to see if my kids have a interest in it as well. So I hope so.
âBut since you thought like this, maybe I should say it here to doubly assure you know that Bambu Lab printers are closed-source (think iPhone and Apple laptop). I donât want to see another user buying a closed-source printer and later complaining it is closed-sourceâ
- I understand the âclosed-sourceâ aspect of it, if its not Bambu its not going to work. so if you like to tinker and mod then a Bambu isnât for you. If you need a part then your buying Bambu and the price is what it is, sorry that is the aspect of closed-source. Is that about it?
âBambuâs chaining to the cloud and phone-first feature development are the only things keeping me from recommending them to other printer people I talk to. [ok yeah, apple pricing too, but not everyone cares about price]â
- Sure price is imported but so is reliability. I am not sure I have a overwhelming desire use a phone app to interact with a printer. If there is an options to turn off the cloud I would be inclined to do that.
âHave you ever done a bambu mobo replacement? Think real hard about that period of time where you had completed the physical repair, the machine is whole and should work, but bambuâs [overseas] support is still waiting to activate it. Canât bind it via pc or phone, slicers crash on bind or send. Printer only accepts gcode on SD. The news scaremongers about âkill switchesâ in cars, but like, here one is⌠Some bit gets flipped in a database in AWS and all of a sudden it all works. Could be maliciously/incompetantly done in inverse to brick valid devices⌠Iâm not saying that bambu is unique in using its service backbone to âbrickâ non-compliant devices, but it always sucks, every time that any company does it. âyou will own nothing and be happyââ
- Not sure what you mean by mobo replacement so I googled it {Bambu Lab motherboard (MC board) replacement involves swapping the core control board to fix system-level issues, typically costing around $322 for the main unit} I would hope this doesnât happen much.
- Donât think I am a ânews scaremongerâ but feel the need to cover my bases and can only go by what I read / see thus coming here to lean the finer points.
Just looking at the market AnkerMake, Snapmaker, Qidi, Prusa, Elegoo, Bambu. They all have something to offer and the market is changing with tool changers being brought out. I wonder if just going out and buying a Bambu A1 for now makes sense and take it from there. The catch 22 for me, is once I have one the likely hood of buying anther is slim to none so for me taking the time save do the research buy something that can handle the different types of materials and hopefully donât have to buy another one any time soon.
Good conversation.
Thatâs about it. As long as you plan to use the printer as a tool to print things (fun or useful stuff, maybe even print things out to use on another hobby), as long as you have no desire to treat working on the printer as a hobby itself, you are fine. In fact, a Bambu Lab printer is the best among the brands for this purpose. Other brands are still more or less catering to those who love tinkering with the printer.
Bambu Lab printers are aimed for the masses, i.e. people who donât necessarily have a tech background and not interested in 3D printing technology itself. You should be fine. Your interest in CAD/model design is also a good sign that most likely you will love it and make good use of it.
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As a first printer Bambu is a great place to start. There will always be the second printer and so on. Donât let FUD stand in your way.
@goldfinger there is not real FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) here just fact finding. There is a lot of youtube people that have videos like âThe âPre-Banâ List: Buy These Before Itâs Illegal (11 Picks)â Not posting a link donât feel like spreading the word⌠A person looking to get into 3D printing see these and goes âdo I really want to get into thisâ or â whatâs going on, how much of this is trueâ you start doing some reading and finding some people in the world to ask.
Nothing like spending hard eared money to see it become a really expensive paperweight.
I normally print huge models. Like 100mb+ G-code files. I send them to the cloud several times in a row, if I need to or not. Thatâs got to be expensive. Not for me, though.