- 1 Equipment requirements
- 2 Set up
Do you have a Raspberry Pi?
To make your printer smarter, some more powerful hardware is needed. This guide assumes you have a Raspberry Pi. Check the list below if you have everything that is required, or check the bottom for alternative options to Raspberry Pi's.
One Raspberry Pi is required for each printer you want to connect. There are ways to use a single Raspberry Pi to run multiple printers. This setup is a bit more advanced and won't be covered in this step-by-step guide, but scroll to the FAQ in the bottom if you wish to learn more.
What do I need?
A Raspberry Pi (per. printer
) Recommended and supported models are; Raspberry Pi 3B, Raspberry Pi 4B (any GB-variant), Raspberry Pi Zero W 2, Raspberry Pi 400.
See our guide on how to pick the right Raspberry Pi here.
Official power supply for Raspberry Pi
Not using an official power supply can result in the Pi not getting enough power. Remember to get the right power supply for the Raspberry Pi model you're using - it varies from micro USB to USB C.
SD card - minimum 4GB
Most SD cards will do, but it's smart to invest in a good and fast SD card, to ensure a longer lifespan. It's recommended to use SD cards with at least speed class 10. If got an SD card with your Raspberry Pi, you're probably good to go!
- Connection cable for Pi -> FLSUN S1
To connect the Raspberry Pi to your FLSUN S1, you must use a connection cable. It varies from printer to printer which cable is needed, but it's often either USB C, micro USB, mini USB or USB B. See our guide on which cable to use here.
- WiFi or internet cable
To connect to SimplyPrint, the Raspberry Pi must be connected to the internet via either WiFi or ethernet.
NOTE; the Pi 2 doesn't have WiFi capabilities unless using a dongle, but it does have an ethernet port. The Pi Zero W (both 1 and 2) doesn't have an ethernet port.
Don't have the required items?
Get a Raspberry Pi starter kitAny of the mentioned supported Raspberry Pi's purchased from any shop will work - it doesn't have to be a "SimplyPrint Kit" - the kit just comes with SimplyPrint pre-installed.
Questions?
Can I use something other than a Raspberry Pi? (old Android phone, Windows, Mac or Linux computers)
There is no support on this section and nothing is guaranteed, so only proceed if you're up for getting your hands dirty and try on your own. If you just want an easy setup, we recommend following the setup guide and using a Raspberry Pi.
Yes - there are alternatives to the Raspberry Pi to run SimplyPrint.
Note that all of these options show you how to install OctoPrint, whereafter you can follow
the rest of the guide, which shows you how to install SimplyPrint for OctoPrint.
- Octo4A; Android phones
If you've got an old Android phone laying around, check out Octo4A.
This setup works surprisingly well for many people, and the phone's camera can even be used - and it's as simple as installing an app on your phone. - Windows computer
A Windows computer can also be used to run SimplyPrint. Check out this guide on the OctoPrint forum on how to set it up.
- Mac OS computer
A Mac OS computer can also be used to run SimplyPrint. Check out this guide on the OctoPrint forum on how to set it up.
- Other Linux-based computers & devices
Most Linux-based computer/devices can also be used to run SimplyPrint. Check out this guide on the OctoPrint forum on how to set it up.
- Docker (on any device)
If you're familiar with Docker, there's an OctoPrint Docker image here.
- Other similar boards, like; Orange Pi, Banana Pi, Blueberry Pi, Asus Tinker Board, Rick Pi,
Pone Rock64, Odroid-C4
Any Linux-based board with enough power (multiple cores) and internet capabilities that can run Python, should be enough.
Note that Arduino and in general micro-controllers is not enough to run SimplyPrint.
Can I run multiple printers on a single Raspberry Pi? Learn more here
There is no support on this section and nothing is guaranteed, so only proceed if you're up for getting your hands dirty and try on your own. If you just want an easy setup, we recommend following the setup guide and using a Raspberry Pi.
Yes, this is possible - but like using alternatives to Raspberry Pi's; this is a bit more
advanced
and is not recommended unless you're willing to get your hands dirty with no lifeline and
have basic Linux knowledge.
Here are some ways to achieve this;
- OctoPrint Deploy (recommended, for OctoPrint only)
Using OctoPrint deploy allows for quite easy setup of multiple printers on a single Raspberry Pi (or any Linux machine). Check out the GitHub page for the project. Here you'll find instructions on how to set up, as well as a YouTube video.
- Prind - docker container wrapper
Docker container setup of Klipper with OctoPrint, Fluidd, Mainsail or KlipperScreen. Check out the prind GitHub repository to learn more.
- Custom using Docker
This setup is a bit more cumbersome than the previous method, but if you're a Docker-person, this might be for you. Check out the OctoPrint Docker image here .
More in-depth information can be found here.