Well funnily enough between whenever we were talking about printers on the cloud and now, Bambu decided to step in it and pull some stupidity with their next firmware. So I got off my butt and finally did the work to stick it off in it's own VLAN where the only access to the internet it has is for NTP. No more cloud, only LAN mode from here on out.
What have you 3D printed for your TJ?
- Thread starter chimmike
- Start date
Well funnily enough between whenever we were talking about printers on the cloud and now, Bambu decided to step in it and pull some stupidity with their next firmware. So I got off my butt and finally did the work to stick it off in it's own VLAN where the only access to the internet it has is for NTP. No more cloud, only LAN mode from here on out.
Just caught up on all the posts about Bambu.
Long story short - I just tossed my X1C into LAN mode on a VLAN that's not allowed to touch the internet at all, and I am not upgrading to the latest firmware for their "security" upgrades.
From what I've made of the situation, they didn't build proper authentication mechanisms into their cloud bits, and this new "Bambu Connect" thing is some sort of shim that'll handle the new encryption/authentication scheme they're layering in to try and mitigate their bad architecture from the jump.
But the big problem for me is that while I can totally understand the need for proper authentication into their proprietary cloud because cloud computing isn't free, the new firmware also requires anyone using LAN mode for their printer to still use the new Bambu Connect software if they wish to use something 3rd party to connect to the printer. Which is ludicrous IMO. I shouldn't need to use their cloud auth to ultimately use my printer locally when it's not hooked to their cloud.
I am ultimately a Louis Rossman type when it comes to owning my stuff, so I can't abide by that. Especially how it nerfs alternative slicers like Orca (which is a more powerful version of Bambu Studio) and other 3rd party hardware/software. It reeks of creating walls around the garden.
Now, Bambu did capitulate a bit, and they now say that there will be a "Developer Mode" that you can put the new firmware into that will effectively revert the machine back to the current firmware's auth scheme with all the ports wide open. But by going into that mode, you lose support. So they're clearly trying to push you into the garden. But there's actually no new features to really make it worth taking the poison. So why bother?
Ultimately, I'm glad they gave me the kick in the pants to do the legwork to set up the VLAN. There was no need for the cloud stuff to begin with.
Long story short - I just tossed my X1C into LAN mode on a VLAN that's not allowed to touch the internet at all, and I am not upgrading to the latest firmware for their "security" upgrades.
From what I've made of the situation, they didn't build proper authentication mechanisms into their cloud bits, and this new "Bambu Connect" thing is some sort of shim that'll handle the new encryption/authentication scheme they're layering in to try and mitigate their bad architecture from the jump.
But the big problem for me is that while I can totally understand the need for proper authentication into their proprietary cloud because cloud computing isn't free, the new firmware also requires anyone using LAN mode for their printer to still use the new Bambu Connect software if they wish to use something 3rd party to connect to the printer. Which is ludicrous IMO. I shouldn't need to use their cloud auth to ultimately use my printer locally when it's not hooked to their cloud.
I am ultimately a Louis Rossman type when it comes to owning my stuff, so I can't abide by that. Especially how it nerfs alternative slicers like Orca (which is a more powerful version of Bambu Studio) and other 3rd party hardware/software. It reeks of creating walls around the garden.
Now, Bambu did capitulate a bit, and they now say that there will be a "Developer Mode" that you can put the new firmware into that will effectively revert the machine back to the current firmware's auth scheme with all the ports wide open. But by going into that mode, you lose support. So they're clearly trying to push you into the garden. But there's actually no new features to really make it worth taking the poison. So why bother?
Ultimately, I'm glad they gave me the kick in the pants to do the legwork to set up the VLAN. There was no need for the cloud stuff to begin with.
I fundamentally disagree with this guy's concept of ownership. Yes, I bought the Bambu as an appliance, but the appliance is the hardware, not the software.
The vast majority of the way the printer communicates is through standard protocols (FTP, MQTT, HTTP, etc). I should be able to use whatever software I wish to communicate with the printer. Why shouldn't I be able to communicate with the printer with whatever software I wish?
Ultimately, I own the hardware, and I should be able to run whatever I want on the hardware. Otherwise, you own nothing.
Edit - further thoughts:
Ultimately, the place where we've arrived - developer mode that disables the auth but puts you in an unsupported state,and the ability to flash custom firmware on the x1c that voids the warranty, is a fair compromise. But that was not Bambu's initial offers, and these freedoms had to be fought for.
Last edited:
I submit to you that this is incorrect. You bought it as it functions out of the box, that's both...and they work in concert as designed by BL. The two are what sets the P1x and X1 machines apart from anything else currently available.
So anyone building any device like a 3D printer should make sure to only produce it so it's completely open source...so you can load whatever controller software/firmware you like? I think that's a) unrealistic and b) would require a level of standards compliance few industries can muster, even today. It would also stall or kill any advancement of the technology.
Freedoms? Fight? A bit dramatic.
To me, it sounds like you purchased the wrong printer, based on your expectations.
This doesn't sound unreasonable to me. How is this different from buying a Windows laptop and throwing something like Arch Linux on it instead?
I understand the point you're trying to make, but I do not see a direct correlation. And if that's how it was, across the board, do you think we'd be were we are right now with this technology?
I see 3D printers as specialized devices, and without any kind of industry standards. PCs and laptops tend to abide by standards, which also means they have limits.
While I appreciate open source and being able to do what you want with a printer (or most any device), that's not what BL produced and they never claimed it to be. I had a printer I could flash and fuck with, and guess what, all I did was flash and fuck with it, I never produced functional prints like I can with my P1S and X1C. Not in as great a quantity, as quickly or with engineering materials. What other printer can do this for the money, currently?
For the record, I do not use the BL app or their cloud. I feed both of my machines via USB drive. I do update the slicer and firmware (X1C only) from time to time. I can't say I've used tons of slicers but the BL one is the best I've used (as I understand it, it's a modified version of Prusa's slicer) and the filament presets when printing with specialized materials is welcome.
Last edited:
We're here because of company greed I'd say. Not because of the technology.
They are just computers with other hardware attached. I have a feeling BL isn't inventing their own architectures or anything like that.
b) would require a level of standards compliance few industries can muster, even today. It would also stall or kill any advancement of the technology.
I also don't know why you'd say that. Protocols are both well defined and adhered to in the computer world. To me, this is like arguing we'd have been better off if every networking company invented and stuck with their own version of TCP/IP, which would be an absolute disaster. Ubiquity of protocols is going to do the exact opposite of kill advancement.
Being custom hardware shouldn't preclude them from using established protocols. Coming up with a proprietary protocol to lock people in is just that, an unnecessary and (IMO) malicious move to force vendor lock-in.
Thank you. Looks to me like they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar and are trying to backtrack and spin. I've seen it many times before.
DeltaNu1142
TJ Enthusiast
I have been looking around for an early TJ soundbar so I can design a replacement dome light cover. Apparently they're hard to come by?Still waiting to see some 3D printed TJ stuff.
I have one that isn't for sale are there any free Android scanning apps I could try to give you a basis or something?
If it disintegrates getting pics/a scan for you you gotta print me one tho
DeltaNu1142
TJ Enthusiast
Honestly, would not risk it... I've seen some close-ups and it looks like something I can easily mock up, but I'm also very easily distracted.Eh... probably all TJs with sound bars and a single rectangular dome light. "Early" meaning, sound bar and not sound pods. I don't know which years have two lights instead of one light... but I'm talking about this one:
...and not this one:
Though, the 2nd one could come later.
Eh... probably all TJs with sound bars and a single rectangular dome light. "Early" meaning, sound bar and not sound pods. I don't know which years have two lights instead of one light... but I'm talking about this one:
View attachment 590282
...and not this one:
View attachment 590283
Though, the 2nd one could come later.
I have a 2002 and it has the single light cap like the 1st picture. I would be happy to take some calipers to it for you and send you the dimensionless.
DeltaNu1142
TJ Enthusiast
DeltaNu1142
TJ Enthusiast
I'll turn this thread on its head for a second... what should I be printing for my TJ? I just got a roll of PETG yesterday and it's dialed in pretty well (far better than with my old Ender). I have a list of STLs put together, but I'm sticking to other stuff until I pull the Jeep back out of storage in the spring. Are there any must-have prints that I can do before then?
We're getting 6" of white stuff today and more this coming weekend, so it might be awhile.
We're getting 6" of white stuff today and more this coming weekend, so it might be awhile.
Similar threads
South Carolina
3D Printed Accessories & Aftermarket Parts
