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Slips & printing

Setting up a network printer

Find your printer's IP, connect over the network, and keep it stable.

A network (Ethernet or Wi‑Fi) printer is the most flexible setup — any Mac on the network can print to it — but it's also where most snags happen. This walkthrough uses an Epson TM‑T20III as the example; the steps are the same for most ESC/POS printers.

1. Connect the printer to your network#

  • Ethernet — plug the printer into your router or switch with a network cable, and power it on.
  • Wi‑Fi — follow the printer's own instructions to join your network (usually via its utility app or a WPS button). Make sure it joins the same network your Mac is on.

2. Find the printer's IP address#

Todebaran talks to a network printer by its IP address. There are three easy ways to find it:

  1. Print a self‑test / status sheet. On most Epson TM printers, power off, then hold the Feed button while powering back on — it prints a configuration sheet listing the IP address. Other brands have a similar self‑test; check the printer's manual.
  2. Use Detect in Todebaran. In Settings → Printer → Network, press Detect — printers that advertise over Bonjour appear with their IP filled in automatically.
  3. Check your router. Your router's admin page lists connected devices and their addresses.

A brand‑new printer usually gets its address automatically from the router (DHCP). If the self‑test shows something like 0.0.0.0 or 169.254.x.x, it hasn't got an address yet — check the cable or Wi‑Fi connection and try again.

3. Add it in Todebaran#

  1. Settings → Printer → Add Printer, choose your Model, and set the Connection to Network.
  2. Enter the IP address from step 2 and the Port — almost always 9100 (raw / JetDirect printing).
  3. Press Check status; a green dot means Todebaran can reach it. Press Test to print a test line.

4. Keep the IP from changing#

Here's the classic gotcha: printers often get their address from the router by DHCP, and that address can change when the printer or router restarts — after which Todebaran can no longer reach it. Pick one fix:

  • DHCP reservation (recommended) — in your router, reserve the printer's current IP to its hardware (MAC) address, so it always gets the same one. This is the easiest and most reliable option.
  • Static IP on the printer — set a fixed address in the printer's own network settings. Choose one outside your router's DHCP range to avoid clashes.

Either way, once the address is fixed, it'll keep matching what you entered in Todebaran.

Network gotchas#

  • Same network — the Mac and printer must be on the same network and subnet. A guest Wi‑Fi network, or a Mac on Wi‑Fi while the printer is on a separate VLAN, won't connect.
  • Port — if 9100 doesn't work, check the printer's manual for its raw printing port; some use 9101/9102 for a second/third station.
  • Firewalls — a firewall between the Mac and printer can block port 9100.
  • Wi‑Fi sleep — some printers drop Wi‑Fi to save power; disable any sleep/eco setting on the printer's network interface if it becomes unreachable when idle.

If it still won't print, see Printer troubleshooting.