Skip to content

Updating the Bridge

Jump to bottom
Matt Webb edited this page Mar 26, 2015 · 6 revisions

Why the Bridge needs an update

The Bridge runs embedded software that automatically connects to bergcloud.com, which is the server that controls Little Printer.

What we want is for other servers to control the Little Printers, and for the Bridge to be configurable to connect to these other servers. That way, lots of people can run their own control servers... you can use the one that I run, but maybe you can use the one that you run too, or one run by a friend. This project, "sirius", is about making a new, simplified control server.

So the Bridge software needs to be updated to add this functionality. Once your Bridge software is updated, you can point it at the control server alpha.littleprinter.com.

Unfortunately the procedure for updating the Bridge software is complicated. I think we can make the procedure simpler in the future, but it's always going to be risky, which is why I'm not rolling this out as an automatic update.

Follow these steps

By following these steps, you will be controlling your Little Printer(s) using the new control server. You'll lose face changes, publications, nicely formatted messages, and the Direct Print API. To be fair, these are going away anyway when the old bergcloud.com servers are turned off, but y'know, it's worth pointing out. What do you gain? You gain the ability to receive messages from Twitter friends.

Here are the steps.

  1. Find the Bridge that you want to update. Make sure that it is connected to the internet, and that the Little Printer you want to control is connected to the Bridge (i.e. all 4 of the Bridge lights are glowing white without blinking)

  2. Sign in at Berg Cloud Remote

  3. You should see a list of "BERG Cloud devices" which is your list of printers. If you don't, click the cloud item. Scroll all the way down until you see "Settings" (this is the section that includes the "Account settings" option). You should see an option "List available bridges" -- tap it!

  4. If you don't see the option "List available bridges" -- email me at [email protected] with your sign-in email address. I'll enable this feature on your account

  5. Follow the options and prompts to update the software on your bridge. I can't remember exactly what happens here, but I think there's a bit where you tell the bridge you want to update, and its lights will start to flash. If they don't after about 30 sections, unplug the bridge, wait a few seconds, then plug it back in again and wait several minutes for the lights to do a little dance. Absolutely do not power off the bridge at this time! You will brick it.

  6. After the software update, go to that "List available bridges" again. Make sure your computer or smartphone is connected to the same network as the Bridge (i.e. you're connecting by wi-fi to the same router that the Bridge is plugged into by ethernet). Click on the Bridge!

  7. You'll be taken to the configuration page of the Bridge... use the username "berg" and the password "hereandthere"

  8. Paste this URL into the configuration box: http://alpha.littleprinter.com

  9. Press the button, wait, and see what happens! After a minute or so, the Bridge will have booted and most of its lights will be on. Refresh the configuration page, and make sure that the URL still says alpha(etc). It might be that the configuration didn't take if it couldn't find the control server.

  10. Reset your Little Printer. Do this by pulling off the metal front, taking out the paper, and using a paperclip to press the reset button through the tiny hole inside, right at the back. You have to reset the printer while it's turns off. The reset button will click.

  11. Turn your Little Printer off, re-assemble it, and plug it in. The light will come on. Press the black button, and you'll get a claim code.

  12. Now go to the alpha site, sign in with Twitter, and attempt to claim your printer with the new claim code.

  13. Gulp.

  14. If that all worked, all four lights on the Bridge will be solid and light, and there will be no light on Little Printer. You can then use the site to send your printer messages.

  15. Let me know (a) if this worked, and (b) if not, what happened!

Clone this wiki locally