Guide
Bambu Lab LAN mode, explained
LAN Only, LAN Only Liveview and Developer Mode sound alike but do different things. Here's what each one changes, and why you may not need any of them.
In short
- Cloud mode (the default): the printer is bound to your Bambu Lab account. Bambu Handy and remote printing work.
- LAN Only: the printer stops using Bambu Lab's cloud. Bambu Studio connects on your network with the access code; Bambu Handy, remote printing and print history stop working.
- LAN Only Liveview: lets apps on your network open the camera of an X1, H2, H3C, P2S or X2D printer. It doesn't need LAN Only.
- Developer Mode: available in LAN Only; lets third-party apps send commands such as pause and stop.
To watch a printer from your Mac with Bambu Bar, you need none of them. The camera on X1, H2, H3C, P2S and X2D needs LAN Only Liveview; pause, stop and speed need LAN Only with Developer Mode.
Cloud mode
Out of the box, a Bambu Lab printer is bound to your Bambu Lab account and talks to Bambu Lab's cloud. That's what makes Bambu Handy work, lets you start prints from anywhere, and keeps your print history.
Cloud mode doesn't stop local apps: the printer still answers on your network. Bambu Bar reads status in cloud mode, with the printer bound to your account.
LAN Only
LAN Only cuts the printer off from Bambu Lab's cloud. Bambu Lab's wiki lists what changes:
- You can't start prints from outside your local network.
- Bambu Handy isn't available.
- Print history isn't available.
Bambu Studio and OrcaSlicer still work on your network: the printer moves to Other Device, and you connect with its access code. People choose LAN Only for privacy, for printers without internet access, or because Developer Mode needs it.
On the X1 series, Bambu Lab notes that starting a print over LAN needs a microSD card in the printer.
LAN Only Liveview
On X1, H2, H3C, P2S and X2D printers, the camera is streamed as video over RTSPS, and the printer only offers that stream to local apps when LAN Only Liveview is on. Despite the name, it doesn't need LAN Only mode: Bambu Bar shows the camera with the printer in cloud mode and this switch on.
P1, A1 and A2L printers send their camera differently and have nothing to turn on. See the camera on your Mac.
Developer Mode
Developer Mode is a switch inside LAN Only. Bambu Lab describes it as opening the printer's MQTT channel, live stream and FTP to third-party software, which can then control the printer. You confirm a risk notice to turn it on.
For Bambu Bar, it's what lets pause, resume, stop and speed through: without it, the printer refuses those commands from any app except Bambu Lab's own. See Developer Mode and locked controls.
What Bambu Bar needs
| You want to | What the printer needs |
|---|---|
| See progress, temperatures, AMS, errors | Nothing: cloud mode or LAN Only |
| Switch the chamber light | Nothing |
| See the camera on X1, H2, H3C, P2S, X2D | LAN Only Liveview |
| See the camera on P1, A1, A2L | Nothing |
| Pause, resume, stop, change speed | LAN Only and Developer Mode |
Only change what you need. If you just want to watch your prints, leave the printer in cloud mode: Bambu Handy keeps working, and so does Bambu Bar.
Where the switches are
The menus differ by printer and firmware. According to Bambu Lab's wiki:
- X1, H2 and P2S: Settings → LAN Only, with LAN Only Liveview and Developer Mode on the same page.
- P1P and P1S: Settings → WLAN, then LAN Only Mode; Developer Mode is further down the same page.
- A1 and A1 mini: Settings, then LAN Only Mode (on the third page of settings).
Bambu Lab's LAN mode guide has screenshots for each series. The access code is on the same screen: see finding the access code.
Questions, answered
Do I need LAN mode to use Bambu Bar?
No. Bambu Bar shows status, temperatures, the AMS and errors in cloud mode too. Only pause, stop and speed need LAN Only with Developer Mode, and the X1, H2, H3C, P2S and X2D camera needs LAN Only Liveview.
Does LAN Only mode turn off Bambu Handy?
Yes. Bambu Lab's wiki says Bambu Handy isn't available while the printer is in LAN Only mode, and you can't start prints from outside your network.
Is LAN Only Liveview the same as LAN Only?
No. LAN Only Liveview only opens the camera stream to apps on your network. The printer can stay in cloud mode.
How do I switch back to cloud mode?
Turn LAN Only off in the same menu on the printer's screen. The printer reconnects to Bambu Lab's cloud, and Bambu Handy works again.
Read next
- Developer Mode and locked controlsWhy pause, stop and speed show a lock in Bambu Bar, what Developer Mode changes on the printer, and whether you need it.
- Access code and IP addressWhere your printer shows its 8-character access code and its IP address, and how to use them to connect from your Mac.
- The printer camera on your MacYour Bambu Lab printer's live view in the menu bar, the main window or a floating window, and how to set it up for your model.
- Getting startedFrom download to your printer in the menu bar: requirements, installing, connecting, and the optional camera, controls and widgets.
Stop walking to the printer
Track Bambu Lab print progress, time left, temperatures, AMS filament and the live camera on your Mac. Get print alerts and desktop widgets without opening Bambu Studio.
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