Connection issue with 3D Printer (Anet A8)

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1

What is the problem?
I cannot seem to connect my PI 3B+ to my Anet A8 printer
What did you already try to solve it? Bought different USB cable, tried different ps, tried changing outlets ps was plugged into, moved cable around all the different usb ports on PI

Additional information about your setup (OctoPrint version, OctoPi version, printer, firmware, what kind of hardware precisely, ...) Anet A8 with upgraded Anet30 v1.7 motherboard, running current version of Marlin (not the bugfix version) 1.8.9, Raspberry PI 3B+, and Octoprint 1.3.12, running on Octopi 0.16.0
Everytime I go to connect with the settings on : serial port /dev/tty/USB0, baud rate: 115200, it ends up timing out, and saying more or less no reply from printer. Below is one of the logs, which is always the same. I have the plugin for undervoltage and overheat enabled, but never see anything at top of screen, relating to either issue. Just about ready to give up!
2019-11-06 06:49:05,385 - serial.log is currently not enabled, you can enable it via Settings > Serial Connection > Log communication to serial.log
2019-11-06 16:39:14,859 - Enabling serial logging
2019-11-06 16:39:32,646 - Connecting to: /dev/ttyUSB0
2019-11-06 16:39:32,666 - Changing monitoring state from "Offline" to "Opening serial port"
2019-11-06 16:39:32,671 - Connected to: Serial<id=0x72d9f7f0, open=True>(port='/dev/ttyUSB0', baudrate=115200, bytesize=8, parity='N', stopbits=1, timeout=10.0, xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False), starting monitor
2019-11-06 16:39:32,671 - Changing monitoring state from "Opening serial port" to "Connecting"
2019-11-06 16:39:32,683 - Send: N0 M110 N0125
2019-11-06 16:39:32,695 - Send: N0 M110 N0125
2019-11-06 16:40:02,712 - No answer from the printer within the connection timeout, trying another hello
2019-11-06 16:40:02,726 - Send: N0 M110 N0*125
2019-11-06 16:40:12,726 - There was a timeout while trying to connect to the printer
2019-11-06 16:40:12,741 - Changing monitoring state from "Connecting" to "Offline"
2019-11-06 16:40:12,755 - Connection closed, closing down monitor

2

You indicate one device name in your post and the log suggests a different device name, for what it's worth.

Unplug and plug back in the serial cable and use dmesg to try to figure out the device name for your printer.

3

And if that is an Anet A8 with original firmware you want to reflash it anyhow because as things are it's a deathtrap.

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4

I only have the printer plugged into the PI, nothing else. I did have a web cam several days ago, but not since.
Now what exactly do you mean: use dmesg to try to figure out the device name for your printer.
I do appreciate you quick reply to my post.

5

not original firmware. Bad board, replaced with new 1.7 version that allows 12v or 24v, and upgraded when I installed this back 6 months ago with Marlin 1.8.9

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6

The dmesg command—run locally on the Pi—will display the device-related messages from the logs. The last ten or so lines should in this case indicate the device ID of the printer's controller board. You might then confidently use that in the Connection side panel widget of OctoPrint.

7

have you tried "AUTO" for the port? it is an option and allows Octoprint to search for the printer

8

yep, I just changed everything to auto again, tried to connect and it changed and set those to what I had before. /dev/tty/USB0, and baud rate 115200.

Strange thing too is that I dedicated a mac address and ip in my router the other day, so now can just enter the ip address for that pi and bring up Ocotoprint, and I can do that from my desktop, but not from my phone. Anyway first issue first. Getting this up and running. Checked all USB ports on PI with a mouse, just to see the light, and am getting power to each one.

9

Stupid question, but the printer is powered up, correct?

1 Like
10

Fixed that for you. An iPhone has Bonjour and the Android doesn't. It's a hostname-broadcasting service.

11

of course.

12

try conecting your printer to pc with usb cable . Run hyperterminal using printers serial port . when conecting try different baudrates until you see readable text .
if you can`t see anything in hyperterminal means that printer board faulty .
use that baudrate that works for connection with pi.

13

I have been using a usb cable up to about a week ago with no problems. Looked up what Hyperterminal is, and that was phase out after Windows XP. It is not available with Windows 10

14

I think we should go back to @OutsourcedGuru advice.
Boot everything up, disconnect the usb cable, connect it again, enter dmesg | tail -n 20 in ssh and post the output here.

15

Can you give me a step by step of " enter dmesg | tail -n 20 in ssh and post the output here.. Have no problem booting up disconnecting and re-connecting, but do not understand the rest of it, where to bring that up to type in and where to do it.
I really do appreciate the help though, getting very frustrated. And is there a list according to a video I was watching that tells the printers that work with Octopirnt?
Had a friend of mine with degree in Computer Science take control of my computer over the internet, and checked SSH is enabled, and tried hooking directly to router with LAN cable, and printer still did not answer. Tried everything for about 2 hours , then said "I don't know what else to try". I had it hook up yesterday for about 30 seconds and that was it. I have all USB ports working, and there is no Undervoltage issues or I would get the icon come on from that plugin.
Don't really know what to do at this point. Could try another PI if I had one, but very slim chance that it is a bad PI.
Friend likes to joke with me and say get rid of that junk Anet, and buy you a real printer like a Prusa I3 MK3

16

He's suggesting to first remote into the Pi and then run that command.

17

image0
image0.jpeg1632×1224 1.66 MB

This where I disconnected USB cable from PI, and reconnected.

18

And this is what I get when I put in the command lsusb. I have a PI 3B+. Why does it show devices #1,2,3,5,6? No #4

image1%20(2)
image1 (2).jpeg3086×1542 944 KB

19

Presumably then, the device in question is /dev/ttyUSB0 (noting that it's a zero on the end). If you wanted to confirm then:

find /dev -name ttyUSB0

The device is either located at /dev/usb/ttyUSB0 but more likely /dev/ttyUSB0.

1 Like
20

sry I had some busy days :slight_smile:

but I as @OutsourcedGuru said we know now that the printer is recognized ttyUSB0