Printer Setup Guide

Complete guide to setting up your thermal printer with UsePrintr

Hardware Requirements

Thermal Printer

Epson TM-T20II

USB, Ethernet

Most popular choice, reliable

Excellent

Star TSP143III

USB, WiFi, Bluetooth

Wireless options available

Excellent

Citizen CT-S310A

USB, WiFi

Compact design

Good

Generic ESC/POS

Various

Most thermal printers work

Good

Host Computer

Raspberry Pi

Easy

Popular choice for dedicated printer stations

Low power consumptionWiFi built-inEasy setupSSH access

Windows/Mac/Linux

Easy

Run on any desktop computer

Quick installationGUI interfaceAuto-startSystem tray

Mobile (Termux)

Medium

Turn old Android phone into printer server

No additional hardwareBattery backupMobile hotspotRemote access

Installation Steps

1

Download Client Software

Get the UsePrintr client for your platform

terminal
# Raspberry Pi / Linux
curl -sSL https://get.useprintr.com | bash

# Windows
# Download installer from useprintr.com/download

# macOS
brew install useprintr

# Docker
docker run -d useprintr/client
2

Connect Printer

Connect your thermal printer via USB or network

terminal
# Check USB connection
lsusb | grep -i printer

# Test network printer
ping 192.168.1.100

# List available printers
useprintr list-printers
3

Configure Client

Set up your printer with UsePrintr service

terminal
# Initialize client
useprintr init

# Add your API key
useprintr config set api-key YOUR_API_KEY

# Configure printer
useprintr add-printer --name "Kitchen Printer" --device /dev/usb/lp0
4

Test Connection

Send a test message to verify everything works

terminal
# Send test message
useprintr test-print

# Check printer status
useprintr status

# View logs
useprintr logs

Configuration Options

Basic Settings

Printer Name

Friendly name for your printer (e.g., "Kitchen Printer")

Location

Optional location description for users

Auto-approve Messages

Automatically print messages or require approval

Message Length Limit

Maximum message length (50-500 characters)

Advanced Settings

Print Format

Customize print layout, fonts, and spacing

Rate Limiting

Limit messages per sender or per hour

Content Filtering

Block spam, profanity, or unwanted content

Notifications

Email or webhook notifications for messages

Troubleshooting

Printer Not Detected

• Check USB cable connection

• Verify printer power and ready status

• Install printer drivers if needed

• Check device permissions (sudo access may be required)

• Try different USB port

Connection Issues

• Check internet connection

• Verify API key is correct

• Check firewall settings

• Ensure ports 80/443 are open for outbound connections

• Try restarting the client service

Print Quality Issues

• Check paper quality and alignment

• Clean printer head

• Adjust print density settings

• Verify correct paper width configuration

• Update printer firmware if available

Network Configuration

WiFi Network Printers

Setup Steps

  1. Connect printer to WiFi network
  2. Note printer's IP address
  3. Configure client to use network connection
  4. Test print functionality
  5. Set static IP (recommended)

Configuration

# Configure network printer
useprintr add-printer \
  --name "Office Printer" \
  --network 192.168.1.100:9100 \
  --protocol esc-pos

Next Steps

API Integration

Learn how to send messages programmatically

View API Docs

Build Extensions

Create automated printing workflows

Extension Guide

Community

Get help and share your setup

Join Discord