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Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

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Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#61

Post by bhhaskin »

dawnerd wrote: post #56
bhhaskin wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. These devices can easily burn down people's homes if given bad G-code. Then they would be sued into the dirt for a security whole a mile wide. Looking at the changes this is about liability.

How is an electron app that just adds another step solving the problem? They should have just secured their api properly instead of using security as an excuse to cut out third party software that will get around an inevitable subscription.

Because authenticated commands removes the liability issue. Hacking the device vs we knowingly let anything send g-code.

This is basically the equivalent to having passwords on a MySQL database or redis server.

Why on earth would they add a subscription? That makes absolutely no sense business wise. No one would buy their printers, and they don't have a captured market to strong arm anyone.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#62

Post by onemoresoop »

I got an A1 mini about a month ago and so far it’s been decent as a beginners printer. I transfer models to the printer via the microSD card and refused to install their networking software on my machine because I don’t trust it’s safe enough. Im also very reluctant to get updates whenever they’re pushed. Maybe im spooked by past bricked devices so I keep all my devices dumb and offline as much as I can.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#63

Post by CamperBob2 »

bhhaskin wrote: post #38
myself248 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Security" on behalf of the user is a complete red herring. You can't print to my 2d printer or my 3d printer, but I can, with "any old device or application". Because they're on my network, not public on the internet.

I disagree. These devices can easily burn down people's homes if given bad G-code. Then they would be sued into the dirt for a security whole a mile wide. Looking at the changes this is about liability.

If it can burn down your house with the wrong G-code, adding a cloud service is not the way to fix that.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#64

Post by MindSpunk »

phito wrote: post #48
MindSpunk wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And they cost 3x as much. Which is a pretty tough sell IMO.

Maybe bamboo printers were too cheap which lead them towards their subscription based model. Everyone complains about enshittification (YouTube ads, subscription models etc..), but then refuse to pay the real price premium goods and services cost. You get what you pay for.

What subscription? They're restricting remote access APIs in new firmware because they pose a security threat.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#65

Post by jopsen »

goda90 wrote: post #30
userbinator wrote: post #27

I'm not surprised that 3D printers are turning out to be as hostile as 2D ones. As usual these days, "security" is the excuse.

There's so much open source software, firmware, and hardware out there for FDM 3D printers, I doubt they'll ever get as bad as regular printers. It's much more a tinkerers world than 2D printing ever would be.

Are regular printers that bad, if buy brother?

I bought a B/W laser printer and have been generally impressed with the lack of BS that came a long with it.

It did ask for toner once, so I bought something from a third-party.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#66

Post by dawnerd »

bhhaskin wrote: post #61
dawnerd wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is an electron app that just adds another step solving the problem? They should have just secured their api properly instead of using security as an excuse to cut out third party software that will get around an inevitable subscription.

Because authenticated commands removes the liability issue. Hacking the device vs we knowingly let anything send g-code. This is basically the equivalent to having passwords on a MySQL database or redis server. Why on earth would they add a subscription? That makes absolutely no sense business wise. No one would buy their printers, and they don't have a captured market to strong arm anyone.

Why would they add a subscription? Uhm print farms already have subscription based software. Bambu would just be an easier entry. They already have screenshots of it on their wiki.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#67

Post by MindSpunk »

nialv7 wrote: post #40
hooverd wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Open source didn't compete on quality for price. I could pay 2k plus 40 hours of my time for a Voron or buy something that just works. I think Prusa only put out their CoreXY offering after they realized Bambu was eating their lunch. The Apple model works because people want to print rather than tinker.

I paid ~$750 for my 350mm Voron 2.4 kit (and, sure, 40 hours of my time. But look, you want to do 3D printing, 40 hours are just a small initial investment).

> But look, you want to do 3D printing, 40 hours are just a small initial investment

No. None of this crap. I want to 3D print. I don't want to service industrial machinery in my spare time. Why should 3D printing require spending weekends troubleshooting machines just to keep the thing working? I want to print models not play repair technician.

Vorons are fantastic printers and a fantastic kit if 3D printing itself is your hobby. 3D printing is a fantastic hobby. There's tons of fun to be had building up and dialing in a printer kit. A well tuned voron can be up with the best of the best 3D printers. If that's what you want to do go for it!

But for heaven's sake I want to print models, parts and other practical things. I have other things to do and problems to solve. My 3D printer is a tool. If I have to spend just as much time working on the machine as I do using to actually print things then I'm not interested.

Bambu is still the best game in town for a turn-key, just works printer. Prusa can deliver the same experience at double to triple the ticket price. A voron is not a replacement for a Bambu printer no matter how good the printers actually are.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#68

Post by djaykay »

hatsunearu wrote: post #47
MindSpunk wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And they cost 3x as much. Which is a pretty tough sell IMO.

Conveniently left out that the Prusa definitely cannot do a lot of things that the popular Bambu models can do quite well, like filaments beyond PETG and PLA, multimaterial printing, etc.

Most Prusa models can print a wide range of filaments. I regularly print ABS and PC on mine. And there is a MMU add-on for Prusa.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#69

Post by franga2000 »

I was very against Bambu in the beginning for their lack of proper network (not cloud!) support. Then they added LAN mode and I actually considered getting one. Luckily I was lazy and never got around to it. What the fuck Bambu?? Security, really? Not even HP dares to make that excuse...

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#70

Post by franga2000 »

throwaway48476 wrote: post #10

If 3D printing isn't kept open source there's going to be laws about what you can and can't print that will kill innovation.

I can't imagine the printers being open source or not mattering for that, nor can I see any reasonable government banning printing of specific things. If something is illegal to own or manufacture, that already applies to 3D printers just as much as it did to CNC machines or any other method.
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