Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect • Hacker News Board

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#161

Post by mavhc » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:10 AM UTC

theshrike79 wrote: post #157

Xelbair wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the problem isn't that they've done it. the problem is that user got no choice. Some might prefer degraded performance, others might prefer to charge their devices more often. Also seller should have no business touching anything that they've already sold - they do might offer support, but it should be up to user to accept it or not.

It's not a matter of "charging more often". The phone just shut down when the battery was somewhere between 0-40% Source: had two 6S's in the family. In the cold it could just suddenly shut down mid-call from 60% battery.

However they applied it to all phones of that model, not just ones with degraded batteries

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#162

Post by cowl » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:17 AM UTC

mls-pl wrote: post #153

DrBenCarson wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AFAIK, Apple has never retroactively removed functionality from devices people already purchased Selling a walled garden is one thing, building walls around a garden you already bought is another thing entirely

And main difference with Apple is that you don't have to log in to their services on iPhone yet still have full _phone_ functionality.

the keyword being _phone_, not smartphone. Bambulab too will let you print from SD card without logging in their infra, they are just locking the rest of the ecosystem. 1 to 1 analogy.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#163

Post by xyst » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:17 AM UTC

I’m not familiar with the 3D printing space, but seems like this reverse engineering was inspired by the companies move to clamp down on security of these devices. [1]

From what I understand, this new auth system would make third party integrations (ie, “OrcaSlicer”) obsolete and users would be limited to controlling the device via Bambu Connect. This update impacts users who control the device via HomeAssistant and “print farm management” users. I guess first party support for users with fleets of these printers is dogshit, thus the need for third party software.

Seems after 3 days of community feedback/outrage, the company is backtracking on the Bambu Connect only route. Instead offering a “Developer Mode” option in firmware which on the surface seems to be what the impacted users need. [2]

> In response, we’ve made the decision to implement an optional LAN mode feature, to provide advanced users with more control and flexibility.

> Standard Mode (Default): By default, LAN mode will include an authorization process that ensures robust security

> Developer Mode (Optional): For advanced users of the X1, P1, A1, and A1 Mini who prefer full control over their network security, an option will be available to leave the MQTT channel, live stream, and FTP open. This feature must be manually enabled on the printer, and users who select this option will assume full responsibility for securing their local network environment. Please note that Bambu Lab will not be able to provide customer support for this mode, as the communication protocols are not officially supported.

Seems this resolves the community concerns. Or am I missing something?

[1] https://blog.bambulab.com/firmware-update-introducing-new-au...

[2] https://blog.bambulab.com/updates-and-third-party-integratio...

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#164

Post by Xelbair » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:18 AM UTC

theshrike79 wrote: post #157

Xelbair wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the problem isn't that they've done it. the problem is that user got no choice. Some might prefer degraded performance, others might prefer to charge their devices more often. Also seller should have no business touching anything that they've already sold - they do might offer support, but it should be up to user to accept it or not.

It's not a matter of "charging more often". The phone just shut down when the battery was somewhere between 0-40% Source: had two 6S's in the family. In the cold it could just suddenly shut down mid-call from 60% battery.

you are still missing the point.

USER should chose that. not apple.

not all of them shut down, someone might get a battery replacement.

What apple should've do is to introduce a toggle, give a warning in notification. and in case of crash, display it again.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#165

Post by jillyboel » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:36 AM UTC

theshrike79 wrote: post #158

jillyboel wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> All Li-ion batteries degrade over time So they know this yet they refuse to let users swap the battery?

Users can swap the battery? 1) open phone 2) remove battery 3) replace battery 4) close phone It just requires more tools than your fingers, like every single mainstream phone.

Not sure what kind of users you're dealing with, but your typical iphone user can absolutely not do that

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#166

Post by madeofpalk » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:52 AM UTC

NelsonMinar wrote: post #24

I am angry at the bait-and-switch Bambu is pulling. I bought one of their printers in the Black Friday sale on the understanding it was reasonably hackable and open. Now they're trying to lock it down so I can't print on my own printer without using their approved software and DRM chain. It's outrageous. More info on the hacking (the first in what may be a long stupid fight): https://hackaday.com/2025/01/19/bambu-con…

> on the understanding it was reasonably hackable and open

Where did this understanding come from? I'm pretty happy with my Bambu printer, but I was never under any understanding that it was hackable, let alone open. Since the beginning I was slightly frustrated at the RFID fillament spools not being open-enough for others.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#167

Post by madeofpalk » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 10:53 AM UTC

Gigachad wrote: post #59

Aaron2222 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I _think_ that's browsing the SD card from Bambu Studio when the printer's set to LAN Mode, not printing from SD on the printer itself.

Yeah this looks to be the case. All of this change was prompted by the fact that malicious software was triggering prints over the network. So now they have locked it down so the printer can verify prints came from the actual account owner. Printing directly from SD cards via the little touch screen is unchanged since networked computers can’t do that.

> All of this change was prompted by the fact that malicious software was triggering prints over the network.

Was it actually? Is there a source for this?

I'm not so upset about this change (it doesn't affect me, so far), but I'm skeptical this was a widespread problem.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#168

Post by madeofpalk » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 11:02 AM UTC

wongarsu wrote: post #102

hatsunearu wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really really hope people saying this is a nothingburger is actually right, because I do have a P1S, use orcaslicer, and would like it to continue to work. Hoping this is just a miscommunication.

Bambu Connect is explicitly about allowing you to continue to use your favorite slicer. They make it less convenient (instead of pressing print you now have to save, load the file in Bambu Connect and then press print), but they don't prevent you from doing it. Once the update actually rolls out to the P1S obviously. Which may not even happen with the current backlash

I think this is pretty shitty. Not being able to print directly from the slicer is a big pain.

Imagine if this limitation existed with Bambu's first-party slicer. It would obviously be considered a pretty big downside.

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#169

Post by mls-pl » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 11:09 AM UTC

cowl wrote: post #162

mls-pl wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And main difference with Apple is that you don't have to log in to their services on iPhone yet still have full _phone_ functionality.

the keyword being _phone_, not smartphone. Bambulab too will let you print from SD card without logging in their infra, they are just locking the rest of the ecosystem. 1 to 1 analogy.

It's still a smartphone - with web browsing, mail and everything else what's available out-of-the-box. And Bambu will cut out even local network access and, as they stated in "Terms of Use", can lock print jobs until you update firmware. Far from 1:1 analogy...

Re: Reverse Engineering Bambu Connect

#170

Post by stavros » Mon, Jan 20, 2025, 11:10 AM UTC

nialv7 wrote: post #34

NelsonMinar wrote: post #24

I am angry at the bait-and-switch Bambu is pulling. I bought one of their printers in the Black Friday sale on the understanding it was reasonably hackable and open. Now they're trying to lock it down so I can't print on my own printer without using their approved software and DRM chain. It's outrageous. More info on the hacking (the first in what may be a long stupid fight): https://hackaday.com/2025/01/19/bambu-con…

bait-and-switch? We, those who advocate for open source 3D printers, saw it coming from miles away. This has very very clearly been their plan all along, they themselves said as much (e.g. they are doing the "apple model"). They have been very transparent about this, yet people still fell for it.

I bought a printer. It had some stuff. I didn't want that stuff to be gone after I bought it. That's a bait-and-switch, because they didn't explicitly say "be aware, that stuff is going away on Jan 2025".