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Connection

This content is for 1.1 (beta). Switch to the stable release docs.

Settings > Connection is about how HelixScreen reaches your network and your printers. Come here to join a Wi-Fi network, check your Ethernet connection, add or switch printers, or point HelixScreen at a different Moonraker address.

On the Settings screen, the Connection row shows how the screen is connected right now: the Wi-Fi network name (for example Wi-Fi HomeNet), Ethernet, or Not connected.

Connection settings

Network Settings

Section titled “Network Settings”

Hidden on Android, where the phone or tablet manages its own network.

Opens the network screen. It has two columns.

Network Settings

Left: your connection

  • WiFi: turn Wi-Fi on or off and see the network name, IP address, MAC address and signal strength. A 2.4GHz tag appears if your hardware only supports that band.
  • Ethernet: the IP and MAC address of the wired connection. Read-only.
  • Test Network: checks that the internet is reachable. Greyed out when nothing is connected.

Right: available networks

  • The Wi-Fi networks in range, with their signal strength.
  • Tap a network to join it. Enter the password if it asks.
  • Add Hidden Network joins a network that doesn’t broadcast its name.
  • Refresh scans again.

Joining Wi-Fi while Ethernet is connected shows a warning first that the wired connection will drop, because some boards have one network chip and can’t use both at once (#1542). If joining fails, the screen tells you why. If an administrator has blocked the Wi-Fi radio (for example with rfkill), HelixScreen leaves it blocked unless you set up Wi-Fi in HelixScreen on that printer (#1697).

Printers

Section titled “Printers”

Opens Manage Printers, the list of every printer this screen knows about.

Manage Printers

  • Switch printers: tap a printer in the list. HelixScreen disconnects from the current printer, connects to the new one, confirms with a message and takes you to the Home screen.
  • Add a printer: tap + Add Printer. The setup wizard runs for the new printer, skipping the Wi-Fi and language steps you already did. You can cancel at any time and go back to your current printer.
  • Delete a printer: tap the trash icon next to a printer you aren’t using and confirm. You can’t delete the last printer.
  • Show Printer Switcher: adds a printer icon to the navigation bar, so you can switch printers from any screen.

See Getting Started for adding a second printer.

Host

Section titled “Host”

Shows the Moonraker address HelixScreen is connected to, such as 192.168.1.50:7125.

To connect to a different address:

  1. Tap Host.
  2. Enter the printer’s IP address or host name, and the port (usually 7125).
  3. Tap Test Connection. Save unlocks once the test succeeds.
  4. Tap Save. HelixScreen disconnects and reconnects at the new address.

Host names are looked up again every time HelixScreen reconnects, so if your router gives the printer a new IP address, HelixScreen finds it again without a restart.

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