How to Connect a Computer to the Raspberry Pi over an Ethernet Cable as a Local Device

Overview

Whether you’re operating in a secure facility, troubleshooting network issues, or simply prefer a more direct connection, this guide will show you how to connect your computer directly to your Gigabot using an Ethernet cable—no Wi-Fi or external network required. Once the connection is established, you’ll be able to upload G-code files, download logs, and interact with the Klipper interface just like you would over a standard network. This method is especially helpful for field work, isolated setups, or any environment where traditional connectivity isn’t an option.

Note: This method only applies to printer models equipped with both an Archimajor board and a Raspberry Pi. This includes GB4, GBX2, TB4, and TBX2.

Tools Needed

• Your laptop or desktop computer
• An Ethernet cable (Note: We use a cat5e Ethernet cable with RJ45 connectors on both ends)
• (Optional) A USB-to-Ethernet adapter if your computer doesn’t have a built-in Ethernet port
• Your printer’s hostname 

How to Access Your Printer Locally Over Ethernet: Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Physically Connect the Printer to Your Computer

Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet outlet port located at the bottom of your printer’s electrical box (see IMAGE 1.A). Plug the other end into your computer’s Ethernet port (or your USB-to-Ethernet adapter).

Important Note:
It’s important to note that this external port is already connected internally to the Raspberry Pi via an extension cable. You should not attempt to open the electrical box and bypass this extension—simply use the provided port for your connection.

IMAGE 1.A: Location of Ethernet port on the bottom of the electrical box (left image); Connecting to a laptop via a USB-to-Ethernet adapter (right image)

2. Find Your Printer’s Hostname

Once physically connected, the next step is to identify the printer's hostname. The hostname is a unique identifier your Gigabot’s Raspberry Pi uses on the network, and you’ll need it to access the printer through your browser. Alternatively, you can also use the IP address to find your printer through your browser.

There are a couple of ways to find the hostname. If your printer has a touchscreen interface, the hostname is often displayed on the boot-up screen in the upper left-hand corner of the main menu (circled in blue on IMAGE 2.A). If it’s not immediately visible, you can navigate to the System Load section to find it. To do this, tap the wrench icon (circled in red on IMAGE 2.A), and scroll down to the System Load section. Here, you’ll see the hostname and Eth0 IP address listed, alongside other performance metrics.

                                         IMAGE 2.A: Initial Boot-up Screen

3. (If Needed) Disconnect From Wi-Fi

In many cases, your computer will automatically prioritize the Ethernet connection to the printer. However, if you find that the hostname isn’t loading in your browser, try temporarily turning off your Wi-Fi. This forces your computer to treat the printer as the only available network route.

Disabling Wi-Fi forces your computer to use the direct Ethernet connection as the primary route for communication. On most systems, you can do this quickly via the taskbar or system settings.

You can always turn your Wi-Fi back on once the connection is established or if this step turns out to be unnecessary.

4. Access the Printer Through Your Browser

Once your computer is physically connected to the printer and Wi-Fi has been disabled, open your preferred web browser and enter the hostname or IP address you retrieved earlier. When using the hostname, be sure to format it as “<<HOSTNAME>>.local” .For example, if your printer's hostname is TAYLORBOT, you would enter: “TAYLORBOT.local”. 

If everything is connected correctly, your browser should load the Klipper interface as usual, just like it would over a traditional network.