Question

Photo of Tammy Karli

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Trouble print from Ipad at check-in

We just purchased Ipads and a new printer for check in.  The printer (ZD421)works from the printers app but I can't get it to work from the Rock check-in.  What am I missing in the settings in order to print?


  • Photo of Chris Bennett

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    IMG_1678.JPG

  • Photo of Chris Bennett

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    thi is our set up on the ipad


  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    On the first screen shot yes, exactly.

    On the second screen shot, no.  We had a hard-wired system previously and that same printer has been chosen.  I am thinking I need to add a new device printer for the new one?  If so, where do I do that at? 

  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    I got the one Ipad to work by adding the new device printer to the menu.  Can I print from more than one Ipad to the same printer?


  • Photo of Cecillia Fountain

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    You can print from multiple iPads to a single printer. We do this. However, there is a very rare occasion when the signals get crossed and the labels get mixed up - this is a kid's check-in situation where multiple labels are printed for each family.  If you are printing a single label, I don't think it will be a problem.  I'm not techy with the hardware side of things. I just learned from experience and researching the Chat #Check-In channel. I wouldn't recommend more than two iPads per printer based on Chat conversations I read through.

  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    Can you give me some direction on how to get them both to print?  It is either one or the other, not both.


  • Photo of Cecillia Fountain

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    We have devices created for each iPad and each printer. On each iPad device, we select the same printer.

    So, the image below is for our Grow Track iPad #2 - we have another device created for Grow Track iPad #1. Then for both of them they have the Zebra 4 printer selected.

    Snip_-_Device_Detail_Rock_RMS_-_Google_Chrome.png

    We have also created static IP addresses for all of our devices. I don't know how to do that, but someone on our team figured it out with the network and router.


  • Photo of Shawn Ross

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    Tammy, if you're still stuck, can you confirm the following (as I understand it) and also provide some additional info?

    As I understand

    • Your iPad and printer are connected to the same WiFi network
    • You know the IP address of the printer
    • You're using the Rock Check-in app (for iPadOS)

    Additional info

    • Is your Rock server hosted on site (you have a server on campus) or in the cloud (Azure/Amazon/Google/RockCloud/Rock Partner)?
    • Are you using Individual or Family check-in in Rock?
  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    You are correct that the iPad and printer are connected on the same network, yes I know the IP address and yes we are using the Rock Check-In for iPadOS.

    Our server is on Azure and we use family check-in.

    I could get either one or the other iPads to print to the printer, but not both.  That is my dilemma now.  How can I get both of them to print to the same printer.


  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    Thank you, Cecillia.  I will check those settings too!



  • Photo of Cecillia Fountain

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    I just checked with our kids' manager and he confirmed that our iPads required static IP addresses before we were successful at pointing them to the same printer.

  • Photo of Shawn Ross

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    Tammy, it sounds like this problem is more likely a networking issue and not a purely Rock issue.

    I've used the following configuration to use two iPads to print to the same printer (although it was a ZD500). Please note that I didn't use the Zebra app for this at all (we did initial printer configuration on the computer and then just used the iPads Rock Check-in app for sending the prints). Hopefully this helps you think through and figure out what's not working in your configuration, or we can compare...

    1. Take note of the IP address of the printer
    2. Verify the iPads and printer are on the same network (the WiFi SSID is the same, and the IP address is similar... usually the first 3 decimal-separated numbers are the same) 
    3. Load Rock Check-in app on the iPads
    4. Configure the Rock Check-in app, specifically your Rock check-in URL and other options such as caching, cutting, etc.
    5. Configure the Rock Check-in app to use the "Printer Override" setting, inputting the printer IP address
    6. Configure Rock to have a valid test check-in configuration
    7. Open the Rock Check-in app and login
    8. Access the In Application Settings menu and select the Print Test Label button
    9. A permissions popup select 'allow' for the network communication on each iPad (this is an iPadOS thing you have to do on each iPad the first time it tries to print. Printing will fail (as you hadn't yet given it permission) 
    10. Attempt another Print Test Label and it should work this time
    11. Repeat the same process on the 2nd iPad
    12. Try printing from each iPad one at a time

    Note: I chose to put DHCP reservations in place for my iPads (resulting in iPad IP addresses not changing), but that shouldn't be required

    You're welcome to list out your IP address info and other configuration info if it helps. Maybe we can notice something!

  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    Shawn,

    So we have been trying to print via bluetooth instead of the wireless network and from the Zebra printer settings we can print a test label from each Ipad.  When we go into the Check-in app only one will print.

    Here is the printer network configuration info.

    -1840373322363323188.jpg

  • Photo of Shawn Ross

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    Tammy, that's great insight. Thanks for mentioning that you're using Bluetooth. I don't think it will work for 2 iPad's talking to the same printer.

    I'm not an expert with Bluetooth printing in Rock (it's too slow for my use cases).

    In my experience as an IT person, Bluetooth printing will only work for the device that is 'paired' or 'associated' with it. I think this is what is happening in your case, as both iPad's can't 'maintain' there connection to the printer.

    A WiFi printer (or wired) simply sits on the network waiting to receive jobs from devices that know how to talk to it. Bluetooth printers work differently; they need a sort of 'persistent' connection, and in my experience expect only a single device to send print jobs to them (bluetooth is also a very short range protocol).

    Also, I looked at the configuration you printed, and as you implied the Wireless is not even configured (you don't have an IP address).

  • Photo of Tammy Karli

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    Shawn,

    I have my tech guy coming to set up the network so, I am hopeful.  I didn't realize the bluetooth issue.  That is good to know.


    • Shawn Ross

      If you're tech guy needs to chat, let me know. I'm also in Rocket Chat, so he (or you) could mention me in the #check-in channel and I'll help as I can