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Print from an iPad to any Printer Connected to PrintNode

Download PrintNode and integrate it with Accelevents to print from an iPad

Ariane Ramirez avatar
Written by Ariane Ramirez
Updated in the last 15 minutes

If you're having difficulty connecting your printer to the Admin App or want to print colored badges, downloading PrintNode to your laptop may be your answer.

Before proceeding, check if your printer is compatible with PrintNode.

Notes:

  • For colored printers connected through PrintNode, depending on the model of the printer and the badge's design, it may take 20 seconds or more to print a badge. We recommend pre-printing your colored design on the badges to reduce print time. On the event day, you can print the attendee information in black through a thermal printer during check-in. This way, printing would be faster.

  • This can work with iPad and mobile.

How it Works

The printer is connected to the laptop through the same network. Then, PrintNode is downloaded and installed on the laptop. Next, PrintNode is integrated into the event through an API key. On the iPad, select the printer connected to the laptop from the PrintNode menu.

Sample Print

The GIF below is about 33 seconds to get a ZC10L printer to print 3 lines in black and white through an iPad with PrintNode installed in Windows PC.

Note: Your badge design should be 3.47 x 5.51 inches for ZC10L printers

Step 1: Connect The Printer to the Computer

You must connect the printer to a computer instead of directly to the iPad. The printer should be connected to the same network as the computer or directly to the computer.

Step 2: Install PrintNode to the Computer

  • After downloading, open the file and log in to your PrintNode account.

  • You should see PrintNode's icon at the top of your screen. Click that to check if the printer is now connected to PrintNode.

Step 3: Create a PrintNode API Key

  • Login to your PrintNode account through a browser

  • Click API Keys

  • Enter your password and click Next

  • Enter your API key description and click Create

  • Copy the generated API Key

Step 4: Integrate PrintNode with Accelevents

  • In your event's admin console, go to Settings > General Settings

  • Turn on the toggle to "Enable Print Node"

  • Paste the API Key

Step 5: Select the Printer and File Format in the iPad Admin App

  • Open the event in the admin app

  • Click the "Choose from available printers" menu at the bottom of the page, then select the printer.

  • Click "Send command as" and choose the format - Raw or PDF

    • If the connected computer is Windows, it will only work with PDF

    • If the connected computer is a Mac, PDF is recommended. Raw will also work, provided that the printer driver settings are correct.

That's it! Any event connected to the printer using PrintNode can print badges from the iPad, even if the iPad is in a different country!

If you cannot make PrintNode work, contact your Account Manager to arrange a meeting with our product team a few weeks before the event to test PrintNode with your computer and printer. Testing will allow us to determine whether the devices are compatible and additional drivers/installers are needed.

Note: This can also work if you're using a mobile phone instead of an iPad.

Click Here to Learn How to Print Badges from the iPad Kiosk

Recommended Internet Speed When Printing Badges Onsite

While onsite, the recommended minimum internet speed per device is:

  • Download: 10 Mbps

  • Upload: 5 Mbps

Wired Ethernet is highly preferred for stability and speed for printers.If using Wi-Fi, ensure:

  • Strong signal strength at each kiosk

  • Dedicated network with minimal interference

  • No bandwidth-sharing with other high-traffic activities (like livestreams)

Each kiosk device should have dedicated bandwidth, so if you’re using 5 kiosks, you should ideally have at least 50 Mbps down and 25 Mbps up available in total.

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