Articles on: Print On Demand

Print-on-Demand Hardware Setup Guide

This guide walks you through setting up your print-on-demand system — including your printer, Hub, keyboard, and cellular dongle.


Follow these steps carefully to ensure a smooth setup.


What You’ll Need


Before starting, make sure you have:


  • The Printer
  • A USB cable
  • The Prospectus Plus Hub
  • The cellular connection dongle
  • A wireless keyboard (or a USB one)
  • Power cables for both the Printer and Hub




Step-by-Step Setup


1. Connect the Printer

  1. Plug the printer’s power cable into the wall socket.
  2. Connect the printer to the Hub using the USB cable (printer end → Hub end).


2. Insert the Cellular Dongle

Before powering on the Hub, plug the cellular connection dongle into one of the Hub’s USB ports.


💡 If you don’t have a cellular dongle, you can connect to Wi-Fi later (see Step 5).


3. Power the Hub

  1. Plug the Hub into a wall socket.
  2. It should turn on automatically.
  • If not, press the power button (on the side).
  1. Look through the vents near the power button:
  • Green light = Power on ✅
  • Red light = Power off or issue 🔴


4. Turn On the Keyboard

  1. Slide or press the keyboard’s power switch to turn it on.
  2. You should see a blue light.
  • If no light appears, plug it in to charge — just a few minutes is usually enough.
  1. If using a USB keyboard or mouse instead, simply plug them into the Hub.


5. Connect to the Internet

  • If your cellular dongle is working, the connection should be automatic.
  • To connect manually to Wi-Fi:
  1. Click the the power icon in the top-right corner of the desktop.
  2. Choose Wi-Fi Networks, then select your network and enter the password.


⚠️ Important: Don’t click directly on the Wi-Fi symbol itself — that turns Wi-Fi off.


6. Launch the Printer Software

  1. Once on the desktop, open the Printer folder.
  2. Find the file called debian-start.sh.
  3. Right-click on it and choose “Run as Program.”
  4. A window will open showing some code — that’s normal.
  • When the screen turns blue and displays the Prospectus Plus interface, the setup is complete.


7. Loading your cards

Pull down the two trays on the front of the printer. in the top tray, you will add your cards. If they are pre-printed with a design on one side, load these so that this face is on the bottom, with the top of the image facing towards the right of the printer. We have added a sticker to this side of the print, for ease of use.


8. Run a Test Print

Once the software is running and you see the blue Prospectus Plus screen, try printing a short test job to confirm everything is connected and functioning correctly.




Notes & Troubleshooting


If your keyboard or mouse doesn’t connect via Bluetooth:

  • Tap a few keys or move the mouse to “wake” the connection.
  • If that fails, reconnect via USB.


If the Hub fails to boot:

  • Double-check the power cable.
  • Look for the green light indicator.

Updated on: 08/10/2025

Was this article helpful?

Share your feedback

Cancel

Thank you!