Installing the bridge on a Synology NAS

A Synology NAS is a good home for the bridge. It's always on, and it's already on your network. You set it up once as a Container Manager project. Menu names differ a little between DSM versions, so look for the nearest match.

Before you start

• Your account is on Home or Business.
• Your Synology can run Container Manager. Look for it in Package Center. If it isn't offered, your model can't run containers; use a computer with Docker instead.
• Your printers have fixed IP addresses. See Brother QL printers by IP.
• The NAS can reach the internet. Building the bridge downloads software.

1. Install Container Manager

Open Package Center, search for Container Manager, and install it.

2. Download your bridge

In Laberty, go to Admin → Print bridge, stay on the Docker: NAS, Mac or Linux tab, and press Download the Docker bridge (.zip). Unzip it on your computer. It makes a folder called laberty-bridge-docker.

The download has your Laberty address and a new bridge key already inside (in bridge.env), so there's nothing to copy or paste. Treat the ZIP like a password: don't email it, and delete it when the bridge is running. If it goes astray, revoke its key on Admin → API keys.

3. Copy it to the NAS

1. In DSM, open File Station. In the shared folder Container Manager uses (usually docker), create a folder named laberty-bridge.
2. Upload everything from inside laberty-bridge-docker into docker/laberty-bridge. That includes Dockerfile, docker-compose.yml, bridge.env and the .mjs files.

File Station may hide or refuse to show files that start with a dot. bridge.env doesn't start with one, so it uploads like any other file.

4. Create the project

1. Open Container Manager → Project → Create.
2. Project name: laberty-bridge.
3. Path: choose docker/laberty-bridge.
4. Source: choose to use the existing docker-compose.yml. DSM may say it found one and ask whether to use it.
5. Skip the web portal settings. The bridge has no web page. Press Done.

Container Manager builds the bridge from the files you uploaded and starts it. The first build takes a few minutes. There's no image to pull and no account to sign in to.

5. Check it connected

In Container Manager → Container, open laberty-bridge and look at its Log. You want to see:

connected to https://laberty.app — waiting for print jobs

Then reload Admin → Print bridge in Laberty.

6. Add printer addresses, then test

1. On Admin → Printers & stock, press Add a printer (or Edit on a printer you already have), choose On my network, and type the printer's IP address.
2. Press Send a test page to the print agent.

If a test page doesn't come out, check the NAS can reach the printer. Open the container's Terminal in Container Manager and run this, with your printer's address:

node -e "const s=require('net').connect(9100,'192.168.1.50',()=>{console.log('connected');s.end()});s.on('error',e=>console.log(e.code))"

connected means the printer is reachable. ETIMEDOUT or EHOSTUNREACH means it isn't: check the address and that the printer is on.

Changing the key

1. Download your bridge again from Admin → Print bridge and unzip it.
2. In Project, stop laberty-bridge.
3. Upload the new bridge.env into docker/laberty-bridge, replacing the old one.
4. Build and start the project again.
5. In Laberty, revoke the old key on Admin → API keys.

Updating the bridge

1. Download your bridge again and upload all its files into docker/laberty-bridge, replacing the old ones. That includes the new key in bridge.env.
2. In Project, stop laberty-bridge, then build it again and start it.
3. In Laberty, revoke the old key on Admin → API keys.

If the log shows cannot print to Brother QL printers yet, the bridge is out of date and needs exactly this.