Host or Server?

atxjoe

Hi there, 
I'm not a new 3d printer owner, but I haven't really added a lot of complexity to my printer. I use Wanhao Duplicator 3 and have done some physical upgrades, but no software or firmware upgrades. I recently tried to print a small figurine for my son who has discovered that he likes D&D. The small prints aren't really going very well and I thought maybe I should look for a newer possibly more configurable slicer/printer software in case my 6 or 7 year old version of Cura might help me produce some better results. My question is would I want to use Repetier Host or Server? It seems like they are kind of similar and Host includes server, but there must be some differences that would make one better than the other. Is there a page on the site that would help me determine which I would want? 

Thanks
Joe 

Repetier

Actually server is similar to host, but works like a daemon in background and communicates via a network api allowing you to show a gui on any browser in same network. It is also superior in sending g-code to printer as it has a better understanding of different firmwares and better performance due to multithreaded nature.

Nice thing in host is that it can connect directly to printer OR via server connector. The latter gives you the opportunity to use the improved communication with the ease of host for generating g-code (which is the only real feature server is missing yet). But you can also use e.g. PrusaSlicer native and use the included Repetier-Server uploader for easiy uploading generated g-codes.

Future Server versions will also include a own slicer, so that slicer has the complete functionality. 

joea

I know this is an old discussion, but I just wandered in an have a similar question.   

Can server (or host) communicate with one or more printers via USB?  Simultaneously or one at a time?

Both my printers only have USB at this time and I recently decided to move on from Matter Control and find that virtually none of the newer slicers will connect to printers via USB.  Which leads me to the repetier products.

Which one host or server, for my needs, which, at this time are focused on using Prusa Slicer and maybe evaluating the other offerings.

All comments and guidance gratefully accepted.

Repetier

 Repetier-Server is what you want. You can connect as many printers in parallel to one instance as your computer can handle - meaning power, usb bandwidth, electric noise, ...

It also plays nice with PrusaSlicer which has a upload to server function so you can send them directly to  Repetier-Server after slicing. No need to save und upload in  Repetier-Server interface, also that would also work.