How to Set Up a Receipt Printer in Bario: Hardware + Software

Receipt and kitchen tickets are the backbone of fast service. A guest orders, the ticket lands at the right station, and the line keeps moving. This guide walks you through everything you need to print from Bario: the hardware to buy, how to put it on your network, and how to configure it in the app.

What you need

Bario prints to thermal receipt printers that speak ESC/POS, the same standard used across hospitality. You do not need a special "Bario printer"; any compliant model works. We recommend:

• An 80mm thermal printer (58mm also works for compact tickets).
• A model with a network (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) interface. Epson TM-series (TM-T20, TM-m30) and Star (TSP100, TSP650) are proven choices.
• A roll of thermal paper in the right width.
• A power outlet and, for Ethernet models, a free port on your router or switch.

Why network and not USB or Bluetooth? Bario sends print jobs over your local network straight to the printer's IP address. Network printers are the most reliable for unattended, automatic ticket printing. No cable is tied to one device, and any phone or tablet on the same Wi-Fi can trigger a print.

Step 1: Put the printer on your network

1. Unbox the printer, load the paper roll, and connect power.
2. Connect it to your network:
   • Ethernet: plug a cable from the printer into your router or switch.
   • Wi-Fi: follow the manufacturer's utility to join your venue's network.
3. Print the printer's self-test / status page (usually hold the FEED button while powering on). It prints the assigned IP address, so write it down, e.g. 192.168.1.100.
4. Reserve a static IP for the printer in your router (a DHCP reservation by MAC address). This stops the address from changing after a reboot, which would otherwise break printing mid-service.

Most ESC/POS network printers listen on port 9100 (the raw printing port). Keep that default unless you have changed it.

Step 2: Add the printer in Bario

Printing happens from the Bario mobile app (iOS/Android). The browser version can manage settings but cannot send jobs to a printer, so install the app on the phone or tablet that stays on-site.

1. Open the app and go to Settings → Printers.
2. Tap Add Printer.
3. Fill in:
   • Printer Name: something you'll recognise, e.g. "Kitchen" or "Bar".
   • Connection Type: choose Network.
   • IP Address: the address from Step 1 (192.168.1.100).
   • Port: 9100, unless you changed it.
4. Leave Active on and tap Save Printer.

Step 3: Test it

On the saved printer card you'll see two actions (available only in the mobile app):

• Ping checks that Bario can reach the printer over the network. You want it to say "Connected".
• Test Print sends a short BARIO test slip and cuts the paper.

If the test slip prints, your hardware and connection are good to go.

Step 4: Route orders to the printer

A printer is only useful once your menu knows what to send where. In Menu → Categories, open a category and:

• Turn on Send to kitchen for food that should print at a prep station.
• Assign the printer that category should print on.

Now when an order comes in, Bario automatically groups the items by category, builds a kitchen ticket, and prints it at the right station: drinks to the bar, food to the kitchen. Only one connected device prints each order, so you never get duplicate tickets even with several tablets open.

Troubleshooting

• "Unreachable" on Ping. The phone/tablet and the printer must be on the same network. Re-check the IP, and confirm the printer's status page still shows that address.
• Nothing prints automatically. Make sure the category has a printer assigned and "Send to kitchen" set, and that the app is open on an on-site device.
• Garbled characters. Confirm the printer is ESC/POS compatible; some label printers use a different command language.
• IP changed after a reboot. Set the DHCP reservation from Step 1.

That's it. With a network thermal printer and five minutes of setup, every order flows from the table to the right station automatically, with no paper shuffling and no shouted orders.