Can I connect a laser engraver over WiFi on a Mac?

Yes, if your machine has a WiFi-capable controller (typically ESP32 / ESP3D-based, such as the Algolaser Pixie). These expose the same GRBL command stream over a raw TCP socket, so a Mac controller like Lùmen can connect by IP address and port — no USB cable needed. Machines with only a USB-serial chip (CH340, CP2102) connect over USB.

Which port does GRBL over WiFi use?

Most ESP32/ESP3D laser controllers expose the GRBL stream on TCP port 23 (Telnet). Some use a different port — check your machine's manual or web interface. In Lùmen you enter the IP and port in the WiFi tab of the connection bar.

Is WiFi as reliable as USB for laser engraving?

For most jobs, yes. The command stream is identical; only the transport changes. On a weak network, long jobs can be more prone to dropouts than USB — if a job stalls, turn on Lùmen's Reliable mode, which sends one line at a time and recovers from a dropped acknowledgement. Keep the machine and Mac on a strong signal for best results.

How do I find my laser engraver's IP address?

Check the machine's display or companion app, your router's connected-devices list, or — on ESP3D controllers — send the $WRS command over USB once to read the assigned IP. Many machines also broadcast their own hotspot (e.g. ALA1-AP-xxxx) you can join directly.

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How to Connect a Laser Engraver over WiFi on Mac

Published: June 21, 2026

Lùmen connection bar with USB / WiFi selector, IP address and port for connecting a GRBL laser over WiFi

Lùmen — now with WiFi

Connect your GRBL laser over USB or WiFi from a native macOS app. Image engraving with 7 dithering algorithms, SVG cutting, a built-in shape & text editor, and a guided Simple mode. €14.99 one-time, no subscription. 3-day free trial.

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Most diode laser engravers connect to your computer with a USB cable. But a growing number of machines — the Algolaser Pixie and other controllers built on the ESP32 chip — can also talk to your Mac over WiFi. No cable across the workshop, no reaching behind the machine for the USB port. This guide explains how WiFi laser control works, which machines support it, and how to connect one to your Mac with Lùmen.

How WiFi Laser Control Actually Works

Under the hood, almost every hobby laser engraver runs GRBL — an open-source motion controller that accepts a stream of G-code commands. Over USB, those commands travel down a serial connection. Over WiFi, the exact same commands travel over a raw TCP socket instead. This is often called GRBL-over-TCP (or Telnet), and it's what ESP32/ESP3D-class controllers expose on your local network.

The important takeaway: only the transport changes. The bytes Lùmen sends to engrave an image are identical whether they go over a cable or over the air. That's why every feature — image engraving, SVG cutting, the shape editor, overrides, framing — works the same way on WiFi as it does on USB.

Does Your Machine Support WiFi?

WiFi is a property of the machine's controller board, not the software. Two quick ways to tell:

Check for a WiFi/network feature in the machine's manual or app. If the manufacturer advertises a phone app that controls the laser wirelessly, the controller almost certainly speaks GRBL-over-TCP.
Look at the controller chip. Boards built on the ESP32 (often running ESP3D or grbl_esp32 firmware) have WiFi built in. Boards that use a plain USB-to-serial chip (CH340, CP2102) are USB-only.

The machine that prompted Lùmen's WiFi support is the Algolaser Pixie (5W), but any ESP32/ESP3D-class GRBL controller follows the same approach. If your machine is USB-only, see our brand setup guides — for example Sculpfun on Mac or Ortur on Mac — and connect over USB instead.

Step 1: Get Your Machine on the Network

Power on the laser and connect its controller to your WiFi. The exact steps depend on the machine, but it's usually one of two flows:

Join your home WiFi — via the manufacturer's app or web interface, you give the machine your network's name and password. It then gets an IP address on your LAN (e.g. 192.168.1.42).
Connect to the machine's own hotspot — some controllers broadcast their own access point (e.g. ALA1-AP-xxxx). Your Mac joins that hotspot directly, and the machine is reachable at a fixed gateway address.

Joining your existing home WiFi is usually the better setup: your Mac keeps its internet connection, and both devices sit on the same network.

Step 2: Find the IP Address and Port

To connect, Lùmen needs two things: the machine's IP address and its port.

IP address — find it in one of these places:

The machine's display or companion app, which often shows the assigned IP after it joins WiFi.
Your router's admin page, under the list of connected devices.
On ESP3D controllers, connect once over USB and send $WRS in the serial console to print the network status, including the IP.

Port — most ESP32/ESP3D laser controllers expose the GRBL stream on TCP port 23 (the classic Telnet port). Some firmware uses a different port; if 23 doesn't connect, check the machine's web interface or manual.

Step 3: Connect in Lùmen

Open Lùmen and look at the connection bar at the top of the window:

Switch the USB / WiFi selector to WiFi. The port picker is replaced by two fields: an IP address and a port.
Type the machine's IP address (e.g. 192.168.1.42) and its port (default 23).
Click Connect.

The first time you connect to a device on your local network, macOS may show a “Local Network” permission prompt. Click Allow — Lùmen needs it to reach the laser. Once connected, Lùmen reads the machine's GRBL settings and work area exactly as it does over USB, and you're ready to design and engrave.

Step 4: If a Long Job Stalls — Reliable Mode

WiFi is convenient, but a wireless link can occasionally drop a packet where a cable wouldn't — and a lost acknowledgement can stall a long job partway through. Lùmen has a built-in fix:

Lùmen Reliable mode toggle — sends one line at a time and recovers from dropped acknowledgements

Turn on Reliable mode (the switch next to Connect). Lùmen then sends one command at a time and safely recovers from a dropped acknowledgement, so the job runs to the end. It's a little slower than the default, so leave it off for everyday photo engraving and switch it on — even mid-job — if a job stalls. The same mode also rescues long USB jobs on machines with finicky serial links.

If the machine ever goes completely silent mid-job, Lùmen shows a clear “Job stalled” warning rather than hanging quietly, so you can decide whether to stop and resume from where you left off.

WiFi vs USB: Which Should You Use?

Use WiFi when the machine supports it and you want to skip the cable — a tidy bench, the Mac placed anywhere in the room, no fumbling for the USB port.
Use USB for the most rock-solid link on very long, unattended jobs, or if your WiFi signal near the machine is weak. USB is also the only option for USB-only controllers.

Either way, Lùmen treats them the same: connect, design, frame, and engrave. You can switch transports between jobs whenever it suits your setup.

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Lùmen is a native macOS laser controller with USB and WiFi connectivity, image engraving with 7 dithering algorithms, SVG cutting, a built-in shape & text editor, 18 material presets, and a guided Simple mode for first-timers. It's a one-time €14.99 purchase with a 3-day free trial — no subscription.

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