Network Discovery (Bonjour/mDNS)

Your iPad needs to find ALIVE Magic Print on the network without you typing in IP addresses or fiddling with network settings. That's where Bonjour comes in — it handles discovery automatically so you can focus on running your booth.

How Discovery Works

ALIVE Magic Print advertises itself on the local network as "PhotoBooth Print Server" using the service type "photoprint" via Bonjour (also known as mDNS/DNS-SD). This is the same technology Apple uses for AirPrint, AirDrop, and other zero-configuration networking features.

Here's the flow:

ALIVE Magic Print starts and begins broadcasting its presence on the local network
The ALIVE app on your iPad listens for Bonjour advertisements
When it hears the broadcast, it connects to ALIVE Magic Print automatically
A real-time connection is established using Server-Sent Events (SSE) for live status updates

No manual configuration. No IP addresses to memorize. Just power on and connect.

Network Resilience

Networks aren't always stable — especially at event venues. ALIVE Magic Print is built to handle that:

Auto-republish — If the network connection drops and comes back, ALIVE Magic Print re-advertises itself automatically. No restart needed.
Client detection timeout — The app uses a 6-second timeout for detecting connected clients, so stale connections are cleared quickly.
Real-time status — Connection state between the iPad and the print server is streamed via SSE, so both sides know immediately when the link is up or down.

If ALIVE Magic Print loses network and reconnects, it re-advertises within seconds. The iPad should pick it up again automatically. Give it a moment before troubleshooting.

QR Code as a Backup

If Bonjour discovery isn't working (some venue networks block mDNS traffic), ALIVE Magic Print offers a QR code fallback. The QR code contains a deep link using the ALIVE URL scheme:

alive-photo-booth://connect?urls=<encoded JSON array of URLs>

The QR code includes a JSON array of server URLs so the iPad can try different network interfaces. Scan the code from the ALIVE app, and it connects directly — bypassing Bonjour entirely.

[screenshot: ALIVE Magic Print QR code for manual connection]

Connection Requirements

For automatic discovery to work, both devices must be:

On the same local network — Same Wi-Fi network or same subnet
Able to communicate via mDNS — Bonjour traffic (UDP port 5353) must not be blocked
Firewall-friendly — ALIVE Magic Print's ports (47653, 4000, 4004) must be open on your computer

Some enterprise and hotel Wi-Fi networks isolate devices from each other (called "client isolation" or "AP isolation"). This prevents Bonjour from working. If you're at a venue with managed Wi-Fi, bring your own router and create a dedicated network for your booth equipment.

Troubleshooting Discovery

If your iPad can't find ALIVE Magic Print:

Check the network — Are both devices on the same Wi-Fi? Can they ping each other?
Check the firewall — Is ALIVE Magic Print allowed through your computer's firewall? (See Firewall Configuration)
Use the QR code — Scan the QR code displayed on the ALIVE Magic Print dashboard to bypass Bonjour
Try a manual URL — Enter the print server's IP address and port directly in the ALIVE app
Restart ALIVE Magic Print — A restart forces a fresh Bonjour advertisement
Check for client isolation — Ask the venue if their network isolates wireless clients

Bring a portable router to every event. A dedicated network for your iPad and computer eliminates venue Wi-Fi headaches entirely. It's a small investment that saves major stress.

What's Next?

Connecting ALIVE Magic Print to Your Photobooth — Full pairing walkthrough
Firewall Configuration — Make sure your ports are open

Updated on: 17/03/2026

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