But what are the things you would want from a printer that is already quite reliable, not DRM'd, and presumably compatible with all the devices you want to use it with?
I can't tell if any of this gives you more access than the normal http admin interface.
Well now you can point an LLM at it. I’m not sure that gives you anything either, but I’m not sure the hacker ethos makes that a priority.
Sometimes a hack is just cool because it’s a hack.
Great write up and reverse engineering of firmware! I hope to see Epson MFC inkjet printers to have similar discovery too (perhaps it literally a prompt away with a link to this article).
I was digging around an epson receipt printers firmware recently; got as far as discovering http endpoints (hardcoded auth) to remotely enable ssh (but not login), and some other diagnostic access. They seem fairly well put together.
But what do those numbers mean?
The same SET USER 640184.571119 command works on my 2012 Brother MFC-9460CDN.
This is a really cool little project. Also, the title gave me a strong hit of like mid 2000's internet "hacking" content that I tore through when I was in high school.
The e-zines can make a comeback, there's probably enough content now. phreak2030s: "put the local load in the bearing firmwares". Or something :)