Menuraq Bridge , Desktop App
What is it?
A desktop application you download as a single .exe (Windows), .app (Mac), or binary (Linux). Double-click to run. No Node.js, no Python, no terminal knowledge required.
It runs in the background on any computer on your restaurant's local network and acts as a middleman between Menuraq (in the cloud) and your physical printers.
How mobile devices (phone, iPad, Android) connect to printers
This is the most important thing to understand:
```
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ YOUR RESTAURANT NETWORK │
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Printer │◄───────│ Bridge App │ │ Printer │ │
│ │ (USB) │ │ (runs on a │ │(Network) │ │
│ └──────────┘ │ local PC) │ └──────────┘ │
│ │ │ │
│ ┌──────────┐ │ • Scans for │ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ Printer │◄───────│ printers │ │ Printer │ │
│ │ (BT) │ │ • Polls job │ │(Network) │ │
│ └──────────┘ │ queue │ └──────────┘ │
│ │ • Sends to │ │
│ │ printer │ │
│ └──────┬───────┘ │
│ │ │
└─────────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┘
│ (internet)
▼
┌─────────────────┐
│ Menuraq Cloud │
│ (your account) │
└────────┬────────┘
│ (internet)
┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
│ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼
┌────────────┐ ┌────────────┐ ┌────────────────┐
│ iPhone │ │ iPad │ │ Android Tab │
│ (server) │ │ (counter) │ │ (self-order) │
└────────────┘ └────────────┘ └────────────────┘
```
Your phone/iPad/Android tablet NEVER connects to printers directly.
They connect to Menuraq's cloud over the internet (WiFi or cellular). When you place an order on your phone:
- Phone → sends order to Menuraq Cloud over the internet
- Menuraq Cloud → queues a print job (receipt, kitchen ticket, etc.)
- Bridge App (running on a computer on your network) → polls the cloud every few seconds → sees the new job → claims it
- Bridge App → sends the job to your local printer via USB, network, or Bluetooth
What if I ONLY have a phone / tablet and no computer?
You still need something on your local network to run the bridge app. But that "something" can be small and cheap:
| Option | Cost | How it works |
| Raspberry Pi | ~$35 | A tiny computer (size of a credit card) that runs the bridge 24/7. Plug it into power and WiFi, connect your printer via USB, done. |
| Old laptop / PC | Free | Any computer you already have that stays on the network. |
| Cloud-connected printer | $200+ | Some modern printers (Epson ePOS, Star CloudPRNT) connect directly to the internet. They don't need a bridge at all , the cloud sends jobs straight to them. |
Do I need the computer to be ON all the time?
Yes , the bridge needs to be running to receive and print jobs. A Raspberry Pi uses about as much electricity as a phone charger ($5/year).
Download & Install
Option 1: Download the compiled app (recommended)
- Go to GitHub Releases: https://github.com/your-org/menura/releases
- Download the file for your system:
- Windows:
menuraq-bridge-win-x64.exe - Mac (Intel):
menuraq-bridge-mac-x64 - Mac (Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3):
menuraq-bridge-mac-arm64 - Linux / Raspberry Pi:
menuraq-bridge-linux-x64
- Double-click the downloaded file.
Option 2: Run from source (if you have Node.js)
```bash
node scripts/mnrq-setup.mjs # First-time setup
node scripts/discover-printers.mjs # Find printers on your network
node scripts/menuraq-print-bridge.mjs --config menuraq-print-bridge.config.json
```
Quick Start
Step 1 , Setup
Open the app and type:
```
menuraq setup
```
It will ask for three things (all found in your Menuraq Dashboard → Settings → Print Bridge):
- Your Menuraq URL (e.g.
https://my-restaurant.menuraq.com) - Branch ID , a long ID like
a1b2c3d4-... - Bridge Token , a secret key starting with
mnrq_print_
Choose "Scan network for printers" when asked , the app will find your printers automatically. No IP typing needed.
Step 2 , Start the bridge
```
menuraq run
```
This starts the bridge AND opens a dashboard at http://localhost:3999 showing:
- Bridge status (Running / Offline)
- Discovered printers on your network
- Jobs processed
- Quick actions (Re-scan, Health Check)
Step 3 , Install as background service (optional)
```
menuraq service
```
The bridge will now start automatically when your computer boots. Runs silently in the background.
Step 4 , Configure printers in the dashboard
Open Menuraq Dashboard → Settings → Printers. You'll see your discovered printers listed. Click Add to configure each one.
Commands
| Command | What it does |
menuraq setup | First-time configuration wizard |
menuraq discover | Scan network for printers (add --json for machine output) |
menuraq run | Start bridge + dashboard at http://localhost:3999 |
menuraq service | Install as auto-start background service |
menuraq status | Show bridge status as JSON |
menuraq --help | Show all commands |
How printer discovery works
On startup and every 5 minutes, the bridge automatically scans your local network for:
- Network/WiFi printers , probes ports 9100, 515, 631 on every IP in your subnet
- USB printers , checks for connected USB devices (Linux:
/dev/usb/lp*) - Bluetooth printers , scans for paired RFCOMM devices
Found printers are reported to your Menuraq dashboard. Open Settings → Printers and click Add next to any discovered printer.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Fix |
| "No printers found" | Make sure printer is on the same network; run menuraq discover |
| Bridge won't start | Check if another instance is already running (port 3999 in use) |
| Jobs stuck "pending" | Bridge might be offline; check menuraq status |
| USB printer not working | Linux: sudo usermod -a -G lp $USER, log out and back in |
| Raspberry Pi: "rfcomm not found" | sudo apt install bluez bluez-utils |