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Set up a network scanner via eSCL

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In short: Many offices already own a network scanner. If it supports eSCL/AirScan, you connect it to Scandora with no drivers and no desktop software: put the scanner and your phone on the same Wi-Fi, start a scan in the app — Scandora finds the device automatically, pulls multi-page stacks through the feeder and turns them into one document managed AI can read.

What is eSCL/AirScan?

eSCL (also called AirScan, the scanning counterpart to Apple AirPrint) is an open standard that lets scanners and multifunction devices scan straight over the network — without vendor-specific drivers. Scandora speaks this protocol directly, so a real office scanner is as easy to use as your phone camera.

Because eSCL is a standard, it works across manufacturers. Whether a given device supports eSCL depends on its firmware — not on Scandora.

Requirements

  • A scanner or multifunction device that supports eSCL/AirScan (often listed in device menus as "AirPrint scanning" or "Apple AirPrint").
  • The scanner and your phone on the same Wi-Fi network (not a guest network). On a Mac, a scanner connected over USB also works.
  • Network scanning enabled on the device (see your scanner's web interface or panel).

Enable eSCL/AirScan on the scanner

The exact path differs by manufacturer, but the idea is the same everywhere:

  1. Open the scanner's web interface (the IP address is usually shown on the panel), or go straight to the network/scan settings in the device menu.
  2. Enable "AirPrint", "eSCL" or "network scanning". On some devices it is on by default.
  3. Make sure the scanner is joined to your Wi-Fi — not to a separate guest or device network.

After that no further configuration is needed: Scandora requires neither a manually entered IP address nor a driver.

Find the scanner in Scandora

In Scandora, start a scan and choose the network scanner option. The search then runs automatically in two steps:

  1. A quick USB/cable check first. On a Mac in particular, Scandora also detects a scanner connected over USB via a local IPP-over-USB bridge. This check runs quickly in the background before the Wi-Fi search starts.
  2. Wi-Fi search via eSCL/AirScan. Scandora then browses the network for eSCL scanners using the operating system's mDNS/Bonjour resolver (the system service on iOS/macOS, NsdManager on Android). Devices it finds appear in the list; tap yours to connect.

The first time, iPhone and Mac ask for local network permission — grant it, otherwise Scandora cannot find devices on the Wi-Fi. The device status (idle, busy, paper jam, feeder empty) is shown live.

Scan settings

Before scanning you choose:

  • Source: the automatic document feeder (ADF) for multi-page stacks, or the flatbed glass for single sheets. The feeder is the default so a stack scans in one pass.
  • Duplex: scan both sides in one pass if your device's feeder supports it.
  • Colour and resolution (DPI).

Pages from the feeder are captured in sequence and assembled into a single document. You can then process it just like a phone scan — have managed AI read it and export it to Trello and Google Drive (the DATEV export is coming soon).

Supported manufacturers & honest scope

In principle any eSCL/AirScan-compatible network scanner works. Scandora ships tuned connection settings for common manufacturers — including Brother and Epson as well as HP, Canon, Xerox, Ricoh, Kyocera, Lexmark, Samsung and Konica Minolta — and uses a generic fallback for everything else.

To be honest: Scandora is tuned for eSCL at the manufacturer level, not per individual model. We do not claim specific model numbers are "tested" or "certified". Whether your particular device works is decided by its eSCL firmware. The full real-world hardware behaviour (such as paper-jam resume or discovery across multiple network adapters) is something we verify on an ongoing basis as part of quality assurance.

Brother note: only newer Brother models support eSCL scanning (for example the MFC-L3xxx, MFC-J4xxx and ADS-4xxx series). Older models often do not support eSCL scanning even if they support AirPrint printing. The device's firmware is always what matters.

Troubleshooting

  • Scanner not found: confirm both devices are on the same Wi-Fi (not a guest network) and that "AirPrint"/eSCL is enabled on the scanner. Some networks block the discovery traffic between devices — try a simpler network.
  • Local network permission: on iPhone and Mac the local-network permission must be granted. Without it the Wi-Fi search can find no devices.
  • Connection drops: after a reboot the scanner may come back on a different IP address; just run the search again.
  • No feeder pages: make sure paper is loaded correctly in the ADF.

You can also scan with your phone camera at any time — no scanner required.

Want the step-by-step in the app? The compact quick guide with the connection steps and scan settings lives in the Help Center: Network scanner setup (eSCL).

FAQ

Do I need drivers or desktop software?

No. eSCL/AirScan is driverless and runs straight over the network. The scanner and your phone only need to be on the same Wi-Fi.

Will my exact scanner model work?

If the device supports eSCL/AirScan, almost always yes. Scandora is tuned at the manufacturer level and uses a generic fallback for unknown devices. We do not advertise individual models as "certified" — your device's firmware is what matters.

Can I use a scanner connected over USB?

On a Mac, yes: Scandora detects a USB-connected eSCL scanner via a local IPP-over-USB bridge. On the phone, the connection runs over Wi-Fi.

Can I scan multi-page and double-sided documents?

Yes. The document feeder (ADF) pulls a stack in one pass; duplex scans both sides if your device supports it. All pages are assembled into a single document.