There are several methods of adding a printer to a wireless network:
- Printer sharing from a computer
- Adding a wired print server
- Adding a wireless print server
Printer Sharing from a Computer
The least expensive solution is to add a local printer to one of the computers on a wireless LAN and then enable printer sharing on that computer.
This is a good solution if at least one of the computers on the wireless LAN is a desktop or server PC.
This approach requires the user to locate the printer next to the computer he/she uses as a print server.
To share a printer in Microsoft Windows:
- Click the Start button
- Click the Control Panel menu option
- Click the Printers and Faxes icon
- Select the printer to be shared
- Click the File menu
- Click the Sharing menu item
Wired Print Servers
Another alternative is to purchase a dedicated network print server, plug it into an Ethernet port on the WAP (Wireless Access Point), and connect a printer to it.
This approach does not rely on a desktop or server PC. The downsides to this approach are cost and the fact that the user has to locate the printer next to his/her Wireless Access Point (WAP).
Wireless Print Servers
A third approach is to purchase a dedicated wireless network print server, connect it directly to the wireless network, and connect a printer to it.
This approach also does not rely on a desktop or server PC nor does it require the user to locate a printer near his/her computers or network devices.
The only downside to this approach is cost.
my printer is wireless and i have a 2wire dsl wireless access point. can i connect the printer this way?? or do i need to have a wireless nic in my computer as well. i just need to know if i need to take it back. or just buy a usb cable or something. thanks in advance for any advice
I think you should be able to connect through the access point so long as both the computer and the printer are on the same wireless network and one can talk to the other.
There might be something about it in the printer’s manual. I’ve set one up for someone long time ago and there were instructions, and if I remember correctly, it just had to be connected to wifi and recognized by the computer.
I have an HP LaserJet 6MP that’s connected to a wireless router with a print server (HSHPS1P by Hawking Technology). It sits next to an iMac – but is not connected to the iMac. I cannot figure out (nor find) a way to print to it from laptops. Can you point me in any direction? Thank you, in advance, for your help.
Originally posted by Joe Michaels: “I have an HP LaserJet 6MP that’s connected to a wireless router with a print server (HSHPS1P by Hawking Technology). It sits next to an iMac – but is not connected to the iMac. I cannot figure out (nor find) a way to print to it from laptops. Can you point me in any direction? Thank you, in advance, for your help.”
Might this Apple support page be of any help?
Originally posted by memenode: “Originally posted by Joe Michaels: “I have an HP LaserJet 6MP that’s connected to a wireless router with a print server (HSHPS1P by Hawking Technology). It sits next to an iMac – but is not connected to the iMac. I cannot figure out (nor find) a way to print to it from laptops. Can you point me in any direction? Thank you, in advance, for your help.”
Might this Apple support page: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3500 be of any help?”
Thank you, Daniel. My daughter’s Mac laptop prints to the printer just fine. (Took me about 30 seconds – no lie – to get it to work.) The issue is with my wife’s PC (running Windows XP). By contrast, 3 1/2 hours got me nowhere. (Her PC DOES access the internet wirelessly.) That said, should I be creating some other kind of network? Thanks, again!
I have a wireless printer working on my wireless lan. In my house I also have a wired lan. Is there some way I can use this wireless printer on my wired lan also. Ie can computers connected to the wired lan also use this wireless printer?
I believe you can, the same way that your wireless computers can. I think it’s a matter of it being in the same network, regardless of how are computers and devices connected to it. Your printer should have its own hostname so you just need to point your PC to that, and set it up the same way as you would a computer on wireless.
hello. i have bought a new printer for my laptop which is wireless. i have set up the printer to the router and it has detected it , my problem now is my laptop doesnot recognise the printer and when i try to do it manualy the name advent is not one of the printer names to come up. i tried using the cd that came with it ,but i dont know why but i cant get it to play for the wizard to help me. it has never played cd or dvds, how can i achieve this please.. im not to clever on computers i know very little so need any information in easy to understand term please. thank you so much.
Do you have McAfee AV ? If so , turn the firewall off…it causes more trouble than it’s worth. The try again to add a network printer
I have a printer that I want to make wireless so I can print wirelessly to it.
You would think this would be easy right? Not!
Like I’m the only one in the world who has tried to do this..
I also have a Glock 45 and I plan to teach both my printer and computer a few things about balistics!