How to Set Up a Wireless Printer Connection

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Do you need to connect a wireless printer to your Wi-Fi network? Wireless printers are very easy to set up on any PC or Mac, and, depending on the printer, you can even print wirelessly from your Android, iPhone, or iPad! This wikiHow guide will walk you through adding your printer to your wireless network so you can print photos and documents without pesky cords.

Ensure the printer is within range of your wireless router or use a USB cable. Power on the printer and select your Wi-Fi network name. Type in the password, if necessary, to lock on to the connection.

Connecting a Printer to a Wireless Network

• If your printer does not have wireless capabilities, you will need to connect it to your computer using a USB cable.

Power on the printer. You'll be connecting to the wireless network directly from the printer, so you don't need to connect it to a computer first. [1] X Research source

• Many printers will allow you to connect to the wireless network using the built-in menu system. Refer to the printer's documentation for the exact location. If you can't find your manual, you can almost always download a PDF copy from the manufacturer's support site.
• If your printer and router both support WPS push-to-connect, simply push the WPS button on your printer, then press the WPS button on your router within two minutes. The connection will be made automatically.
• Some older wireless printers may require you to connect to a computer first to set up the wireless connection. This is common if the printer doesn't have a built-in menu, but does support wireless. Connect the printer to your computer via USB, and use the included software to set up the printer's wireless connection. After configuring its wireless, you can disconnect it from your computer and place it where you want.

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Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) enables wireless connectivity between your printer and router. This feature connects your printer to a wireless network without using a computer or network name and password. Instead, you will use the WPS button or the WPS pin (unique code used for device connection).

Adding a Printer to a Windows Computer

• Your computer and printer need to be connected to the same wireless network.

. It's the icon with the Windows logo in the lower-right corner. This opens the Windows Start menu. [3] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

Click Devices . It has an icon that resembles a keyboard and an iPod. It's in the Windows Settings menu.

Click Printers & scanners . It's in the menu bar to the left next to an icon that resembles a printer.

Click + Add printer or scanner . It's at the top of the menu next to a plus (+) sign. Your computer will start scanning for printers and scanners connected to the network.

• If your printer is not listed, click The printer that I want isn't listed. This displays options to help you find an older printer, add a shared printer by name, TCP/IP address, wirelessly, or locally using manual settings. Select an option and follow the instructions to connect your printer.

Click Print to print a page. Depending on the app you are using, you can find the "Print" option under the "File" menu, or by clicking the icon with three dots ( ⋮ ) in the upper-left corner. In some cases, you can just click an icon that resembles a printer in the menu bar at the top of the screen. View the print preview and click Print to print to your printer. [4] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

Connecting a Printer to a Mac

• Your printer and your Mac need to be connected to the same wireless network.

• Open the App Store.
• Click the Updates tab.
• Click Update All.

Click System Preferences… . It's near the top of the Apple menu. This opens the System Preferences menu.

Click Printer & Scanners . This displays a list of connected printers (if any) on the left side. If you see your printer listed, it is already connected.

Click + . It's at the bottom of the box with all the connected printers on the left. Your Mac will scan for printers connected to your wireless network.

• For some printers, you may need to connect your printer to your Mac with a USB cord and install the drivers that came with the printer or from the manufacturer's websites. Then connect your printer to the wireless network. Once it is connected, you can disconnect the USB cable.

Click Print to print a page. Depending on the app you are using, you can find the "Print" option under the "File" menu, or by clicking the icon with three dots ( ⋮ ) in the upper-left corner. In some cases, you can just click an icon that resembles a printer in the menu bar at the top of the screen. View the print preview and click Print to print to your printer. [6] X Research source

Printing from an Android

• Make sure your wireless printer and your Android phone are connected to the same wireless network.

. It's in the upper-right corner of the Settings menu. This allows you to quickly search for different menu items in the Settings menu. [7] X Research source

• This option is located in different locations depending on which Android model you have. On stock Android, it's located under "Connected devices > Connection Preferences > Printing." [8] X Research source On Samsung Galaxy, it's located under "Connections > More Connection Settings > Printing."

• Alternatively, you can tap Download Plugin to open the Google Play Store and download a third-party print service plugin. Many printer manufacturers such as HP, Canon, Brother, and Lexmark have their own print service plugin you can use. Tap the third-party plugin you want to use and tap Install.

Tap the print service plugin you want to use. All installed print service plugins are listed in the Printing Settings menu. This scans for printers connected to your wireless network.

• Not all apps support printing. However, you can take screenshots and print those.

Printing from an iPhone or iPad

• Some printers need to be configured to use AirPrint first.
• AirPrint printers will need to be connected to the same network as your iOS device. Follow the steps at the top of this article to connect your printer to the network.
• If your printer doesn't support AirPrint, you'll need to find a printing app from your printer's manufacturer.

• If an app doesn't support printing, you can take screenshots and print those.

Open the item you want to print. Use the app to open the document, picture, or email that you want to print.

• Make sure you're connected to the same network as the printer.

Community Q&A

Check your box for the word wifi or a wifi logo or type in your model number on Google to find the specifications for your printer.

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Yes. Once you have the printer setup and connected to the wireless network, just install the drivers on your laptop. As long as your laptop is connected to the same network as your printer, you should be able to send print jobs to your printer over the network.

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Make sure the printer has been properly installed and setup. Also, make sure you have the correct drive for the printer installed on your computer. If the printer still isn't showing up, you may have a network problem.

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If you get a "printer offline" error, you'll need to pinpoint the exact cause to fix the error and complete your setup.

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