Adding a wireless printer
 

I've only just found out that the printer I've been using for months is actually wireless-enabled, the question is how do I connect it to my LAN?

I have a desktop with XP and a laptop with 7, the router is one of VM's Netgear jobbies, how do I link them all up?

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Assuming it has an ethernet port connect direct.
1. Ensure the SSID of the printer is the same as your network.
2. Enable DHCP.
3. Ensure you add the wireless network key should it be enabled.
4. disconnect ethernet
5. Add printer from control panel.

A bit vague but could do with more info like model of printer.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Continuing the instructions.. Once you have it recognised by your wireless router allocate it a reserved address from the dhcp pool.. Then on your PC just go into the printer properties (I presume you currently have it installed as a local printer) and add a new TCPIP port giving the IP address you reserved for it.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Um...in English please?!

It's a Canon MP495.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

*bumpage*

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

If you have the original cd that came with the printer there are instructions here:

http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consu...ial%20Setup%29

scroll down to
"Wireless Connection Connecting the Machine to the Network (Initial Setup)"

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

So the printer needs to be physically connected to the router - am I reading that right? I was under the impression that was not necessary.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Yes. It's a bit like setting up the wireless on a router. You need to have a cabled connection while a few initial settings are made such as the gateway (router) address. Once that's done the printer knows where to look for a wireless connection.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Most printers let you set their settings by pressing the buttons on the printer.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

I know the HP printers that I have set up would allow that to a limited extent. Not sure about the Canon which is why I suggested going this route.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

OK cheers for all this so far - another stupid question (I really know nothing about networking) - which cable do I use to connect the printer to the router? The only output on the printer is the standard square-ish shaped socked and the cable that cable with it has a USB on the other end which of course doesn't fit anywhere on the router which has ethernet ports.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

You connect the printer to your computer.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

It's been connected for the last 4 months lol

I'll explain the situation in full.

Wireless router is connected (by wire) to computer with XP.

In another room, the printer is connected (by wire) to the laptop with Win7.

The laptop gets used far more than the desktop so what I'd like is to be able to use the printer whatever room I'm in.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Does the software currently installed allow you to alter wireless settings on the printer? If yes then you need to configure it the same as any other wifi device with the SSID/Encryption/Key of how your wifi is set-up.

Once that's done you can unplug the printer from your PC, let it connect to the wifi and then in the printer device set-up (customize/properties) you just need to alter the port from USB to standard tcpip port (click add port) giving it the IP as allocated by the router. You may though need to check the IP issued by the router (probably in Attached devices) and also you may want to allocated a reservation for it so the printer always gets the same address.

Once that's done the PC will print via the IP given instead of the USB

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

The software seems to 'scan' for the printer but for some reason does not find it and asks me to plug the cable in, this happens on both computers.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Set it up locally first (as a wired printer) otherwise you can't set up the wifi settings

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

So I'll need to set it up on the machine that's wired connected to the router first?

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Just wire the printer to a pc for initial setup. Don't involve the router at this stage. The software should then find the printer and ask you the questions it needs to do the first stage of the installation.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Unless the printer has a built in control panel/display to configure the wifi then you need to add the printer to a PC, load up the software and then configure the printer for the wifi settings of your home.. Once that's done the printer can then be disconnected from that PC

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

This is where I'm having problems. I've loaded the software on to both machines and physically plugged the printer in to the laptop. Unless there's something I'm not doing, neither machine can find a printer on any network when I remove the cable from the computer to the printer.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Presumably the setup software asked you about stuff like SSID & wireless password and maybe gateway address?

If these have been set in the printer then once it's plugged into the router it should get an IP address from the router. Try logging into the router's control panel and checking connected devices. With luck you'll see the printer as a new device and can get it's IP address from the router. Once you get that far it's possible to manually create a TCP/IP port on the pc or laptop which will enable the printer.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

No nothing like that - the software for the printer installed etc then it got to a point where it said to choose either a USB connection or wi-fi. When I selected wi-fi it started trying to detect the network but couldn't find it.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Until you tell the printer what security and password your wifi uses then it will not connect to the wifi.. hence you need to install as a usb printer, set up the wifi then reinstall as a network printer

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

All sorted now - thanks :)

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

I love a story with a happy ending.

:)

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

This may be obvious to some however there was nothing in the instruction manual to explain this - not helped by the booklet being in about 15 different languages and English not being near the top - but what I needed to do was install the printer and software on the computer which was connected by a cable to the router then do the same on the wireless laptop.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

That was an epic struggle, good t get there in the end.
I just got a HP printer for my daughter, and configured that as wireless, thankfully, it had a little screen on it, and I could input the wi-fi password etc and it all went very smoothly.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Don't some devices have "sync" buttons or options where you push a button on router and on device and they pair up, exchanging info.

My network laser printer is wireless via a bridge and I fix the IP outside the DHCP range so I can put entries in /etc/hosts to refer to printer by name. (Windows picks up this automatically but not Linux).

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

I must admit to liking how anything 'networked' isn't like the bad old days, where you needed a degree in black magic to get anything to work, things are pretty much plug n play now.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

And you used to work in tech support for ntl...:erm:

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

Yeah, almost 10 years ago and wireless equipment was a rarity. Still, at least some of us have moved on from those days - I'm flattered it's still so fresh in your memory.

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

You mean like an adapter that had an IRQ, DMA and memory address jumpers which you had to configure with no conflicts?

Yeah - black magic alright!!

Re: Adding a wireless printer
 

:))))

Sadly there also goes alot of real technical ability with plug & pray.