More and more printers nowadays can be connected directly to a Wi-Fi network, so printing wirelessly from a computer has become easier than ever. If you have a wireless printer that can be connected directly to your Wi-Fi network, you will be able to print quickly and easily from both PC and Mac. If you have a standard printer available, you can still use it as a network printer by connecting it directly to one of the computers on the LAN and share it so that any PC or Mac can use it to print. This article explains how to set up a laptop to be able to print to a wireless network printer or shared network printer.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use a Network Printer
Step 1. Connect the printer to your home LAN
The procedure to follow varies depending on the make and model of the printer.
- If you want to connect the printer to the network via an Ethernet cable, connect it to the RJ-45 port on the device, then plug the other end of the cable into a free port on the network router / switch. If you have chosen to use a wired connection, the printer should be ready for use at this point.
- If you have chosen to connect the printer to the Wi-Fi network, you will need to use the menu and integrated display on the printing device to connect it to the LAN. You will need to select the name (SSID) of your Wi-Fi network and enter the security password if required. The steps to follow vary by printer model, so refer to the manufacturer's documentation or site for instructions on how to do this.
- If you don't know which method to use to connect the printer to the network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable), refer to the instruction manual of the device. If you can't connect the printer directly to the LAN, read the other methods in the article to find out how to connect it directly to a PC or Mac and share it with other users on the network.
Step 2. Connect to a network printer (for Windows users)
After installing the network printer, you can add it as a printing device on your laptop. The instructions below are valid for all versions of Windows. If you have a Mac, skip this step.
- Open the Windows "Control Panel" by typing the keyword "control" in the "Start" menu or in the search bar, then click on the icon Control Panel;
- Click on the icon Devices and printers or on the link View devices and printers;
- Click on the button Add printer and select the printer to be installed visible in the list of those available (normally, it is characterized by a name derived from a combination of the make and model of the peripheral);
- Follow the on-screen instructions to automatically install the printer drivers. If Windows cannot locate the correct drivers, you will need to manually download them from the printer manufacturer's website.
Step 3. Connect to a network printer (Mac users)
After installing the network printer you can add it as a printing device on your Mac. The instructions below are valid for all versions of macOS. If you have a PC, skip this step. In this case, remember that the printer will have to support the printing function via AirPrint or Bonjour (almost all modern printers are compatible with these technologies).
- Click on the "Apple" menu and select the "System Preferences" option;
- Select the "Printers and Scanners" icon visible in the "System Preferences" window;
- Click on the "+" button, visible under the box where the list of installed printers is displayed, without releasing the left mouse button;
- Select the printer to be installed visible in the list of those available (normally, it is characterized by a name derived from a combination of the make and model of the device). If your printer is not listed, you will need to download the installation software directly from the manufacturer's website.
- Click on the button Download and install, if present. Even if the Mac operating system integrates the drivers of most printers on the market, your model may require the installation of additional software that will be downloaded directly from Apple's servers. In this case, you will be prompted to download after the printer is installed on the Mac.
Step 4. Make a test print using your new printer
When the installation of the network printer on your computer is finished, you can use it to print as if it were connected directly to your laptop.
Open the "Print" dialog of any program, select the network printer from the "Printer" menu (normally, it is characterized by a name derived from a combination of the make and model of the device) and print the one you want
Method 2 of 3: Share a Printer on Windows Computer
Step 1. Connect the printer to the computer which will then share it on the network
Since the computer sharing the printer will need to be turned on, it is best to choose a desktop system that is often left on.
Most printers can be connected to a computer simply by using the supplied USB cable. Refer to the printer's instruction manual if you are having difficulty connecting it to the computer that will share it on the network
Step 2. Share the printer
Configure the printer on the computer to which it is physically connected so that it can be shared over the network.
- Launch the app Settings, click on the icon Devices and finally access the tab Printers and scanners;
- Click on the printer you want to share, then click the button Manage and finally click on the link Printer properties;
- Make sure the "Share this printer" checkbox, located in the "Sharing" tab, is checked. You can give the printer the name under which it will be visible on the network by typing it in the "Share name" text field.
Step 3. Connect to the shared printer
If your laptop is connected to the same network that the computer that is managing the printer is connected to, you can install it and set it as the default printing device. Always make sure that the computer to which the printer is physically connected is turned on before you start printing.
- Launch the app Settings, click on the icon Devices and finally access the tab Printers and scanners;
- Click on the button Add a printer or scanner, click on the printer you want to install and finally click on the button Add device;
- If your printer is not in the list of those available, click on the link The desired printer is not in the list and choose the option Select a shared printer by name. At this point, enter the name of the network computer and the shared printer following this pattern: "\ computer_name / printer_name" or "https:// computer_name/printer_name/.printer".
- After completing the above steps, you will be able to select the printer in question from any "Print" dialog.
Method 3 of 3: Share a Printer on Mac
Step 1. Connect the printer to the computer which will then share it on the network
Since the computer sharing the printer will need to be turned on, it is best to choose a desktop system that is often left on.
When connecting a printer to a Mac, normally you just need to use the supplied USB cable and the macOS operating system should automatically install all the necessary drivers
Step 2. Turn on printer sharing on the Mac you physically connected it to
After connecting, you will need to enable printer sharing to allow other computers on the network to use it as a printing device.
Click on the "Apple" menu and choose the option System Preferences, click on the icon Sharing, then select the check button Share printer visible in the left pane of the dialog box.
Step 3. Share the printer on the network
After enabling the "Share printer" function, using the same dialog box you can share the printer you want on the network. Select the check button for the printer you want to share.
Step 4. Connect to the shared network printer using your Mac
Now that the printer is shared on the network, you can use it to print directly from your Mac.
- Click on the "Apple" menu and choose the option System Preferences;
- Click on the icon Printers and scanners;
- Click on the "+" button, visible under the box where the list of installed printers is displayed, without releasing the left mouse button;
- Click on the button Download and install, if present. Even if the Mac operating system integrates the drivers of most printers on the market, your model may require the installation of additional software that will be downloaded directly from Apple's servers. In this case, you will be prompted to download after the printer is installed on the Mac.
Step 5. Use the shared printer to print what you want
After installing the shared network printer on your Mac, you can use it to print as if it were connected directly to your computer. Just make sure the Mac the printer is physically connected to is turned on.
Open the "Print" dialog of any program and select the shared printer from the list of those available for printing
Expert Advice
If you have trouble connecting your computer to the printer …
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Make sure the printer is connected to the network.
Normally, most printers have a blue light that is on when the printer is connected to the Wi-Fi network. If the light is blinking, it means that the wireless network connection is currently absent.
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Reinstall the drivers.
Go to the printer manufacturer's website and download the latest version of the drivers. Re-install the software and printer drivers as if you had just purchased and installed it. In most cases, this should get the printing device back to working properly.
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Check the printer's IP address.
If you assigned a static IP address to the printer and then replaced the network modem / router, the new modem / router may not be configured correctly to detect the printer. In this case, remove the static IP address of the printer and let the modem / router's DHCP server handle the automatic address assignment within the LAN. Once you have a valid IP address, you can statically assign it to the printer.
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Buy a new router.
One of the main causes of problems that can occur when using a wireless network printer is the use of an older router or a modem that also acts as a router. During the printing phase, a large amount of data is sent to the printer very quickly; this could undermine a low-performance router. If the router running your Wi-Fi network is over 2-3 years old and you are using the modem / router your ISP provided to you, you might want to buy a new one.
