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If you have multiple computers in your house and only one printer, you know how much of a hassle it can be to print from those computers especially if your printer is not wireless. Well, in this video I'll show you how you can take your ordinary wired printer and make it wireless in just a few minutes! The video includes instructions for both PC and Mac users. Enjoy!
Video Script:
In
this video I’ll be showing you guys how to make your wired printer wireless, so
let’s get started!
Now before I begin the process
let me explain how all of this works. To do this we’ll be creating what’s
called a print server. A print server is any computer that’s connected to a
printer. This computer acts as the hub for all of your print jobs. So when you
want to print from other computers, they send a signal to the print server,
which then tells the printer to print Your print server needs to be running
either Windows or OSX and it will need to be powered on in order to print. Now that we have everything out of the way, let’s
start with the actual process.
If you’re using a windows
machine as the server here is what u need to do to get everything setup. I’ll
be doing this on Windows 7, but the process on Windows Vista and Windows XP is
almost identical. First, head to the start menu and click on devices and
printers. Next, right click the printer you want to print from and select
printer properties. On the top of the window, click the sharing tab and check
the box next to share this printer and if you want, you can give your printer a
name. Now simply press ok. Your printer is now being shared across your network
and is wirelessly accessible to other computers.
Now to wirelessly print from
other computers here is what u need to do. To print from another Windows
machine, go to devices and printers and on the top of the window, click the “Add
a printer” button which will open the printer wizard. Chose add a network,
wireless or Bluetooth printer. Windows will now search for any wireless
printers on your network. Once it finds your printer, select it, and press next.
It’ll take a few seconds to install your printer and after that you’re done!
You should now be able to wirelessly print from this Windows machine.
If you want to print wirelessly
from a mac using windows as the server these are the steps you need to follow.
First on your print server, head to the control panel, click programs, and then
click on turn windows features on or off. Once the windows features window has loaded
go to the print and document services heading and check LPD Print Service, and
press ok. You also need to change the name of your printer to a one word name,
which can be done by going in the sharing tab of your printer’s properties as
we did previously.
Now switch to the mac you want
to print from and click on the apple logo on the top left, to access system
preferences and click on the print and fax. Once inside the print and fax windows, press
the + button to add a new printer. Right click anywhere beside the search box
and click customize toolbar. From here, drag the advanced button to your
toolbar, then exit out of the customize toolbar window. Now click on the
advanced button from your toolbar and from here we can start adding our
printer.
From the “type field” chose LPD.
In the device URL fill in the respective information using this as a guide: lpd://PCName/PrinterShareName.
For your printer driver, you can try using the generic driver but most printers
won’t work until you install their own driver. You can also to see if OSX
already has a driver for your printer preinstalled by clicking on select a driver
to use and then use the search box to search for your printer’s model. If this
doesn’t work either, head to the manufacturers website and download the mac
drivers. Once installed you’ll be able to choose the drivers for your printer
from the list which should make the printer work. Finally, restart your mac, and
after the restart, you should be able to print wirelessly from your mac.
If you’re using a Mac as your print server, here
is what u need to do. First, just make sure that the printer is connected to
your mac and the drivers are installed and working. Next, you need to enable
print sharing for your printer. Once that is done, the setup is complete.
To print from another mac, head to the print and
fax menu, press add a printer, find your printer and add it.
If you want to print from a Windows 7 or Vista
machine here is what u need to do. First we have to make sure both the mac and
windows machine are under the same workgroup. By default all Windows machines
are under the workgroup name “WORKGROUP”. To make sure your mac is also on
“WORKGROUP” head to system preferences and click the network icon. Select edit
locations from the location dropdown menu and select your active location from
the list. Usually this is called Automatic. Now click the advanced button and select
the WINS tab and in the workgroup field, enter your workgroup name. Your mac
will now lose its network connection and in a few seconds will reestablish its
connection with the new workgroup.
Now that both the mac and windows machines are on
the same WORKGROUP, we need to enable print sharing on your mac. Now the only
thing left to do is to go on your windows machine and add the printer. So head
to the start menu and chose devices and printers. Click add a printer, chose
“Add a network wireless or Bluetooth printer”. Chose your printer from the list
and press next. Once the drivers are installed press finish installation and
now you should be able to wirelessly print from your machine.
