Wireless Printing, Can I, Huh?

August 22, 2006 4:32 AM

Can I remotely connect to my printer?

I use a laptop at home via a WiFi. Is there any way I can print remotely, or do I always have to plug the printer into the laptop? My laptop is a MacBook, my desktop (where wifi station is connected) is a PC, if that matters.

Needless to say I'd need a basic step-by-step explanation on how to do this if it's possible. :) I can get around on computers OK, but when it comes to connecting hardware, networks and routers, my head implodes a little... thanks.

posted by miltoncat to technology (7 comments total)

What's your printer?

Is it an ethernet or a USB connection? Ethernet plugs into your network like anything else, USB you'll need either to connect to the PC and share it, or plug it into an Apple Airport Express or similar.
posted by bonaldi at 4:55 AM on August 22, 2006

On the Windows PC, go to the Printers section of control panel, right-click on the printer, and set up sharing. This should be fairly simple to do, there's probably a wizard (sorry, can't check, I'm on Linux, ain't these a wonderfully diverse internets?).

For the Mac side, read this guide here, it explains how to connect to a Windows-shared printer from a Mac.
posted by Jimbob at 5:03 AM on August 22, 2006

(Talking of linux, in the last 2 minutes I have just set up the exact same system on my Linux laptop and Windows PC-shared printer, so to answer part of your question, yes it is possible, assuming MacOS is all it's cracked up to be.)
posted by Jimbob at 5:07 AM on August 22, 2006

I got one of these ethernet-USB printer server adapters at Fry's for cheap. It plugs your printer into your router and then you can print to it from any computer on your network, wired or wireless. I have PCs, but it uses a standard protocol (no drivers were needed) so it should/could work with Macs. Theonly issue I have with it is that it's a bit slow and chokes on huge images. Normal docs print fine.
posted by GuyZero at 5:08 AM on August 22, 2006

Looking for wireless? How about the Linksys WPS54G. I'm thinking of getting one myself. Anyone have any experience with wi-fi print servers? (Repost. Damn European keyboards!)
posted by DefendBrooklyn at 6:37 AM on August 22, 2006

I have a Netgear wireless print server, works just fine, though adding a Mac as well as Windows PCs to it took a little doing.
posted by Orange Goblin at 10:43 AM on August 22, 2006

i have a pc laptop and i use this program:
http://www.networkmagic.com/product/
to wirelessly use the printer connected to my brother's desktop. i think you have to pay to get the printer sharing feature, but it made the whole process easy and painless.
posted by amethysts at 4:42 PM on August 22, 2006