How to Connect a Printer to WiFi?

by Anthony Clark

Since you're here, let's start with a History Lesson: Before we begin to understand how to connect a printer to WiFi and print. Let's dig into how and since when Printers have been around. Printers have not been a foreign concept, first made in China.

How to Connect a Printer to WiFi?

How to Connect a Printer to WiFi?
How to Connect a Printer to WiFi?

They further helped in the development of society in the 15th century in Europe. They were not high speed until 1953. Old printers were called line printers which were much similar to the typewriters. The Gutenberg Press was the first to become a commercially printing press.

That meant the flow of ideas and information throughout the region became easier. By now you must be interested to know how we developed the printers that we now use at our homes. But before that let us understand what are wireless printers

What are wireless printers:

  • Wireless printers, as the name itself shows, these are printers without any cords and wires.
  • There's no need to be connected to the network system.
  • The connection of these printers is via WiFi. They are commonly known as Wi-Fi printers too.
  • The modern generation connected wirelessly has its wireless methods of printing papers and images.
  • It decreases the clutter, space and looks neat.
  • Since the printer is connected via WiFi, any computer, smartphone, and tablet connected to that WiFi network can send a command to the printer.
  • The command can be sent through WiFi or Bluetooth, and these WiFi printers can perform these by themselves.

Development in printers:

Before Johannes Gutenberg, there were two time-consuming methods of printing. Block printing or hiring a Scribe. Block printing uses wood. Every page that needs a copy has to have its block. Scribing, on the other hand, was too expensive and time-consuming.

Around 1938, xerography, a method that utilized ink and an electromagnetic metal plate, was developed. It remained under development for 20 years and came into the market in 1961 as Xerox Corporation.

Later in the 1980s, laser technology used with xerographic copiers and HP laser jet printers were released for consumer use. Later came the inkjet printers. Printing science was present all along but not fully developed until the 1980s. The creation of inkjet printers is known to be a collaboration between Canon, Hewlett-Packard, and Epson. Then came the 3D printers in 1984 ALL in one printers in the 90s and wireless printers by 1993.

Simple Steps to connect your printer to the Wi-Fi and your devices:

As life has become convenient, things are just a click away. Times have changed, and no one needs those long cords running all over their desks to connect printers with the computer.

Present-day printers are all coming with the ability to be connected via Bluetooth or WiFi. Unlike the regular printers, you can take your prints from anywhere the Wi-Fi connectivity is available.

That is the reason wireless printers have a higher selling rate. If you have missed the steps to set up your printer and need to learn how to do it. It's tricky for some of you to connect Wi-Fi to the printer. Keep reading as we have written some simple ways you can set up your home or office printer all on your own You can switch to your new printer by using the following steps:

Connecting Printer and Wi-Fi:

To be able to print with your Wi-Fi printer, you need to connect to the WiFi network. It is a different method as compared to connecting your phone devices. That will help your device to communicate with the printer.

The user manual that comes with the printer may look hard. Each company may have a different way of connecting. However, the following method is a general method that may apply to every printer.

Let's start with the basics: Turn on the computer and printer. Make sure your computer's WiFi is connected. If it is not, connect that first.

The Second Step would be deciding such a place where your printer would not lose connection. The printer needs to be within the WiFi router range.

Lastly, check if your printer comes with an application. Install the app on your smartphone or Pc. The application makes it easier to connect to a wireless network. Each printer will have a different way of connecting to the WiFi, you can use the printer's touchpad as well. You will need the network key and password to connect your printer.

Connect your devices to the printer in a few easy steps

It is necessary to connect devices such as tablets, Pc, mobile phones to the wireless printer.

Each device has a different way to connect. We have mentioned All of them below.

Computers and Laptops with WINDOWS 10

  • Once you have made sure your printer is on and connected to a WiFi.
  • On your screen, choose the windows icon. Write printer on the search bar.
  • Now, from the results, select the option of Printers and Scanners.
  • The screen will pop and show an Add a printer or scanner option.
  • Click that option and choose the desired printer visible on the screen and click Add device.

Computers and Laptops with Windows 8

  • First press on windows key and R together on which pops a dialogue bar known as RUN
  • Search the Control panel and press the enter button
  • Now the control panel will display the number of icons choose the Devices and Printers option.
  • You will find Add a Printer option. Click on it.
  • Select the desired printer that you need to connect from the list of printers displayed and click Next.
  • Instructions will be on-screen on how to complete the "Add Printer" option. Follow those steps and, you can add your printer.

Apple Laptop MAC version 1 &2

  • On your PC click on the Apple icon and select the system preferences option.
  • Select the printers and Scanners by clicking on it
  • Here press the plus button (+) on your keyboard
  • The new window will open fill in the necessary information. by clicking on the IP icon at the top
  • Your last step would be to click on the Add icon and Add the printer.

SmartPhone (Android)

  • Here, you'll open phone settings and type printing
  • Step 2. Tap the printing option
  • Step 3 turn on the Default print services
  • Step 4 Select the printer which is available on the same network.

Tip: You can even add a service that will show you a brand that you can download.

Smartphone ( Apple)

  • iPhones and iPads have AirPrint that you can use to add the printer.
  • Tap on Add the Printer option.
  • Both your iPhone/ iPad and printer need to be on the same network.

Tip: You can even install the printers' application to connect it to your printer and phone to send the command of wireless printing

How to wirelessly print a page?

Finally, both the printers and then the devices are connected. The next step is to check if everything is connected and working. For that, you need to print a test page.

The following steps will help you to check your device and printer connectivity.

  • Step no 1: On your device, PC, laptop, iPhone, or any other smartphone. Open a file word or pdf with text or image that you need to test.
  • Step no 2: Press Ctrl P or tap on the print option.
  • Step no 3: Select your connected printer and press print on your Pc and laptop.
  • On your phone select, Airprinter or any desired printer. Tap print.

Your page will print in a few seconds.

Tip: If the printer doesn't print, you can restart the printer. Make sure your WiFi is connected if you're looking for a printer here are few companies that you should know about.


Companies that produce wireless printers:

Some Wireless printers can be easy to use via laptop, while some may be easier to use on mobile phones. Most printers may have an app that makes it easier to use via smartphone. Here is a list of a few printers that are user-friendly and widely used. HP, Canon, Richo, Xerox, and Brother are a few notable names.

How Wireless connection has influenced everything and made life easier:

The connectivity has become wireless, and this has influenced the generation in many ways. Wireless printing is one of its gifts. Although, printing itself had influenced global development and geared up the connectivity through the printing press, books, and quick access to information.

The WiFi printers have many advantages themselves.

  • Such as multiple users can use a single printer together.
  • If the files are present online, you can print directly, no need to download the document.
  • It helps to reduce the cost as one printer can be enough for many users.
  • Mobility is a plus factor as a command to the printer can be sent from anywhere.
  • It is user-friendly as it is used on most devices.

With this article, we have tried to make it easier to understand how to connect these printers with WiFi and other devices.

In printing, wireless printers have changed the game. They have made lives effortless. With the increasing benefits of connectivity over Wi-Fi, printing has become cost-effective. Hopefully, you are saying bye to old traditional printers and switching to the new ones.

About Anthony Clark

Anthony Clark always had a passion for digital drawing and printing ever since he was young. He would wander around his parents' house in Phoenix, Arizona drawing various things with his older digital tablet. Be it just a memory collection or a portrayal of anything: objects, parents, school, events, etc. He received his BA in Graphic Design at San Jose State University - the heart of Silicon Valley. Now Mr. Clark is excited to present his experience coupled with some colorful dips to help shape the future of printing.

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