How to Network a Wireless Printer

Today we’ll go over the steps needed to setup and use a printer on your wireless network.

Install Printer Drivers

Regardless of whether you’re using a Mac or a PC, you’ll need to install the printer’s drivers before you can do anything else. Consult your printer’s manual for how to do this, although this usually just means popping in the supplied DVD and following the instructions.
Depending on your model, these instructions may also have their own procedure for setting up the printer on your network. Whether they do or not, we’ll go over how to manually connect your printer on both platforms.

Printing Equipment

You’ll need the following basic components before you can start: a wireless enabled printer, an 802.11 compliant wireless router, and a connection from your computer to your wireless router. Your connection from your computer to your wireless router can be through either your Ethernet cable or wireless card.

Connecting Wirelessly Using Windows

If you’re using a Windows machine, first head over to start, then open the “Control Panel”. Under the “Hardware and Sound” tab, click on “Printer”.
On the top menu pane, click “Add a Printer,” then select “Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer.” Windows will now automatically search for your wireless printer’s signal.
Once your printer model shows up, simply click to add it and you’re all set. Next time you print anything this printer should show up as one of your printing options.

Connecting Wirelessly on a Mac

Manually connecting your printer to your Mac machine is equally painless. After following the steps outlined above, simply head over to your Mac Icon and head down to “System Preferences.”
Under the “Hardware” heading, click on “Print and Fax”, then click the “+” sign on the left.
Finally, click on the “IP” tab at the top to bring up another window and click change the top tab to “Internet Printing Protocol”. On the Address line enter in your printer’s IP address; underneath enter the printer’s name on the Queue line, or just leave it blank.

Locating Your IP Address

If you're not sure about your IP address, you can print out a printer configuration page that will display its network settings, and other useful specifics. This is done by accessing this option on your printer's menu on the front plate. See your printer's manual for details on this.

Your configuration page should look something like this...or this.

Click “Add” at the bottom and your Mac will find and connect to your wireless printer.

Printer software can be a bit shaky, so keep your manual on hand in case any step goes awry. If you’re still unable to connect your printer properly, contact your manufacturer for customer support.