How to make a network printer via Wi-Fi (Windows 7-8)? How to make a network printer local?

An actual problem for all home users is still the connection of the printer to the home network and its operation. The same question is asked by the owners of printers: "How to make a network printer via WiFi?" Neither the manufacturer nor the vendor are in a hurry to share useful information with customers, because they are interested in acquiring expensive equipment for networking. This is fundamentally the wrong approach for the 21st century. In this article, we consider all possible options for connecting the printer in the home, which not only organize, but also facilitate the work and leisure of the user.

It is necessary to understand what is at stake

To make it easier to navigate in the settings, you need to understand the existing interfaces of the printer - what they are, what they look like and what they need.

1. Wired USB port. A high-speed bus allows you to connect the printer directly to the device. By default it's a computer, a laptop and a router. The interface cable is unique - on one side is a rectangular connector for connecting to a PC, on the other hand - a trapezoidal port for connecting to a printer. It is the owners of USB devices that are primarily interested in how to make a network printer to print not only from a computer, but also from other mobile devices.
2. Ethernet network port. It is only present in expensive devices and is designed to connect the printer to a network hub. This technology meets the printing needs of all owners of such devices.
3. Wireless technology Wi-Fi. Most modern printers are equipped with such a module, but full performance is not always possible. After all, for printing, you need proprietary software that does not always work on smartphones and tablets.

Friendship with the router

It is necessary to figure out how to make a USB printer network. The presence of a USB port on a network router without a built-in Print Server module will not give a positive connection result. Therefore, it is recommended that you first read the instructions supplied with the network equipment and make sure that you can connect the printer, right up to the model. And if there is an opportunity, you can safely perform the following actions:

1. Connect the printer and the router to power.
2. After connecting the printer to the USB connector of the router, you need to make sure that it "made friends" with the device. To do this, open the web interface of the network device in the browser. The address of the router, login and password can be found in the instructions, but if the wireless point was set up by the provider, then all the issues with connecting the printer directly depend on the person who made the settings of the router.
3. After authorization, the name of the connected printer should appear in the Print Server section.

Correct setting of USB connection with the router

1. On the personal computer, go to the control panel and select the "Devices and printers" tab. Further all under algorithm: «to Add the local printer» - «to Create new port Standart TCP / IP».
2. After clicking the "Next" button it is necessary to enter the IP address of the router (by default 192.168.1.1) and it is necessary to uncheck the box "Select the driver automatically".
3. After finding the printer, you need to select the type of the device "Generic Network Card" and click "Next".
4. The driver is installed manually from the disk using the menu of the same name.
5. Repeatedly going to "Devices and printers", you need to select "Printer Properties" by clicking the alternative mouse button on the newly installed device. Go to the "Ports" tab, you need to go to the settings, set the LPR protocol and specify a name.

After studying a simple description of how to make a network printer by connecting it to a router, the user will not have much trouble making all the settings himself. It will not be superfluous to open the instruction to the router and to familiarize with it in detail - very often the manufacturer offers own algorithm of connection of the printer on USB.

Troubleshoot Wi-Fi problems

Office equipment recently equipped with a Wi-Fi module, offering the user quickly and easily make the printer network. Windows 8, 10, as well as later versions of Android, installed on smartphones and tablets, may not always work correctly with the printer over the wireless network. The problem lies in the compatibility of the software with the operating system. Very often, users in the post-Soviet space generally do not have the opportunity to fully use printing on Wi-Fi, the module of which is built into the printer.

In such cases, there are two solutions:

1. Connect the printer to the router via USB using the previously described instructions.
2. Connect the printer wirelessly through the WPS. Naturally, the router must have a Print Server, support the existing printer model and a fast WPS connection must be tied to the print server.

Wired network - a way out of a difficult situation

If you can not connect the printer to the wireless network using the above methods because of the lack of technical support for the equipment, you should not get frustrated. There is a very easy way to make a standard printer network over a wired interface. The user for the connection needs to purchase a device called Print Server, which can be found in any computer store at a price of 200-300 rubles apiece.

In most cases, a certified print server has factory settings, which the manufacturer indicates in the instructions or on a sticker located on the body of the device. It is enough to connect the printer via USB to the print server, which in turn is connected to the router hub by an Ethernet cable.

The network address of the printer can be found in the settings of the router or you can find out special software from the PC. Next, the usual installation of the printing device is performed according to the instructions described above.

Expensive solution

Many users who are wondering how to make a network printer from a local printer do not stop the price of the issue, so a wireless print server designed for these purposes should not be released from view. Only price can be confusing - it is higher than most decent routers with great capabilities. Give for a miracle device will have from 4000 to 8000 rubles. Configuring a wireless Print Server device is no different from a wired print server. All information on fine tuning is found in the instruction manual for the network equipment.

The main feature that attracts the buyer to such a device is the support of mobile technology from Apple. It is for this reason that many manufacturers of wireless printers and routers forget about this brand for some reason. Therefore, for owners of iPhone, MacBook and iPad, buying a wireless print server will be the only solution to the problem associated with printing on the printer.

Sharing the printer

The simplest, but no less effective way to solve the problem of how to make a printer networked is to share the local computer. The algorithm is fairly simple and even the schoolboy can master it.

1. When you go to the properties of the printer installed in the Windows system, go to the "Access" tab and check the boxes next to the "Sharing" and "Drawing jobs" fields.
2. Go to the properties of the system and go to the tab "Computer name" make sure that the "Workgroup" is registered the same for all computers in the local network.
3. To make the printer networked, Windows 7, 8 and 10 require additional network adapter settings . To do this, go to the "Network Management Center" and change the additional public settings by checking the boxes next to all the fields that begin with the word "Enable".
4. Encryption is recommended to install 128-bit, and password protection to disable.

Remote connection to an available printer

Having completed the first step in solving the problem of how to make the printer networked, you can start connecting the public device to the rest of the computers on the local network. There are only two options - they are different, but they have the same result. The first option is described above, because for the settings there is not much difference what type of connection is used - the main thing is to know the IP address of the printer.

But the second way will suit people who are looking for easy ways. In fact, this is an instruction on how to make a network printer local. Go to the "Network connections", which can be found in the control panel, you must select the "Network Neighborhood" item. An alternative is to launch the "Network Neighborhood" shortcut from the desktop, if the user did not delete it earlier as unnecessary. Here you need to display the computers that are part of the working group - there is a corresponding button for this. Once you find the computer you need, go to it. In the list of available resources, the printer will also be displayed. If you double-click the device name and agree to all warnings, the printer can be easily connected.

Finally

Asking the question "how to make a network printer", the user can always find any solution he needs. After all, the options can not be considered - there would be money and desire. However, many for some reason forget about security when using an unprotected Wi-Fi communication channel. The printer will be visible to all users within the range of the wireless router. Judging by the numerous reviews of IT professionals, it is not recommended to share the computer over a wireless network, because the safety of personal information is always above any amenities.