How to Install a Wireless Printer

Level of difficulty: Intermediate

With the growing popularity of wireless networks, many manufacturers are coming out with devices that support this technology either as a component of a wireless network environment or deployed as a wireless network client with its own IP address. The setting up of these wireless devices such as a wireless printer varies depending on the underlying Operating System installed in the host machine or on what is running the network environment where it will be hosted. Among the many OEMs in the computer industry, HP and Lexmark have become two of the popularly deployed primarily for being supported not only under the Microsoft Windows but under the Linux and Mac OS Operating System platforms as well. This guide assumes that the wireless network environment and the wireless adapter are already in place and are functional and the wireless printer will be deployed as an additional component of the existing computer system configuration.

Materials Needed:
- Computer with wireless adapter
- wireless network
- wireless printer
- device driver installation disc
- CD or DVD drive
- Operating System that supports wireless connection technology
Step 1
To configure the wireless printer for the Ubuntu-based system, proceed to Step 9. For computers running under the Mac OS, wireless printer configuration begins from Step 13. Microsoft Windows Operating System users can go to the next step.
Step 2
Under the Windows environment, the initial process is to install the printer by clicking on the 'Start' button and choosing the 'Control Panel' option.
Step 3
From the Control Panel window, select the 'Printers and Faxes' categories and click on the 'Add a printer' option from the Printer Tasks menu at the left side of the windows. Click on the 'Next' button.
Step 4
Take note that the 'Automatically detect' option is not checked prior to clicking again on the 'Next' button. Create a new port using the 'Standard TCP/IP Port' option and click on the 'Next' button.
Step 5
In the succeeding window, define the IP address that will be assigned to the wireless printer hardware to distinguish it from other clients connected to the network. Click on the 'Finish' button to complete the process. Reboot the machine.
Step 6
Upon completion of the reboot, the system may prompt the presence of a new hardware. Click on the 'Next' button and choose the 'Have Disk' option. Browse to the drive location where the installation disc is inserted and select the corresponding .inf file extension.
Step 7
Click on the 'Open' button followed by the 'OK' button. Select the name of the printing device from the options list and click on the 'Next' button twice. In case presented with the question of using an existing driver, opt to do so.
Step 8
Finish the installation process by attempting a test print.
Step 9
If you are using the Ubuntu Operating System, click on the 'System' option located on the upper left portion of the screen.
Step 10
Select the 'Administration' option and click on the 'Printing' category.
Step 11
Double click on the 'New printer' option to bring up the 'Add a Printer' page. If the device is not present in the list, click on the 'Forward' button.
Step 12
Under the 'Printer Driver' screen, locate the printer device from the list. Reboot the machine after completing this process. Go back and do Step 8.
Step 13
Computers using the Mac OS initially have to verify that the printing device is supported by the Airport router over a Mac wireless network.
Step 14
Check if the wireless network is enabled by opening the 'System Preferences' option. Click on the 'Network' button and choosing the 'Network Preferences' category.