How Can I Used My Printer Wirelessly?

Use your printer wirelessly.

While most homes and professional offices use printers that communicate with computers via a wired connection, it is possible to use a printer wirelessly. This creates a cleaner, simpler office setup, and in many cases the print spooling speed is comparable to that of a wired connection. If your printer has a USB port in the back, you can use it wirelessly via Bluetooth.

Things You'll Need

• Bluetooth adapter (get a Bluetooth printer-computer adapter set instead, if your computer isn't already Bluetooth enabled)

Instructions

1. Purchase a USB Bluetooth adapter that is compatible with your printer type. Check the back of the box or the manual on the manufacturer's website for a list of compatible printers for the adapter. Purchase a USB Bluetooth adapter set (which contains an adapter for both the printer and computer) for your computer if it isn't automatically configured with Bluetooth connectivity.

2. Insert the Bluetooth adapters into both devices and make sure that they're both powered on. Install the software for the Bluetooth adapters on your computer. Keep the newly installed software open on your computer. Click "Turn Discover On," or the similar setting in your software so that the devices will find each other wirelessly.

3. Wait for the two Bluetooth devices (computer and printer) to pair with each other. You'll receive a notification from the software program. Confirm the pairing and enter a new PIN number for the wireless connection when prompted.

4. Click the desktop's "Start" menu, "Control Panel," "Hardware and Sound" and under "Printers" select "Add a Printer." Choose the option to find a "Network Printer" or "Bluetooth Printer," click "Next" and allow the computer time to find the wireless printer.

5. Insert your printer's software disc and install the printer drivers to your computer when prompted by the Add a Printer wizard. Choose "Print a Test Page" when the installation is complete---the two Bluetooth devices will "talk" to each other so that the computer can transmit the page to your printer wirelessly.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also buy a print server to print wirelessly. This is a device that looks like a router. Just connect it directly to the printer via USB or parallel port. The wireless adapter on your computer or laptop will find the printer, using the same process as described for the Bluetooth option.

References

• Laptop Mag: Making Your Printer Wireless
• PC Today: About Bluetooth Adapters