Nothing is more monotonous for a printer user than connecting printers to laptops or computers via USB cables while printing documents. So, newbies or professionals often search for how to make any printer wireless.
If you are one of them, don’t worry. This is the right place for you as this in-depth article will cover six feasible ways to make a wired printer wireless. So, let’s make a move.
Connect the Printer to Router through USB or Ethernet
You can establish a direct and secure connection between the computer/laptop and printer via a wireless router. Amused?
USB or Ethernet cables make this possible. This process is very popular due to its simplicity.
If you plug a USB or Ethernet cable into the router and the printer’s empty USB or Ethernet port, you can find your printer on your device screen as a shared device. Then, it will be effortless for you to print documents.
It is highly recommended not to plug a USB cable into an Ethernet port or vice versa. Check this article on “How to Connect Canon Printer to Laptop without USB Cable”.
Pros
- Easy setup
- Supportive of domestic printers
Cons
- Comparatively time-consuming printing
- Not supportive of smart devices
Ethernet to WiFi Adapter for Printer
- First, connect two ends of the Ethernet cable to your printer and WiFi router.
- Then, go to the Router’s control panel.
- Select your printer name in the “Sharing” or “Ad-hoc Network” section.
- Next, click on “Share” and connect the router’s Ad-hoc network wirelessly.
- Further, visit the “Network and Internet: section of the control panel of your PC or laptop and click on the router’s Ad-hoc network.
- After that, you can find your printer listed as a shared device of your laptop or computer.
- Then, select the printer and start printing wirelessly.
Pros
- Moderate cost
- Support almost all printer
Cons
- Little bit complicated
Use a Dedicated Wireless Print Server
This method is suitable for making an older printer that doesn’t come with an Ethernet plug or wireless. A print server is connected to the printer and router through a USB drive and Ethernet.
A dedicated server performs all printing functions properly and sends them to the printer. If you have a budget issue or your router doesn’t have USB ports, you can definitely rely on this process.
Here, you must seriously check the following issues before making a decision-
- Are the printer model and printer server compatible with each other?
- Are you using Ethernet cables while pairing the server to the router?
- Is the required software installed on your PC?
If you are satisfied with these queries, just follow the proceedings.
If you intend to dig into print servers deeper, check this article- “Print Server Vs Shared Printer | Which One Is Better?”
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Compatible with routers that lack USB ports
- No need to always keep the shared printer option on
Cons
- Not compatible with tablets, smartphones
Use a Host Computer on Windows or Mac
This method is effective when many users with different computers or laptops try to use one printer. Here, a PC is used as a host in the network, and the printer is sharable to other devices connected to the network.
You just visit the control panel and enable the printer sharing option in the “Network and Internet” section.
You must go to the “System Preferences” option for Mac devices.
Pros
- Economical
- No extra equipment
- Effective for small offices and household printers
Cons
- Not workable when the host computer remains offline.
How to make a USB Printer Wireless without Router
Just incorporate a wireless adapter into your printing mechanism.
Arguably, this is the most convenient way to make a printer wireless. In this case, you just need to set a wireless adapter behind your printer, and it handles the rest of the job.
That means this adapter connects the printer to the device you intend to print documents wirelessly. So, you can print from remote places, for example, different rooms or floors, depending on the adapter range.
Adapter selection is a critical task in this case. Some renowned companies manufacture wireless adapters like Linksys, Star-tech, TP-Link, IOGEAR, Belkin, etc. If you need to deal with multiple printers, you must choose Linksys adapters because of their compatibility with different printer types.
Pros
- Simple processing
- Good for USB printers
Cons
- Comparatively expensive
- Incompatible with tablets or smart
Using PaperCut Mobility Print App
Being a cloud printing option, PaperCut Mobility Print allows you to print wirelessly from your smartphones, laptops, or PCs. The proceedings include the following-
- Download and install the PaperCut Mobility setup file on your device (Smartphone/laptop/computer) connected to a USB printer.
- After setting the ID and password, select your printer name listed as a shared device.
- Click on “Tap here and check the mobility Print Service is on”.
- Select mobility print.
- Then, you can see your printer name there.
- Start printing.
Pros
- Compatible with smart devices
- Fast printing
- Secured alternative to Google Cloud Print
Cons
- Limited range
- Not so impressive in high-volume printing
Many professionals and newcomers need help thinking about how to make any printer wireless. This article must be helpful for you to upgrade your printing. That’s all for today.
Happy printing.
