Wireless printing question...can be done with wired printer?

[Hcm17]

I have a canon pixma 500 printer ...I think it is that....and I also have Print N Share on my iPad. Can I print files on that printer using print n share? There is a desktop attached to that printer. Does it need to be turned on for this printing to take place ...assuming it can print from the iPad.

Thank you very much people!

 

[Thehamguy1]

I have a USB printer connected to an iMac, and use print n share to print to it when the iMac is on. You need to download and install a small free app on the desktop (there are both Mac and Windows versions) to handle the pass-thru to the printer. It works great! The print n share app will tell you where to download the desktop app - from the developer's website. It saved me from having to upgrade to a wireless printer.

 

[Hcm17]

So, it sounds like the difference between a real wireless printer and the regular computer with the correct app downloaded to the attached computer is that the wired computer has to be on in order for it to print, while the wireless printer is the only thing that needs to be on in order for it to work. I that right?

 

[iVan]

So, it sounds like the difference between a real wireless printer and the regular computer with the correct app downloaded to the attached computer is that the wired computer has to be on in order for it to print, while the wireless printer is the only thing that needs to be on in order for it to work. I that right?

Not quite, the router also needs to work even when you're using a wireless printer. For some reason Apple made it that you can't communicate with any wireless printer directly. It has to go through the wireless router first.

 

[Hcm17]

So, basically that means no Bluetooth...is that what you are saying? So, generally, wireless Internet access needs to be working. Right?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

So, basically that means no Bluetooth...is that what you are saying? So, generally, wireless Internet access needs to be working. Right?

You are right - the iPad does not support Bluetooth printing. WiFi printing only....

Tim
Scotland

 

[[email protected]]

Printing to wired non airport printer via xp computer from iPad -how do i do this?

I have an older iPad and want to print to my USB connected hp 5550 printer (to an xp computer). How do I do this?

Thanks in advance

Joe
Ringwood NJ USA

 

[DontUnderstandMyIpad]

You are right - the iPad does not support Bluetooth printing. WiFi printing only....

Tim
Scotland

AirPrint only works over wifi, but if one uses apps such as Print'n'Share, then printing over USB and Bluetooth is possible.

Edit: You have already mentioned this in the post below.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I have an older iPad and want to print to my USB connected hp 5550 printer (to an xp computer). How do I do this?

Thanks in advance

Joe
Ringwood NJ USA

As the previous poster suggested, Apple have their own proprietary printing protocol called 'AirPrint'. Only a few printers support it at present - HP is one of those that do and you can see if your model is on the list at the Apple web site

Apple - iPad - Print right from your iPad with AirPrint.

If it is there, then you can print directly under iOS 4.2 and 4.3 from apps that support in-app printing, such as Apple's iPad iWorks suite ('Pages', 'Numbers' and 'Keynote'). Not all apps support in-app printing, so you need to check out whether the app you're interested in does. For example, Apple's native iPad 'Calendar' app does not support in-app printing.

If your printer is not on the list then there are third-party apps that can help. Some printer manufacturers have released apps for PCs with their printers connected (i.e. Lexmark). On these models, an app on your PC or Mac 'pretends' to be an AirPrint printer and the app translates the AirPrint printing protocol into a form that the printer understands.

However, there are standalone apps for the iPad and 'Print N Share' is one of the best known. It can print directly from the iPad to a WiFi printer without any PC being involved. It does this by cleverly inserting itself into the printing menu of apps that support in-app printing and 'pretends' to be an AirPrint printer. It then, similar to the previous case, translates the AirPrint printing protocol to a form that your printer understands.

Most all WiFi equipped printers are supported by 'Print N Share' but even those few that are not are able to print via a PC using, again, a small (free) app that's available from the developers of 'Print N Share'. Once again, this app sits on your PC or Mac and links your iPad to the printer via your PC - meaning, too, that the printer can be WiFi, USB or even Bluetooth. The downside is that the PC has to be switched on.

One 'issue' that sometimes confounds users of 'Print N Share' is that this only works under iOS 4.2 or 4.3 - the iPad's 'multi-tasking' operating system (OS). 'Print N Share' needs to be loaded and running before you can print!! So, if you're going to be doing some printing, you need to first of all fire up 'Print N Share' and leave it running in the background. You can check whether it is running by double tapping the iPad's 'Home' button, to see the tasks that are 'loaded' in the 'Multi-task' menu bar. For various reasons, it's helpful if 'Print N Share' was loaded quite recently. If you haven't printed for a while, use the multi-task bar to 're-activate' it.

Hope this helps, but don't hesitate to post any more detailed questions that you might have.

Tim
Scotland