Printer Networking - Mac + old PC?

[RadDave]

Hello All - I left the quoted post below in another Mac forum but no easy answers were offered; after searching I found the information in the second quote (HERE) - I'm coming to the conclusion that it would be simpler for me to just give the old printers away (already have a new Ink Jet Canon), and just buy a new B&W laser w/ built-in networking - BUT, any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks - Dave

Hi All - in the spring we transitioned to Apple computers (new iMac + MBP running the most recent Mtn Lion software) - bought a new Canon MX922 printer which is attached to the iMac via USB - w/ AirPrint we can print from our iPads & my MBP.

Moved my old Dell XP desktop to the back room - added a Wi-Fi adapter which works well w/ my router (AirPort Extreme) - also have 2 old printers (Brother HL-2270DW laser & Canon MP830) attached via USB to the old computer.

PROBLEM - I'm trying to get these old printers to work over my Wi-Fi network, so that I can print from our iPads, iMac, & the MBP to the old printers - I can 'see' them on my devices/computers BUT both are located @ FingerPrint@'My Location', i.e. to print in the past from my old XP computer & non-AirPrint printer, I had an app (FingerPrint on the Dell) which mimicked AirPrint - I cannot seem to reassigned these printers to my Wi-Fi network - comments & advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks - Dave

If you’re on a Mac and you need to print to an older printer connected to a Windows XP PC, well, you’re in for a bundle of joy to get it working. It’s not the simplest process in the world, here’s the gist of it:

You’ll need to make sure the Windows XP PC works fine with the printer
Again on the Windows XP machine, you’ll need to install some software that emulates a postscript printer and allows redirection of printer ports
You’ll then need to setup an emulated postscript printer in Windows XP that prints to the real printer attached to the PC
Next you must setup a UNIX LPR Printer Service on top of Windows XP that points to the emulated post script printer
Finally, in Mac OS X you setup a new LPR over IP printer and point it the Windows XP PC

 

[MisterMe]

Clearly, the best option is to buy a networkable printer and connect it directly to your network. For printers connected to Windows computers, your the Finder Help menu on your Mac seems to explain what you need to do easily enough. AFAIK, you don't have add anything to your Windows XP computer. Using your Windows XP as a print server is a built-in feature.

 

[gsahli]

...AFAIK, you don't have add anything to your Windows XP computer. Using your Windows XP as a print server is a built-in feature...

Unfortunately, the answer is both... the problem is in the drivers made for Macs.
Take the MP830. Since it is a USB-only printer, Canon has made a USB-only driver for it for the Mac. The Canon Mac driver can't talk to a printer on Windows. or connected to a generic dumb print server device, either.
And it can only share a MP830 connected to another Mac because of Apple-provided server software - Bonjour.
For the MP830, you have to go the route of making the PC a postscript interpreter as described above.

 

[RadDave]

Thanks for your responses - now, I have a new Canon Ink Jet working w/ the iMac w/o a problem, so could easily 'give away' the older Canon printer, but would like a B&W laser for high output (not needing color) - seems like my best option is just a new laser w/ better networking on my home system; plus, I may soon get rid of the old XP PC, so another issue? Thanks again - Dave

 

[gsahli]

having just looked at the specs, I don't see any reason that you can't use the Brother via wifi, which doesn't require the windows PC at all.

Have you tried adding the Brother in Print & Scan prefs?

 

[RadDave]

having just looked at the specs, I don't see any reason that you can't use the Brother via wifi, which doesn't require the windows PC at all.

Have you tried adding the Brother in Print & Scan prefs?

Hi Gashli - I knew there was a Wi-Fi option w/ the older Brother printer but seemed rather complicated - thought that a 'newer' model would be much easier to setup; BUT, I plan to re-visit the Brother website to see 'what' my options may be to use this printer w/ my current network.

When I go to the Print & Scan in Preferences, I can see both the older Canon & the Brother laser - both are stated to be paused and located @ FingerPrint (at my network) - the latter is a software app on the old Dell PC that permits me to print from our iPads wirelessly (and this works) but I'm wanting to print from our OS X computers - not sure what to do w/ this setup at the moment?

Thanks for the advice and I'm about to look into setting up the old Brother on my network - Dave

 

[RadDave]

Well, I may be talking to myself w/ this issue, but spent a couple of hours on the Brother website trying out their MULTI-page suggestions for setting up 'some type' of communication of this printer - I gave UP!

THERE must be an easy way to have a wireless-capable printer connect to a defined home network immediately - I'm assuming that the more recent printers are easier to achieve this interchange?

Any suggestions for recently released printers that can easily attach to a Mac-based home Wi-Fi network w/o any multi-page steps or complications - is this too hard to ask from these manufacturers these days? Thanks - Dave

 

[gsahli]

Dave, sorry,
What I read in the setup manual is not bad - but I don't have one of those to try.
I see they give you several options for setup. Choose one and do that one only. I'd use the steps with USB cable temporarily connected.

 

[takeshi74]

I've never had problems using a LaserJet with a JetDirect. Using both Macs and PC's. The LJ 2300 I currently have is a very old printer. For AirPrint support I added a xPrintServer.