Sorry if this has been asked before, but I searched and couldn't find an answer. Is it possible to print from a non-WiFi Mac Pro to a WiFi printer? The Mac Pro is connected to a WiFi router via Ethernet, whereas the printer is connected to the same router via WiFi.
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Printing from non-WiFi Mac Pro to a WiFi printer?
- Thread starter PeterHolbrook
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Depends on how your router does it, if it has a printer server option in its firmware then you need to turn that on for other devices on the network to share it.
When the printer is connected via WiFi, it doesn't matter what printer options the router may or may not have.
Ift sounds like you already have the printer so it wouldn't hurt to try. Yes, you should be able to print to it as long as there is a printer driver for it for the version of OS X you are running.
Most certainly does mine has specific option if you don't turn on the printer sharing you don't get printer shared that simple...
That's if the printer is connected to the WiFi base with a USB cable. For a WiFi printer (or a printer connected via an ethernet cable) the WiFi router settings for printer sharing do not matter and it was stated that the printer was connected via WiFi.
I have the opposite setup, my printer is connected to my router through Ethernet and I have my MBP on WiFi, works just fine.
As noted by others, printer options in the router firmware usually relate only to printers connected using USB If it's connected using IP protocols (Ethernet and WiFi) it should be discoverable by any network-attached device that can install a printer.
As noted by others, printer options in the router firmware usually relate only to printers connected using USB If it's connected using IP protocols (Ethernet and WiFi) it should be discoverable by any network-attached device that can install a printer.
it should work right off the bat.
if it doesn't, look at your router settings for something called "wireless association" or similar.
that setting is a security feature, since a lot of times in a public place, like a coffee shop or hotel, you don't want the wireless devices to be able to talk to each other since they most likely belong to people who don't know each other.
and as bear has said, ignore the part about printer sharing, it doesn't apply here as it's a wifi printer.
if it doesn't, look at your router settings for something called "wireless association" or similar.
that setting is a security feature, since a lot of times in a public place, like a coffee shop or hotel, you don't want the wireless devices to be able to talk to each other since they most likely belong to people who don't know each other.
and as bear has said, ignore the part about printer sharing, it doesn't apply here as it's a wifi printer.
Yes, absolutely. The consideration here is that they are both connected to the SAME network, not how they are connected. Make sure both computer and printer are powered on and connected to the network. Then go into System Prefs>Printers & Scanners>click the + sign in the lower left corner and hopefully you see your printer name show up so you can add it for printing.
Thanks to all that have answered. I do, indeed, have the printer. Curiously enough, there are other Macs at home (a MacBook Pro and a couple of iMacs, all of them with WiFi, naturally). There's no problem for all those Macs to "see" the WiFi printer. Unfortunately, doing exactly the same thing on my Mac Pro 1,1 (with no WiFi), the computer won't "see" the printer, unless a USB cable connects both. As soon as I unplug the cable, the printer appears as "disconnected" or something like that. Naturally, for me to add the printer in the first place, it was necessary to use the USB cable, otherwise the printer would be in Limbo and it would appear anywhere. The Mac Pro is connected via Ethernet to the same WiFi router that provides the entire home connectivity (for all the Macs, an HP laptop, a couple of iPads, a couple of iPhones, an iPod and an AppleTV, in addition to three old PPC Macs). As I say, the Mac Pro will simply not "see" the printer. If anyone can think of a reason why, or which specific steps I should take to make it see the WiFi printer, that would be great.
EDIT: My router is a regular WiFi router, not an AirPort Base.
EDIT: My router is a regular WiFi router, not an AirPort Base.
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What are the make and model of the printer? How did you set up the printer on the other machines? It really should be the same regardless of WiFi versus ethernet as long as they're on the same network. Your access point doesn't separate the two, does it?
It's a Brother HL-3150CDW. The procedure followed on the iMacs and the MacBook Pro, after installing the Brother-provided driver, simply involved adding the printer. OS X Mavericks just (wirelessly) "saw" the printer. I added it and, voilà, it worked. On the Mac Pro (also running a Chameleon-booted Mavericks), the same procedure doesn't work, because the Mac Pro doesn't "see" the printer, unless it is physically connected via an USB cable. As far as I know, the router doesn't impede the communication between Ethernet-connected machines and wirelessly connected ones. I even use AirDrop on my unsupported machine, so that my Mac Pro can send and receive files to/from wirelessly connected iMacs, etc. The only thing I can think of as to what the difficulty might be is the fact that the Mac Pro has no WiFi interface, meaning it won't see a WiFi printer wirelessly connected to the same router, but I might be wrong.
you should be able to print to it as long as there is a printer driver for it for the version of OS X you are running.
Add the printer as an IP printer using the printer's local IP address.
If you do it this way, it would probably be best to first set a static IP on the printer in its network configuration. Choose an IP that the router won't try to assign to another device (for example: last number in IP = 100).
If you do it this way, it would probably be best to first set a static IP on the printer in its network configuration. Choose an IP that the router won't try to assign to another device (for example: last number in IP = 100).
So you set the printer up as locally connected, and then disconnected the USB cable?
Did you then re set the printer up on the Mac Pro as a network printer?
The computer handles local and network printers a bit depifferently so you'll have to set it up as a network printer before you can use it.
How exactly do I do that. Unless it's connected via USB or through an explicit, unchangeable IP, the Mac Pro won't see the printer, so I have no chance to say it's a "network printer". As a matter of fact, I can't even "select" it to do anything with it: it simply is not there. A roundabout method to use it "wirelessly" would be for one of the iMacs to share the printer. Then I would probably be able to use it an a printer being shared by some else.
Did you try adding the printer via IP? (System Preferences>Printers & Scanners>"+">Add Printer or Scanner>IP, then enter the IP) http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14420