How to configure a USB printer with a Wireless Router
You can convert any printer to a wireless printer if you have a wireless router that supports USB printing. Read this articles to learn how to configure a regular printer on a wireless router so that you can print anywhere from the WiFi network.
Many of the advanced routers come with capability to configure printers and other USB devices on it so that you can access them as network devices from anywhere in your network. For example, if you configure a printer with your WiFi router, you can print from any computer in your WiFi network.
In this article, I will talk about the steps involved in configuring a printer on a wireless router. In this example, I am referring to a Belkin N600 router and Canon LBP2900B laser printer. You can apply the steps mentioned here with any wireless router that supports USB devices.How does wireless printing work
The concept of wireless printing using a router is, you connect any normal printer using USB cable to a wireless router that supports wireless printing. Then configure your router to add the printer to the network USB devices so that it will be available to all computers in the network. Once you configure the printer with the router, the printer will be available to all computers in the wireless network. Each computer need to add the printer to their Printers using the standard "Add Printer" option in Windows. How to configure USB Printer with Belkin N600 wireless router
Follow the steps below to configure a printer with the Belkin N600 router. If you have another router, some steps may vary but the concept is the same.
1. Connect the USB cable from the printer to the wireless router.
2. Turn on Printer and Wireless Router. Wait until the Router is ready.
3. Go to your computer and look for the router manager utility or the web based admin module. For some routers, the configuration can be done through the web based admin panel. In case of the Belkin router, you need the utility called "Belkin Router Manager". If you have another router, you may find similar router manager software that came with your router.
4. Launch Belkin Router Manager. You may locate the Belkin icon in your system tray. If you don't find it, launch it from your Start menu.
5. You will be prompted to configure the newly added USB device. Here is the message I received:
A new printer is available. Would you like to auto-connect to this printer?
NOTE: If the printer driver has not been installed, we'll prompt you to install it shortly.
6. If you are not prompted to configure the printer, right click on the Belkin Router Manager icon and choose "Belkin USB Print and Storage Center" under the right click menu "Networked USB devices".
7. Proceed through the wizard to complete the installation. If you are prompted to install the drivers, use the drivers that came with the printer. With Windows 7 and Windows 8, most printers are plug and play and there is no need to install separate drivers.
To make sure everything is configured correctly, open "Belkin USB Print and Storage Center" and see if the printer is listed there.
From this screen, you can start or stop the printer sharing. To test everything works fine, take a look at your Devices & Printers section in your control panel. If the printer is listed there and it is in Enabled status, you are good to go. Print a test page and make sure your printer is ready to use.
Also Check Out: Printer Buying Guide: How to Choose and Buy the Right Printer for your homeHow to connect other computers in the wireless network to the printer
The above procedure shows how to configure your USB printer in your wireless network. Once you complete the steps, the printer will be available on the computer from which you configured it using the router manager. However, to use the printer from all other computers, you will need to add it to each computer using the "Add Printer" option. Follow the steps below to add the Printer:
1. Select "Add Printer" option from "Devices and Printers" in your Windows Control Panel.
2. Select "Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer".
3. Windows will search and show all available network printers. If it fails to detect and list your printer, choose the option "The Printer that I want isn't listed."
4. Choose the option "Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname.
5. In the next screen to provide the ip address or hostname, choose the Device type as "Auto detect". Type the ip address of your router's Default Gateway. (To find the Default Gateway ip address, open your command prompt and type "IpConfig". You should be able to locate the default gateway address in the output for the above command.) Check the checkbox that says "Query the printer and automatically select the drive to use".
6. Windows will search for the printer in the specified ip address. It may take a few minutes to complete this step. Patiently wait until Windows give you the next step.
NOTE: In some cases, you may need to install the router utility that comes with the router. Many people asked me where can we get the Belkin Router Manager utility. It is not available for download. I am not sure why Belkin does not allow downloading it. You will need to install it from the driver/software CD that comes with the Belkin wireless router.
The details given in this report are very clear and will help many who are eagerly waiting to set up the USB printer and the Wireless Routwe.
Thanks to the author for this report,