Are you wondering how you can convert your old USB printer to a wireless one? Then, surely, this blog is for you. So, read this blog thoroughly to learn the essential steps for converting your USB printer to a Wi-Fi printer.
Wireless printing is indeed a convenient feature to have. In the current scenario, most modern printers offer Wi-Fi connectivity, eliminating the need to connect a cable between your computers, mobile devices, and printer. However, if you have a wired printer without Wi-Fi, you don’t have to go to the market to buy a new printer. We have ways to turn any wired printer into a wireless one. Wondering how?
Be excited! Here, we’ll show you how to convert any printer to a wireless Wi-Fi printer or print a document over the Wi-Fi.
But, before proceeding with the steps to convert your USB printer into a wireless one, you must have the following things with you:
- A working and strong network that includes a wireless router.
- The name of your wireless network.
- If you are using a wireless password, make sure you know either the WEP key or the WPA passphrase.
Are you ready with the above things? If yes, let’s move toward the procedure without wasting time.
Let’s See How to Make Any Wired Printer Wireless in 6 Different Ways:
Here are a couple of methods to explain how to make a wired printer wireless.
- Use a Dedicated Print Server Device
- Connect your Printer to a Router via USB
- Connect your Printer to a Router via Ethernet
- Using a Host Computer on Windows
- Using a Host Computer on Mac
- Share your Printer via your Computer
Method 1: Use a Dedicated Print Server Device
This method is relatively affordable and reliable. A print server plugs into the back of your printer and allows it to receive wireless requests. So, if you want to access your printer from anywhere in your home or office without having to run a cable from the computer or mobile device to the printer, purchase a dedicated print server box and connect it to your network, and you can print from your laptop, desktop, and mobile devices without having to switch cables.
The Printer Server is a small box with a USB connection on one side and an Ethernet port on the other.
This small print server device uses very little electricity and is always available.
The benefit of buying a print server is that you can use your laptop and print from anywhere in your home without connecting the printer to a PC.
Method 2: Connect your Printer to a Router via USB
If you wish to convert your wired printer into a wireless one, consider connecting your printer to a router via USB, as most routers these days have a USB port at the back, allowing it to act as a server for your home network.
This method involves three steps, which are as follows:
First Step: Install the driver of your USB printer on the computer
In order to install the driver of your USB printer on your Windows computer, follow the procedure mentioned below:
- First, open the control panel, then click on “Hardware and Sound,” then “Device and Printer,” and from here, you can “Add a Printer,”.
- And, if the printer you want is not listed or detected, select “Add a Local Printer” and select the existing USB port. You can create a new one also.
- Move further to select the manufacturer and printer model. Now, add the printer. Also, install the right driver on your windows computer.
Second Step: Check Your Wi-Fi Router for a USB Port
Once the printer drivers have been installed on your computer, check your network for a USB port. Let’s see how:
- Secondly, check whether your Wi-Fi router has a USB port available at the backside of the router.
- If it has a USB port available, log in to the router, go to USB settings, and find the print server.
- Under print server settings, check the server status. If it is offline, press the “Start” button to go online.
Third Step: Install USB Print Controller Utility Software
Follow the steps mentioned below to install USB print controller utility software:
- Go to your Wi-Fi router manufacturer’s official website to find the USB print controller utility software.
- Enter the model number of your Wi-Fi router and press “Search.”
- Now, click on the router image, go to “Support,” and select your hardware version.
- Then, go to utility and download the USB print controller utility and install it.
- Connect your USB printer to the Wi-Fi router’s USB port and power it on.
- On the computer, open the print controller utility software. Here, you can see your printer listed.
- Now, click on auto-connect for printing.
- Test the print from the computer. You can also scan your page. Just put a page in a scanner, and click on connect for scanning on the print controller. Then, scan the page from the computer.
- You can also print from mobile. Just install the print share app and open it. Here, click on “Select Printer” and choose nearby Wi-Fi.
- On the listed printer, tap to install the driver, and you are ready to go.
Method 3: Connect your Printer to a Router via Ethernet
If your router does not have a USB port, you can still convert your printer into a wireless one by using a built-in Ethernet port. Follow the basic steps described below:
- Place the Wi-Fi near the printer so you don’t have to use a long cable to connect the printer to the Wi-Fi router.
- Now, connect the LAN cable from the printer to the Wi-Fi router’s LAN port.
- Then, log in to your Wi-Fi router using the router’s IP address, user name, and admin password.
Note: To know about the router IP address, open the Network & Sharing Center, click on status and find the default gateway address IP, which is your router IP.
- Now, move to DHCP, note down the DHCP address range, and choose one IP address from this range that is not used by any other device.
- Next, move to the printer settings. Here, we will assign the IP address to the printer.
- For this, go to “System Setting”> “Network Settings”> TCP/IP settings and enter the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. Here, the default gateway is your router IP address.
- Then, click on “Done.”
- Now, we have to install drivers for the printer. For this, open “Printer and Scanner”> “Add Printer.”
- A new window will be open. Here, click on add printer via TCP/IP address, enter the printer IP address and click “Next.”
- On the new window, select your printer model and click “Next.”
Take a test print to confirm the settings from your device over the Wi-Fi to the printer.
Method 4: Using a Host Computer on Windows
If you want to connect your fleet of computers to a single printer, a cost-effective way to make the printer wireless is by connecting it to a host computer. The only disadvantage of this method is that if the host computer is powered down, other computers on the network can’t use the printer.
To do so, follow the steps mentioned below:
- Connect your printer to the computer that you want to use as a host using the USB cable. It allows you to use an internet-connected computer device to act as the wireless source for your printer.
- Now, plug your printer into an electrical outlet and turn it “On” by pressing the Power button.
- Follow the onscreen instructions if prompted to install and download the new drivers and software.
- Click on the “Start Menu” and open the “Control Panel.”
- Now, click on “Network and Internet” and then click on the “Network and Sharing Center.”
- After that, tap on “Change Advanced Sharing Settings.”
- Now, you have to go to the “Devices and Printers” section.
- A new window will open as you click “Printer Properties.”
- Then, check the “Turn on file and printer sharing” box, then click on the “Save Changes” button.
- Now, go to “Control Panel” and click “View Devices and Printers.”
- Then, right-click on the connected printer, tap “Printer Properties,” and click the “Sharing” tab.
- And its time to connect the printer to other computers on your network (connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the host computer.)
Finally, you have successfully connected your printer to a host computer on Windows. If you need help, call our experts.
Method 5: Using a Host Computer on Mac
Connecting your printer to a host computer on Mac is almost the same as connecting your printer to a Windows computer. Let’s see how you can connect your printer via the host computer on Mac:
- Connect your printer to the computer that you want to use as a host using the USB cable. It allows you to use an internet-connected computer device to act as the wireless source for your printer.
- Now, plug your printer into an electrical outlet and turn it “On” by pressing the Power button.
- Follow the onscreen instructions if prompted to install and download the new drivers and software.
- Click on the “Apple Menu” and then click on “System Preferences.”
- Now, click on the “Sharing” option.
- After that, tap on the “Printer Sharing” checkbox.
- Here, select your printer.
- And it’s time to connect the printer to other computers on your network (connected to the same Wi-Fi network as the host computer.)
If you have successfully done this, print a test page.
Method 6: Share your Printer via your Computer
Users, who need wireless printers occasionally, or in addition to avoiding physical efforts required to set up the printer, may use this method to share their printer connected to the computer with other devices on the network.
Follow these easy-going steps to share your printer via your computer:
- Go to Start Menu > Settings > Devices > Printers & Scanners.
- Tap on the printer and select “Manage.”
- Now, open “Printer Properties” and click on the “Sharing” tab.
- Then, select “Share this Printer.”
The biggest drawback of using this method is that your computer has to stay online all the time; otherwise, the printer won’t be available. Moreover, with less powerful computers, handling print requests may badly impact your computer’s performance.
So, if you want the fastest and cheapest way to make your wired printer wireless, this method is a surefire.
Start Printing Wirelessly!
Congrats!! You may access your USB printer from anywhere in your home or office without needing a cable from the computer to the printer. Here, we have covered every possible method to make a wired printer wireless so that you can print from just about any device you wish.
Therefore, if you already have a wired printer and don’t want to purchase a new one, use any of the techniques mentioned above to enjoy the benefits of wireless printing without replacing your device.
So, by converting a USB printer to a Wi-Fi printer, any device connected to your Wi-Fi network can access the printer by just installing the printer’s driver on their device. This device is handy for a small office environment because you can share the printer with other devices over the network without using any dedicated computer that needs to be turned on all the time.
Do you still need help with the above methods? Don’t panic. Use our helpline number, Printer Repair Services Location in New York, to call our toll-free number +1 (928) 514-2464 to avail the technician’s help and support more about how to set up a wireless printer. They will guide you and teach you in every possible manner.