# How do I set up my printer to my wireless router?



## fuzzykitten99

I want to be able to print from my laptop, but not have to tether it to a cord connected to the printer or disconnect it from the desktop it is connected to 99% of the time.

I was told by someone here at work I can connect my printer to the wireless router and be able to print from anywhere in the house, though the printer would have to stay on all the time.

I have all Dell equipment, laptop, printer, and desktop.

How can I do this? Is this possible without disconnecting the desktop completely? I don't see how since my printer seems to have only one inlet for the USB cable to plug into, which connects to either computer. 

I run XP on both machines.

The model info on all systems:
Laptop: Dell Inspiron 5100
Desktop: Dell 8200
Printer: Dell 942 all-in-one printer/scanner/photocopier/fax
Wireless: Linksys
Comcast digital cable internet service

Thanks for any/all help!


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## no1tovote4

It would be easier if you set up a wireless network and a Desktop PC or MAC as a Print server to the Network.

Otherwise you need to have a printer that can be used as a Print Server in itself.  I am unsure whether your printer is one of them or not but when I tried to find information on RAM and ROM for the printer information was unavailable, this suggests that it is not a Printer that can be used in that way.

So what you do is:

1. Set up your desktop as a Print Server...

    a. Choose Start --> Settings --> Printers and Faxes (or simply choose Start --> Printers and Faxes, depending on how your Start menu is configured).

    b. Right-click the printer in the Printers folder and choose Properties from the pop-up menu that appears.

    c. On the Sharing tab of the dialog box that appears, click the Additional Drivers button.

    d. Select which operating systems you want to support to use this shared printer and also select the other types of drivers needed for your other computer systems and devices; then click OK.

    e. When prompted, insert a floppy disk or CD-ROM and direct the subsequent dialog boxes to the right places on those devices to get the driver for each operating system that you chose.

Windows finds those drivers and downloads them to the Windows 2000/XP's hard drive. Then, when you go to install the printer on your other computers, the Windows 2000/XP machine, which is sharing the printer, automatically transfers the proper printer drivers and finishes the installation for you. 




2. Connect your Desktop to a router...
3. Use wireless technology to connect your laptop to the router...
4. Set the Print Server as your primary printer on your laptop by Remotely installing the printer on all network PCs...

    a. The third step is done at every other PC in the house. Basically, you install the printer on each of these computers, but in a logical way  logically as opposed to physically installing and connecting the printer to each computer. You install the printer just like any other printer except that you're installing a network printer, and the printer installation wizard will search the network for the printers that you want to install.





Print away!


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## Mr. P

fuzzykitten99 said:
			
		

> I want to be able to print from my laptop, but not have to tether it to a cord connected to the printer or disconnect it from the desktop it is connected to 99% of the time.
> 
> I was told by someone here at work I can connect my printer to the wireless router and be able to print from anywhere in the house, though the printer would have to stay on all the time.
> 
> I have all Dell equipment, laptop, printer, and desktop.
> 
> How can I do this? Is this possible without disconnecting the desktop completely? I don't see how since my printer seems to have only one inlet for the USB cable to plug into, which connects to either computer.
> 
> I run XP on both machines.
> 
> The model info on all systems:
> Laptop: Dell Inspiron 5100
> Desktop: Dell 8200
> Printer: Dell 942 all-in-one printer/scanner/photocopier/fax
> Wireless: Linksys
> Comcast digital cable internet service
> 
> Thanks for any/all help!


First, place the USB cable in a circle on the floor, then with a marker write XP in the middle.
Now after that, providing you use the proper shade of RED marker all will be well, until you have an important document to print.  



Seriously Fuzzy..I don't know much about wireless yet...but
If the puter and printer are not BOTH wireless it ain't gonna work, unless ya rig it like No1 said.


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## HorhayAtAMD

no1tovote4 said:
			
		

> It would be easier if you set up a wireless network and a Desktop PC or MAC as a Print server to the Network.


Definitely the cheapest way to go since you already have all the equipment you need. The only disadvantage of this is that your desktop computer has to be turned on for you to print from your laptop.

If you don't mind spending a bit of money, you can buy routers with built in print servers, enabling you to plug your printer directly into the router.

DLink 

I have absolutely no personal experience with these and I've heard they don't always work perfectly with every type of printer so I would do a bit of research to make sure that other people with your printer have had success with this before trying it yourself.

Good luck!


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## no1tovote4

So how did it go?


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## jimnyc

Easiest way to set this up?

On your desktop, go to the list of your printers, then right click on printer of choice and choose "Sharing". Share that printer and give it a name.

From your laptop, search your network and find the other machine and double click on it, you should see the printer, right click and install!

The only drawback is that you can now only print when the desktop is powered on as you'll be printing 'through' that machine.


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