Tech: wireless printing question

Subject: Tech: wireless printing question
From: leeneia
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 06:26 PM

Three months ago, Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7, so we decided to keep my Windows 7 for music and word-processing, and to buy a new Windows 10 computer for the Internet.

Our printer uses a cable to connect to the old computer, but it has wi-fi capability. But if I enable the wi-fi, will I no longer be able to print via the cable?

Subject: RE: Tech: wireless printing question
From: John C. Bunnell
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 07:06 PM

Hard-wired printing should still be available. You may be asked to connect the printer's cable to the new PC in order to configure the wifi connection, but once that's working you should be able to reconnect the cable to the older computer and print from either PC as you like. You *may* find that one or the other computer also creates what looks like a second identical printer in your list of devices -- if that happens, it's most likely that one is set up with the wifi connection and the other as the hard-wired driver.

Subject: RE: Tech: wireless printing question
From: leeneia
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 10:54 PM

I see. Thank you!

Subject: RE: Tech: wireless printing question
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Apr 20 - 11:48 PM

I bought a Brother laser printer for our church, on the condition that I can use it once a year with my Chromebook for San Francisco Folk Music Club's Camp Harmony. Usually, the printer works by USB from our choir director's laptop. But the Chromebook has no printer drivers. I have to save the file as a PDF to Google Drive, and then download the file from Google Drive to the printer. Since I do this on only four documents a year, this isn't a horrible problem - but I have to re-learn how to do it every year.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: wireless printing question
From: BobL
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 03:06 AM

Assuming your router has wi-fi (and I believe most of them do these days), set up a wi-fi link between router and printer. You'll then be able to use it as a network printer, accessible from either computer. Works for me anyway.

Subject: RE: Tech: wireless printing question
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 03:27 AM

a minor point but something that has been mooted in this parish:

If you connect the printer by WiFi it is visible to any computer connected to the network. And if you haven't secured the WiFi connection, anyone using WiFi via that router can see the printer. Which can be an potential annoyance &/or a confusion to your neighbours.

Maybe modern WiFi printers have that sussed, but how to may be buried in help files!

Secure the WiFi connection.

Subject: RE: Tech: wireless printing question
From: DaveRo
Date: 04 Apr 20 - 03:53 AM

Joe: if you print from a Chromebook, read this.

If Brother make an app (like the one I have for Android called iPrint & Scan) then try that.

ChromeOS's version of CUPS does include printer drivers, but if there isn't one for your printer you can't add one. In my experience if CUPS (on Linux) and Brother lasers, drivers for similar models often work.