How to set up a printer via an ASUS RT WiFi router

Establishing wireless printing for home or office use is becoming increasingly important with the growing number of mobile devices and laptops. Connecting your printer directly to an ASUS router frees up USB ports on your computers and makes the device accessible to all users on your local network simultaneously. This solution is especially effective when the printer itself doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi but does have a standard USB interface.

Modern routers of the line ASUS RT (including popular series RT-N, RT-AC and new ones RT-AX) are equipped with a built-in function Print ServerThis technology turns the router into a gateway that accepts print jobs from computers and smartphones, transmitting them to a physically connected device. The setup process requires attention to detail, as successful integration depends on the correct network settings and driver versions.

In this guide, we'll cover every configuration step: from preparing the hardware to installing a virtual port on Windows. You'll learn how to avoid common mistakes associated with dynamic address changes and ensure stable printing on your network. Having your router ready and up-to-date firmware are the first steps to success.

Checking compatibility and preparing equipment

Before configuring the software, you need to ensure the physical and technical compatibility of your devices. Not all printer models, especially older inkjet printers or multifunction devices with complex continuous ink supply systems, can work correctly with a standard network print server. The ASUS router should see the device as a standard printer, not as a specialized scanner with a proprietary protocol.

It's important to check that your router is running the latest firmware version. Manufacturers regularly release updates that fix USB controller bugs and improve compatibility with various peripherals. You can access the management interface by entering the address in your browser. 192.168.1.1 or router.asus.com.

⚠️ Note: Some budget ASUS router models have a USB port with limited current. If the printer draws a lot of power during startup, the router may go into protection mode and drop the connection. In such cases, a powered USB hub with its own power supply is required.

To get started, you'll need the ASUS router itself, a printer with a USB cable, and a computer connected to the same network. Make sure the cable is in good condition and within the standard length of 1.5–2 meters to avoid signal loss when transferring large amounts of data.

Setting up the Print Server function in the ASUS interface

After physically connecting the printer to the router's USB port (it's preferable to use a USB 2.0 port if you have more than one, as it's often more stable for peripherals), you need to activate the corresponding service in the web interface. Go to the section USB application (USB Application) in the left menu of the control panel. This is where all settings for working with external drives and printing devices are located.

Find the tab or subsection with the name Print server (Print Server). In the window that opens, you'll see a list of connected devices. If the printer is detected by the system, its model will be displayed in the list. If the device isn't displayed, try rebooting the router without disconnecting the printer cable, or replace the USB cable with a higher-quality one.

Activate the function by switching the slider to the position On (Enable). This section often displays the path to the device, which will be needed later when installing drivers. This is usually a network address in a format specific to the router model.

Don't forget to save the applied settings by clicking the button ApplyThe system may require a short reboot of the printing services, after which the printer will be ready to receive jobs over the network.

Create a static IP address for stability

One of the most common issues with network printing is changing the IP address of the router or the printer itself on the local network. If your ISP or DHCP server settings change the gateway address, the computer will lose connection to the printer, and the print queue will freeze. To avoid this, you need to reserve an address.

Go to the section Local area network (LAN) in the router menu and select the tab DHCP serverAt the bottom of the page is a list of clients (Client List). Find your router in the list (or your printer, if it receives an address directly, although in the Print Server scheme, the address is assigned to the router). For the print server scheme itself, it is critical that LAN IP Address The ASUS router itself was static.

In the section Local Area Network → LAN IP Address Make sure the address doesn't change dynamically. It's best to manually enter a fixed address, for example, 192.168.1.1, and subnet mask 255.255.255.0This will become the foundation for your entire local network.

After changing network settings, your router will likely need to be rebooted. The computer you're using to make the changes may also lose connection for a short time until its network configuration is updated.

Installing drivers and creating a TCP/IP port in Windows

The most crucial step is configuring the operating system to work with the network device. Windows doesn't always automatically detect printers connected via the router's USB print server, so you often have to create a port manually. First, make sure the printer drivers are already installed on your computer (as if it were connected locally), but you can temporarily disconnect the cable from the router for now for the sake of clarity.

Open the Control Panel and go to the section Devices and printers. Click the button Adding a printerWhen the search starts, the system will not find the device automatically, so select the option The printer you need is not listed.. Next, select the item Add a printer by TCP/IP address or hostname.

⚠️ Important: When selecting the device type in the installation wizard, be sure to select "Custom Device" and not "Standard". The data transfer protocol must be LPR, and not Raw, if the standard port does not work, although for ASUS the standard Raw with port 9100 is more suitable.

In the "Name or IP Address" field, enter the static IP address of your ASUS router that we recorded earlier (e.g., 192.168.1.1). You can leave the queue name blank or enter USB1 (the default name for the first USB port). Click "Next" and wait for the port to be polled.

In the next step, Windows will prompt you to select a driver. If your model is not listed, click Install from disk and specify the path to the previously downloaded driver files. It's important to select the model that is physically connected to ensure all printing functions work correctly.

Solving typical problems and diagnostics

Even with proper settings, printing may not work. This is often due to Windows Firewall or antivirus software blocking incoming connections to the print service. Try temporarily disabling the firewall and checking the printer's status. If printing works, you'll need to add an exception to the security rules.

Another common cause is protocol incompatibility. Some older printers require support to be enabled. LPR In the ASUS router settings. Go to the print server settings and look for the "Enable LPR" checkbox. If it's checked, try unchecking it, or, conversely, enabling it if it's unchecked.

If your printer goes to sleep and doesn't wake up when commanded from your computer, the problem may be with the printer's power-saving settings or the router's inability to supply sufficient power to the USB port when idle. In this case, disabling deep sleep mode in the printer's menu (via its screen or buttons) will resolve the issue.

It's also worth checking the Windows Event Log. In the section Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System you can find errors related to the source Print or SpoolerThis will help you understand whether the task is being sent to the router and whether the router is receiving a response from the printer.

Alternative methods and cloud printing

If the classic Print Server method is unstable or requires constant driver installation on each new computer, consider alternative options. ASUS routers with AiCloud support or more modern operating systems (ASUSwrt) sometimes allow printer sharing via protocols compatible with mobile devices, but this requires deeper configuration of the router's Linux partitions.

For users who need to print from smartphones, the optimal solution may be to install special software on one constantly turned on computer in the network, which will act as a print server (for example, CUPS (on Linux or specialized utilities on Windows) by transmitting tasks to a USB printer. However, this complicates the network architecture.

Modern printer models often have their own Wi-Fi Direct connection. If your ASUS router can't handle print server functions, it might make sense to connect the printer directly to your home WiFi network (if it supports this feature), bypassing the router's USB port. This will reduce the load on the router's processor and ensure faster data transfer speeds.

⚠️ Note: ASUSWRT firmware interfaces are updated regularly. The location of the "USB Application" or "Print Server" menu may vary depending on the firmware version. If you don't see these options, consult the user manual for your specific router model on the official website.

Using cloud printing services such as Google Cloud Print (although support is gradually being phased out) or similar services from printer manufacturers (HP ePrint, Epson Connect) is also an option that does not require complex router setup, but depends on internet access.