How to Make a USB Printer Wi-Fi-Enabled: A Complete Guide

A situation where a modern laptop is equipped with only USB Type-C ports, and an old but reliable one printer The USB Type-B port is familiar to many users. The desire to get rid of unnecessary cables and be able to print from any device in the home runs into technical limitations. Fortunately, there are several proven methods that allow convert a standard USB printer into a network device without the need to buy new equipment.

In this article, we'll explore less obvious ways to set up wireless printing that are often overlooked in standard instructions. You'll learn how to leverage your router's capabilities, create a virtual print server on your computer, or use specialized hardware adapters. Technological progress allows you to revive even ten-year-old models, turning them into a fully-fledged element of a smart office.

Before moving on to specific steps, it's important to understand that not all methods are equally convenient for different use cases. If you only need to print from one laptop, a software solution will suffice, but printing from the entire family's smartphones and tablets will require a more complex hardware configuration. Driver compatibility and the operating system will be a key factor in choosing the optimal solution to your problem.

Using a router's USB port for printing

The most elegant and correct way to make a printer accessible over a network is to connect it directly to USB port of the router. Most modern routers, even budget models from TP-Link, Keenetic or Asus, have a built-in Print Server function. This allows the device to receive print jobs and distribute them among all clients on the local network without having to keep the computer turned on.

The setup process usually begins with a physical connection. You'll need to connect the printer and router with a high-quality USB A-to-B cable. After that, log in to the router's web admin interface by entering its IP address in your browser. Find the section responsible for USB Application or Print Server, and activate this feature. In some cases, you may need to select your device model from a list or download a specific PPD file.

⚠️ Please note: Not all routers support forwarding complex print commands. If your printer requires constant feedback to monitor ink levels or change cartridges, these features may not work through a router.

After activating the service on the router, you need to add a new printer on your computers. In Windows, this is done via Control Panel → Devices and Printers → Add a printerSelect the "The printer I want isn't listed" option and specify the path using your router's TCP/IP address. For operating systems macOS And Linux the process may require manual installation of the protocol IPP or LPR.

Setting up shared printing on a PC

If your router doesn't have a USB port or doesn't support printing, you can turn any computer into a local server. This method requires the host computer to be turned on and online when printing. You'll need to configure public access to the printer using standard tools of the Windows or macOS operating system.

First, connect the printer to the host computer and make sure it's working properly. Then, go to the device properties and find the "Sharing" tab. Check the "Share this printer" box and give it a descriptive network name. It's important that sharing is enabled on all computers on the network. network discoverability and printing is permitted.

Client computers will be able to find the shared printer in the network neighborhood or by adding it to the path \\Computer_Name\Printer_NameThe main drawback of this method is its dependence on the host's state: if the host computer goes into sleep mode or is turned off, printing will become impossible. Furthermore, with a large volume of tasks, the host computer may experience a significant load, which will impact the performance of other applications.

Access issues after Windows update

After major Windows updates, sharing settings may reset and the network type may change from "Private" to "Public." If this happens, recheck your firewall permissions and ensure that device discovery is enabled in the "Public Network" profile.

Using external Wi-Fi print servers

The most flexible and independent solution is to use a special device called Print ServerIt's a small gadget that has a USB port on one end for connecting a printer, and connects to a Wi-Fi network on the other. Such devices, for example, TP-Link TL-PS110U or D-Link DP-301U, are completely autonomous and do not require a switched-on computer.

A print server is typically configured through its own utility or web interface. The device scans for available Wi-Fi networks, connects to your router, and acts as a bridge between the wireless network and the printer's USB port. This is ideal for those who want to place the printer in a convenient location with only a power outlet but no cables.

When choosing a print server, pay attention to its support for your printer model. Some cheap Chinese alternatives may not work correctly with multifunction devices (MFPs), preventing you from using your scanner over the network. Two-way communication Such adapters often have a basic implementation, so consumables monitoring functions may not be available.

Setting up AirPrint and Google Cloud Print for mobile devices

Once the printer has become available online via any of the methods described above, the question of printing from smartphones and tablets arises. For ecosystem users Apple technology is critical AirPrintIf your router or print server doesn't natively support AirPrint, you can use a macOS or Windows computer (with additional software) as a gateway.

For Android and cross-platform printing, the service was previously used Google Cloud Print, however, it was closed. The current solution is to use intermediary applications such as PrinterShare or Mopria Print ServiceThese applications can find network printers and transfer documents to them, emulating the operation of drivers.

⚠️ Important: Mobile printing protocols require the mobile device and printer to be on the same subnet. If you have a guest Wi-Fi network configured with client isolation, printing from your phone will not work.

Router owners Keenetic And Asus They can install additional components (operating modules) that add AirPrint support directly at the router level. This turns a regular USB printer into a fully-fledged network resource, visible to iPhones and iPads out of the box, without installing any additional software on the computers.

Software solutions and virtual servers

For advanced users who have a server at home or a constantly running computer based on Linux (For example, Raspberry Pi), an excellent solution would be to install a printing system CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). This system allows you to manage print queues, configure access, and provide an AirPrint interface for any connected USB devices.

There are also software emulators for Windows such as FlexiPrint or built-in functions Internet Printing Protocol (IPP)They allow you to publish a printer not only on the local network, but also, with proper security settings, on the internet. However, sharing a local printer on the global network is difficult. strongly not recommended without setting up a VPN tunnel, as this creates a security hole in your home network.

Using virtual machines is also possible if the host computer runs an OS that doesn't support the required protocols. By running a lightweight Linux system in a virtual environment, you can forward the host's USB port to the virtual machine and configure network printing, making it accessible to others.

Diagnosing and troubleshooting

During setup, you may encounter a situation where the computer sees the printer, but print jobs are lost or stuck in the queue. This is often due to the wrong port selection. When adding a printer by IP address, make sure you've created a standard TCP/IP port and not a virtual USB port.

Another common issue is driver conflicts. If a driver for this printer was previously installed on the computer in USB mode, errors may occur when switching to network mode. It is recommended to completely remove the old device from the system, clear the print queue, and re-add the printer as a network device, specifying the driver path again.

• 🖨️ Check if the Ready light on the printer itself is on after connecting to the network.
• 🔌 Make sure the USB cable is in good condition and does not exceed 1.5-2 meters in length, as cable length is critical when connected to a router.
• 🔒 Check your firewall settings: port 9100 must be open for incoming connections on the local network.

If printing works but the output is a jumble of characters, the wrong driver or page description language (PCL vs. PostScript) is selected on the client computer. In this case, you need to go to the printer properties on the client and manually update the driver, selecting the exact model or a compatible universal driver.

Why doesn't the router see my printer via USB?

Your router likely doesn't have a built-in file system or drivers for your specific printer model. Some routers only support USB drives (flash drives) for media server support, not printers. The problem could also be with the router's flash memory file system format if it's trying to read drivers, but most often, the problem is a lack of PPD protocol support on the router's end.

Is it possible to print online while in another country?

Yes, it's possible, but it requires complex setup. Simple port forwarding isn't enough due to encryption. The best way is to set up a VPN server (such as WireGuard or OpenVPN) on your router or Raspberry Pi at home. By connecting to your home VPN from your phone anywhere in the world, you'll be connected to the local network and able to print.

What is the printing speed over Wi-Fi compared to cable?

Print speeds are virtually identical, as the data volume in text documents and even photos is small. The only possible delay is the initial print start (the time it takes to establish a connection and transfer the driver). For office documents, the difference between USB and Wi-Fi is imperceptible to the user.