Technology Best wireless printer to go with MacBook

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fab4fan

fab4fan

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I'm looking for the one that will need the least "tinkering." Preferably, plug in, turn on, start printing if that is possible.

Anyone have any suggestions?

The free non-wireless printer I got with the MacBook just didn't work out. Don't ask. I'm moving on. :rolleyes:
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I bought a Brother 3 in 1 laser printer that works wonderfully. To set it up, install the included CD-ROM software on your MacBook and then enter the wireless network settings on the printer (i.e. network name and password). Oddly enough, I had issues with connectivity when I had a PC, but zero problems with the Mac.

It might be a little fancier than what you were looking for, but I love being able to make copies at home. :thumbup:
 
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In most cases the CDs are unnecessary as Apple will automatically update the driver after running software update. If it doesn't, then you probably need special software that can be downloaded from the manufacturer's site. Then setting up the wireless etc is usually done through a web-based page you can get to from the print & fax system pref.

Anyway, if you are looking for a laser I'd recommend this Brother HL-2170W otherwise for a decent all in one color ink jet this Canon PIXMA MP560 looks decent.
 
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By "wireless," I assume you mean a Bluetooth printer?

If you have an Airport base station at home, why not just attach a regular printer to the Airport base station using USB (the port on the left)?

apple_airport_extreme_base_station_1.jpg
 
Blue Dog said:
By "wireless," I assume you mean a Bluetooth printer?

If you have an Airport base station at home, why not just attach a regular printer to the Airport base station using USB (the port on the left)?

apple_airport_extreme_base_station_1.jpg
Click to expand...

I could never get past the yellow light; then I would get knocked off my network. Clearly, I know I was doing something wrong with the set up, but I got too exasperated to figure it out, and I got fed up with having to fix the problems that ensued.


Bluetooth...you're funny. Maybe in ten years. :laugh:
 
fab4fan said:
I could never get past the yellow light; then I would get knocked off my network. Clearly, I know I was doing something wrong with the set up, but I got too exasperated to figure it out, and I got fed up with having to fix the problems that ensued.
Click to expand...

So I assume, then, that you are hooking the printer up to your Airport base station?

If you're having problems, try connecting it directly to your computer first to make sure it works normally. If it does, reconnect it to your Airport base station. Remember you'll have to delete and reinstall the printer in Preferences when you move it.

More info here:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8662.html

https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1253
 
fab4fan said:
Bluetooth...you're funny. Maybe in ten years. :laugh:
Click to expand...

Actually, printing to a Bluetooth-enabled printer is pretty straightforward. If you have the Apple wireless mouse and/or keyboard, you're using Bluetooth. It pretty much works the same way with a Bluetooth printer.
 
Blue Dog said:
She's using a Mac, and wants things to be as easy as possible. It would be silly to use anything other than Airport.
Click to expand...


Airport is currently MIA. In a frenzy of spring cleaning, I put it away somewhere, so effectively that I can't find it, at all. So I'd have to buy another Airport, then there would be no guarantee I'd be able to hook it up correctly, so that's why I decided to just start from scratch.

Dang...Two printers I cant use. The wired Canon, and the wireless Dell.
 
Wait, what's wrong with the Dell (besides the fact that Dell generally makes crap printers)
 
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I have a HP laser printer hooked up to my airport. Works great

When you find your airport do a hard reset (plug it in and then push the small button on the back with a paperclip till the lights go crazy on the front, about 10 seconds) then connect to the airport network, walk though the configuration setup and then go to system preferences and add a printer. It'll pop up automatically

Oh and you might want to go to the manufactures website to Dl the newest drivers just incase and from then on when a new printer driver comes out software update should automatically install it for you, provided you have software update running on auto update.
 
I have a HP laser printer hooked up to my airport. Works great

When you find your airport do a hard reset (plug it in and then push the small button on the back with a paperclip till the lights go crazy on the front, about 10 seconds) then connect to the airport network, walk though the configuration setup and then go to system preferences and add a printer. It'll pop up automatically

Oh and you might want to go to the manufactures website to Dl the newest drivers just incase and from then on when a new printer driver comes out software update should automatically install it for you, provided you have software update running on auto update.
 
fab4fan said:
Airport is currently MIA. In a frenzy of spring cleaning, I put it away somewhere, so effectively that I can't find it, at all. So I'd have to buy another Airport, then there would be no guarantee I'd be able to hook it up correctly, so that's why I decided to just start from scratch
Click to expand...

So, you have a different (non-Airport) router now? If not, I'm having trouble understanding how you're trying to use a printer wirelessly.
 
Blue Dog said:
So, you have a different (non-Airport) router now? If not, I'm having trouble understanding how you're trying to use a printer wirelessly.
Click to expand...
For the wireless Dell printer mentioned above Fab4Fan may not need a router as some wireless printers can act as their own print server and wireless AP so one can hook into the printer directly using WiFi to print. However, from what I gather, F4F has been unable to do so.

But for the Canon, F4F will either need an Ethernet print module connected to a wireless router or an independent print server module that acts as its own AP so it can be associated with directly. The former would certainly be less expensive on average even though it requires two pieces of hardware, but the later is probably less of a headache to setup and use, so its a time/hassle trade-off (as it is most times in IT).
 
1UP said:
For the wireless Dell printer mentioned above Fab4Fan may not need a router as some wireless printers can act as their own print server and wireless AP so one can hook into the printer directly using WiFi to print. However, from what I gather, F4F has been unable to do so.

But for the Canon, F4F will either need an Ethernet print module connected to a wireless router or an independent print server module that acts as its own AP so it can be associated with directly. The former would certainly be less expensive on average even though it requires two pieces of hardware, but the later is probably less of a headache to setup and use, so its a time/hassle trade-off (as it is most times in IT).
Click to expand...


Or figure out how to set up the Airport FBF has and just plug it into the USB port on the back.
 
Slevin said:
Or figure out how to set up the Airport FBF has and just plug it into the USB port on the back.
Click to expand...
It is possible that the model of printer F4F has is not compatible with the Airport print server. No print server is compatible with every printer, far from it in most cases.
 
1UP said:
It is possible that the model of printer F4F has is not compatible with the Airport print server. No print server is compatible with every printer, far from it in most cases.
Click to expand...
The airport isn't a print server, it's more of a wireless USB. I could plug in an external HD in the USB port and my mac would recognize it.
 
Slevin said:
The airport isn't a print server, it's more of a wireless USB. I could plug in an external HD in the USB port and my mac would recognize it.
Click to expand...
It uses a virtualized USB so the computer sees the device as though it were directly connected to the system, right?

If my assumption is correct then the limitation above would apply.
 
1UP said:
It uses a virtualized USB so the computer sees the device as though it were directly connected to the system, right?

If my assumption is correct then the limitation above would apply.
Click to expand...


It actually uses a apple desgined protocol known as Bonjour to discover items on an airport network. It'll work with any USB printer, providd the user has the correct drivers for it.
 
Blue Dog said:
So, you have a different (non-Airport) router now? If not, I'm having trouble understanding how you're trying to use a printer wirelessly.
Click to expand...

I actually have no functional printer right now. I have a Dell printer, which is not compatible with my Mac. I also have a Canon printer which requires Airport (which I can't find at the moment--GOK where it is).

That's why I need another printer. ;):rolleyes:
 
1UP said:
For the wireless Dell printer mentioned above Fab4Fan may not need a router as some wireless printers can act as their own print server and wireless AP so one can hook into the printer directly using WiFi to print. However, from what I gather, F4F has been unable to do so.

But for the Canon, F4F will either need an Ethernet print module connected to a wireless router or an independent print server module that acts as its own AP so it can be associated with directly. The former would certainly be less expensive on average even though it requires two pieces of hardware, but the later is probably less of a headache to setup and use, so its a time/hassle trade-off (as it is most times in IT).
Click to expand...

I really didn't understand most of what you said except for the last part. That's the part I got. You are correct.
 
I use a HP photosmart C4795. Works great, cheap price at Best Buy, and it prints via wireless connection through my router. I set it up through Snow Leopard on my wife's MacBook and my MacBook air.
 
If I were you, I'd just plug the freakin' printer into my USB port and print. ;)
 
fab4fan said:
I actually have no functional printer right now. I have a Dell printer, which is not compatible with my Mac. I also have a Canon printer which requires Airport (which I can't find at the moment--GOK where it is).

That's why I need another printer. ;):rolleyes:
Click to expand...
There's no way your Canon should require an Airport, you should also have the option of just plugging it into your system.
 
1UP said:
There's no way your Canon should require an Airport, you should also have the option of just plugging it into your system.
Click to expand...

The Canon isn't wireless; unless I really don't understand what I'm doing, this would mean I'd have to plug my laptop into the printer every time I wanted to print. If that's the case, that would be a PITA.

It would also mean someone at the apple store had his pants on fire when I got the printer.
 
fab4fan said:
The Canon isn't wireless; unless I really don't understand what I'm doing, this would mean I'd have to plug my laptop into the printer every time I wanted to print. If that's the case, that would be a PITA.
Click to expand...
So its not that you don't have a functional printer, its that you don't have a convenient, wireless connection to the printer to use.
 
fab4fan said:
The Canon isn't wireless; unless I really don't understand what I'm doing, this would mean I'd have to plug my laptop into the printer every time I wanted to print. If that's the case, that would be a PITA.
Click to expand...

True, but at least you'd be able to print.

If you want the easiest WiFi experience (including wireless printing) using your Mac, you need to get an Airport base station and connect the printer to that.

Anything else you do will be more complicated. Period.
 
Or just use any standard wireless router and buy a printer that connects with ethernet. Unless of course you buy a wifi printer in which case a wireless router isn't necessary to make it work.
 
This all sounds pretty complicated for a set-up from Apple. Doesn't their stuff 'just work'?
 
1UP said:
So its not that you don't have a functional printer, its that you don't have a convenient, wireless connection to the printer to use.
Click to expand...

Well, yes, more or less.

My laptop is my main computer. I'm not sure that was entirely clear. Due to space, the printer has to go in one room, the router in another (pre-existing cable connections...please don't make me try to explain an old house).

If you think this is bad, I could always tell you about the time I blew up a coffee pot!
 
Blue Dog said:
True, but at least you'd be able to print.

If you want the easiest WiFi experience (including wireless printing) using your Mac, you need to get an Airport base station and connect the printer to that.

Anything else you do will be more complicated. Period.
Click to expand...

Are you saying I need an Airport base station even if I get a wireless printer? (If these questions seem stupid, please cut me slack. I've been sitting through hospital orientation all last week and this week and my mind is numb.)
 
fab4fan said:
Are you saying I need an Airport base station even if I get a wireless printer? (If these questions seem stupid, please cut me slack. I've been sitting through hospital orientation all last week and this week and my mind is numb.)
Click to expand...
NO probably not. Just need to set up the printer to join the wireless network.

Since the printer is in one room and the wireless router would be in the other room and since you have an airport all ready (and I'm assuming a printer as well) instead of adding to the garbage heap and save yourself some money. I would set up the airport extreme, then get an airport express and use it to extend the wireless network and plug the printer into the airport express and it'll work.

Sounds more complicated than it is. It would take less than 5 minutes to set up.
 
fab4fan said:
Are you saying I need an Airport base station even if I get a wireless printer?
Click to expand...

Well, printing aside, I assume you have to get onto the Internet wirelessly somehow. I can't think of an easier way to do that if you're a Mac user than to use Airport.

Furthermore, I can't think of any reason why you couldn't simply plug pretty much any USB-compatible printer into the aforementioned Airport base station and enjoy the pleasures of wireless printing from your Macbook.

That's how I'd do it (actually, that's how I actually do it). If you want to do something different, it will be more complicated.

Why does the printer have to be in a different room...?

If it does, consider an Airport Express, as Slevin suggested.
 
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For one thing, there simply is no more desk space for the printer. I have one laptop, one mini-pc and my routers already on my desk. Space is an issue. If I add one more thing to the clutter heap, I won't be able to think. As it is, I lost my Airport. Too much clutter. Plus the original printer was initially set up to be a fax, so it went over in the other room where there was an extra phone jack. I really did think I had good reasons to keep things separated, clutter control being first among them.

Dear God...I just looked over at my routers and realized that the stupid Airport is sitting right on top of the router. I think I need to get some sleep. That is frightening. :eek:

I just want to emphasize that I am really not this much of a space cadet when I am at my job. Really.
 
fab4fan said:
For one thing, there simply is no more desk space for the printer. I have one laptop, one mini-pc and my routers already on my desk. Space is an issue.
Click to expand...

So...together, those take up something like two square feet?

Buy a bigger desk. ;)

small_Student_Desk.jpg
 
fab4fan said:
For one thing, there simply is no more desk space for the printer. I have one laptop, one mini-pc and my routers already on my desk. Space is an issue. If I add one more thing to the clutter heap, I won't be able to think. As it is, I lost my Airport. Too much clutter. Plus the original printer was initially set up to be a fax, so it went over in the other room where there was an extra phone jack. I really did think I had good reasons to keep things separated, clutter control being first among them.

Dear God...I just looked over at my routers and realized that the stupid Airport is sitting right on top of the router. I think I need to get some sleep. That is frightening. :eek:

I just want to emphasize that I am really not this much of a space cadet when I am at my job. Really.
Click to expand...
Now that you found your Airport you should be able to hook your Canon into that and bridge it to your router. Just make sure to set the Airport and the router at least five channels away from one another. For example, if the router is on channel 1, you could use channel 6 or higher for the Airport. If the router is on channel 6 you could use either channel 1 or 11 for the Airport. If the router is on channel 11 you could 6 or lower for the Airport. This will eliminate any potential frequency drift that could impact the performance of the Airport or the router.
 
Blue Dog said:
Why would she need another router if she has an Airport? :confused:
Click to expand...
Considering the Airport will be in the other room with the printer, and not where her internet connection is, it would be rather difficult to get on the internet through the Airport.

Also, unless she wants to disconnect from the internet in order to hook into the Airport for printing, since one can only associate with one router at a time with one WiFi card, bridging the Airport to the router is the only way she can get onto the internet and print at the same time.
 
1UP said:
Considering the Airport will be in the other room with the printer, and not where her internet connection is, it would be rather difficult to get on the internet through the Airport.

Also, unless she wants to disconnect from the internet in order to hook into the Airport (since one can only associate with one router at a time with one WiFi card) for printing then bridging it to the router is the only way to do both at the same time.
Click to expand...

She doesn't need another router.

She needs an Airport base station, which will be located in the room with her internet connection. If she doesn't mind having the printer in the same place, she can connect her printer to the Airport.

If she absolutely must have the printer in another room, she should get an Airport Express, and connect the printer to that.
 
Blue Dog said:
She doesn't need another router.

She needs an Airport base station, which will be located in the room with her internet connection. If she doesn't mind having the printer in the same place, she can connect her printer to the Airport.

If she absolutely must have a printer in another room, she should get an Airport Express, and connect the printer to that.
Click to expand...
Why buy another piece of hardware when it should be possible to bridge the Airport to her current router?
 
1UP said:
Why buy another piece of hardware when it should be possible to bridge the Airport to her current router?
Click to expand...

Because it's a lot easier to use Apple hardware.

Ask her if she even knows what "bridge to her router" means.
 
fab4fan said:
For one thing, there simply is no more desk space for the printer. I have one laptop, one mini-pc and my routers already on my desk. Space is an issue. If I add one more thing to the clutter heap, I won't be able to think. As it is, I lost my Airport. Too much clutter. Plus the original printer was initially set up to be a fax, so it went over in the other room where there was an extra phone jack. I really did think I had good reasons to keep things separated, clutter control being first among them.

Dear God...I just looked over at my routers and realized that the stupid Airport is sitting right on top of the router. I think I need to get some sleep. That is frightening. :eek:

I just want to emphasize that I am really not this much of a space cadet when I am at my job. Really.
Click to expand...
Space cadet?

There's an iPhone app for that :)
 
1UP said:
Considering the Airport will be in the other room with the printer, and not where her internet connection is, it would be rather difficult to get on the internet through the Airport.

Also, unless she wants to disconnect from the internet in order to hook into the Airport for printing, since one can only associate with one router at a time with one WiFi card, bridging the Airport to the router is the only way she can get onto the internet and print at the same time.
Click to expand...

And I think somewhere in this translation is how I was inadvertently disconnecting myself from the internet w/ Airport.
 
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