Do I Need a Print Server?

Happy Friday All,

I'm new here so I hope I am posting this in the correct place.

I recently acquired an iPad Air and would like to be able to use it with my *non-wireless* mfprinter. Do I need to purchase a print server, in order to do this?

Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

Thanks!

Keega

keega said:

Happy Friday All,

I'm new here so I hope I am posting this in the correct place.

I recently acquired an iPad Air and would like to be able to use it with my *non-wireless* mfprinter. Do I need to purchase a print server, in order to do this?

Any suggestions would be most appreciated!.......

Click to expand...

Hi Keega - welcome to the forum! You need to provide a lot more information: 1) What is the brand/model/vintage of your printer; 2) Is the printer cabled to a computer (e.g. USB); and 3) What computer do your own (brand/model) & what operating system is installed?

You can only print from the iPad over a wireless network (i.e. Wi-Fi) - by 'non-wireless' above, do you mean that the printer has no networking features and/or you do not have a home Wi-Fi network? The easiest way to print from an iDevice is to a printer w/ Apple's AirPrint Technology; also, many printer manufacturers offer their own proprietary software that resides on a computer and permits printing from mobile devices, so you might want to check your printer maker's website. I'll stop there and let you respond, so the forum better understands your hardware/software setup. Dave

My printer is plugged into my (ahem)windows box. My wife can print to it just fine over wifi through the Airport even though I'm not on wifi, just ethernet.
Try checking in your printer config in System Preferences and see if you can share it.

We've been using an old version 3.x of handyPrint and the Mac's Sharing pref pane that has worked well for an old non-wireless printer and our iPad 2s.

It might work for what you need, but just the newer version seems to be there:
Netputing » handyPrint v5

One option is to get an Apple AirPort Express - this has a USB port and an Ethernet port on it. It was how I used my existing, non-wifi printer when I first moved to iPad.

It's a relatively cheap and straightforward way of making your printer wireless if you don't already have a computer you can conveniently attach the printer to. It can also extend your wifi network and send music to a stereo system as a bonus.

Thank you all for your responses. Here's my setup:

Printer: Epson CX8400 ~7years old. It connects via USB. It is not connected to any system right now because the PC will be going away.

iPad Air: Runnin iOS v8.0.2 (12A405)

Existing WiFi in the house.

You need something like this: Apple Lightning to USB Cable - Walmart.com
with an adapter to make the end female to plug the printer into. Wether it'll work is another question.
Don't know if iPads can print like that.

cradom said:

You need something like this: Apple Lightning to USB Cable - Walmart.com
with an adapter to make the end female to plug the printer into. Wether it'll work is another question.
Don't know if iPads can print like that.

Click to expand...

I don't think that's gonna work unless something has changed with something new and added in iOS 8.x:
Have a read:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5600356?tstart=0
Can i hook up to a printer and print from the Ipad using the usb cable? - Apple Store (Canada)

Apple expects the user to use an AirPrint-enabled printer.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201387

That's why I mentioned handyprint previously, and one can use a Mac with an older non-airprint printer and tell Apple to get stuffed.

EDIT:
Add this for more info:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/ipad-faq/how-to-print-documents-directly-from-ipad.html

A bit of internet searching doesn't show anything conclusive with regard to using a CX8400 with an Airport Express, but I would be tempted to buy one from Apple and give it a go. You should have 14 days to return it if it doesn't work.

I think you'll find that's a wishful thinking good try dvm, as I've tried it a while back with an older and a new generation Airport Express and couldn't get printing working using only our iPads iOS 7.x and an older HP printer. It needs a go between bridge etc. that Apple sure doesn't expend much energy explaining as you discovered with your search. ;P

That seems to be supported here with such comments:
*Wireless printing over USB requires a compatible printer and OS X v10.2.7 or later, …"
https://www.apple.com/ca/airport-express/#printing

"The AirPrint Express, on its own, only enables you to print wirelessly from other Macs on your network. If you want to also print from a iOS device you will need to install the HandyPrint app (above) on a Mac. This will then bridge to the AirPrint printer attached to the AirPort Express. …"
Install AirPrint on any printer - How to - Macworld UK

EDIT:
And an updated article I just spotted and some other options:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/ipad/how-print-from-ipad-iphone-3459464/

I can only report my personal experience - when I first started using AirPrint I had a non-AirPrint printer connected to an AirPort Express via USB and it worked fine. No involvement from a computer was needed.

Given how cheap printers are these days, the simplest option may be to just buy an AirPrint compatible device...

ETA: just had a quick search and I could buy a basic AirPrint compatible printer for half the price of an AirPort Express, so that seems like the best way to go!

Interesting dbm that the setup worked for you, but Apple has been know to make errors, but were you printing from an iOS device??

The setup will normally work with any OS X Mac.

If the OP goes the AEx (AirPort Express) route, Apple often has the Refurbished AirPort Express at a reduced price and it may even be needed or at least easier to setup even if they do purchase a newer wi-fi printer. Our's worked well for the Canon wireless AIO unit I purchased a few months ago to replace an old HP AIO that just decided to go berserk an die in the middle of the afternoon, and it wasn't even being used.

I was printing from iPad and iPhone.

dbm said:

I was printing from iPad and iPhone.

Click to expand...

Hmmm…??? And no extra third party software installed??? If so, that's strange and maybe you could write a revised updated manual. Or am I and others really missing something to get the iOS "airprint" working directly with an AirPort Express???

There was no computer in use, after the setup was complete. Just the iOS device and the printer via AE.

I don't have that setup anymore, I upgraded to a native AirPrint device a couple of years ago.

Maybe it's the difference between 'could work' and 'supported'?

I'm going to try a couple of things. I will report back with the results.

Thank you all again for your input.