Setting up a wireless connection between a printer and a Macintosh

Hi, I'm a novice Mac user, and I have a question (obviously).

Would any of you let me know if the following instructions are correct?

Scenario: I have a printer with a wireless network adapter and I would like to set it up wirelessly with my Macintosh.

1. Open Internet Connect, and then select Airport.
2. From the Network pop-up menu, select print server XXXX (where XXXX is the last 4 digits of my printer's MAC address.
3. Open Safari.
4. Click on the little book icon, and then select Bonjour.
5. Then I double-click my printer model, and then click Configuration.
6. Click Wireless.
7. Then I change the following:
   - SSID
   - BSS type (infrastructure or ad hoc)
   - select type of security[/INDENT]
8. Then click Submit.
9. I open Internet Connect again, and then select Airport.
10. From the Network pop-up menu, I select my original network.
11. Then I install the CD that came with my printer and follow the instructions on the screen.

I'm having trouble connecting to the printer, and someone told me that before I click Submit (when I'm in Safari), I should first revert to my original network. When I revert to my original network, it is then that I should click Submit in Safari. I'm confused... (because it doesn't make sense to me...) which is why I'm asking for input from others.

Thanks in advance for your help!

em-jay said:

Hi, I'm a novice Mac user, and I have a question (obviously).

Would any of you let me know if the following instructions are correct?

Scenario: I have a printer with a wireless network adapter and I would like to set it up wirelessly with my Macintosh.

1. Open Internet Connect, and then select Airport.
2. From the Network pop-up menu, select print server XXXX (where XXXX is the last 4 digits of my printer's MAC address.
3. Open Safari.
4. Click on the little book icon, and then select Bonjour.
5. Then I double-click my printer model, and then click Configuration.
6. Click Wireless.
7. Then I change the following:
   - SSID
   - BSS type (infrastructure or ad hoc)
   - select type of security[/INDENT]
8. Then click Submit.
9. I open Internet Connect again, and then select Airport.
10. From the Network pop-up menu, I select my original network.
11. Then I install the CD that came with my printer and follow the instructions on the screen.

I'm having trouble connecting to the printer, and someone told me that before I click Submit (when I'm in Safari), I should first revert to my original network. When I revert to my original network, it is then that I should click Submit in Safari. I'm confused... (because it doesn't make sense to me...) which is why I'm asking for input from others.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Click to expand...

What kind of printer is it and what kind of wireless adapter?

Some printers simply won't work over a network connection because the drivers were designed specifically to work over a USB connection. Sometimes we can find workarounds, but it's more often the case that you'll have to find an alternative driver. It sounds like your process is correct to establish a connection, it's just that you don't have the right driver.

See the Networking Printers FAQ for more info.

Hi, cwa107. Thanks for replying!

It's a Lexmark X4550. The process seems to be that I set up a wireless connection between the computer and the printer first before I install the driver. The part of the instruction where I have to insert the CD doesn't come until much later (step 11). Another owner of the printer pointed out that the instructions were wrong. That instead of proceeding to step 8 after 7, I should do steps 9-10 first, then do step 8. He says that's the correct sequence because if I do step 8 without first reverting to my original connection, I will not be able to establish a connection because the print server is still selected in Internet Connect.

em-jay said:

Hi, cwa107. Thanks for replying!

It's a Lexmark X4550. The process seems to be that I set up a wireless connection between the computer and the printer first before I install the driver. The part of the instruction where I have to insert the CD doesn't come until much later (step 11). Another owner of the printer pointed out that the instructions were wrong. That instead of proceeding to step 8 after 7, I should do steps 9-10 first, then do step 8. And then I should insert the CD.

Click to expand...

Is the wireless adapter integrated into the printer or is it a separate device?

The adapter's integrated.

em-jay said:

The adapter's integrated.

Click to expand...

This is direct from Lexmark, I would follow their procedure to the letter and contact their tech support if it doesn't work:

http://support.lexmark.com/cgi-perl...583:0:0&docid=ENUS27604&mediaFormat=Printable

cwa107 said:

This is direct from Lexmark, I would follow their procedure to the letter and contact their tech support if it doesn't work:

http://support.lexmark.com/cgi-perl...583:0:0&docid=ENUS27604&mediaFormat=Printable

Click to expand...

Thank you! I'll try this.