[NikkiTH]

Is there a way to print from a laptop without being physically connected to the printer? My printer is upstairs and the laptop is downstairs. I have been just toting the laptop upstairs and connecting it to my printer. I am not networked or wireless. The laptop has those capabilities & I think the printer does if you have a ethernet cable(?) Hope this makes some sort of sense. Thanks :o

[JBeaucaire]

You have no network setup at all? If not, this isn't a simple question.

1. Buy a wireless router
2. Connect printer to wireless router through a network cable (printer has to be networkable)
3. Configure printer to a non-changing IP address in your local network (refer to your printer manual for instructions on setting the IP; refer to the router's setup instructions on what the default network range should be...probably 192.168.1.XXX or 192.168.10.XXX or something similar)
4. Connect laptop to router with a network cable and allow the router to assign it an IP address
5. Open the laptop's Printers and Faxes menu, then select ADD A PRINTER
6. When the wizard opens, click NEXT
7. Select Local Printer and click NEXT
8. Select Create a New Port, change the option to Standard TCP/IP Port and click NEXT
9. When the Add a Standard TCP/IP Printer Port Wizard appears, click NEXT
10. Type in the IP address you assigned to the printer earlier in step 3, then click NEXT
11. The computer will try to find that active IP on the network. If the printer is ON and configured properly, it will confirm and you can close up the wizard confirming the final windows. You've now added the live networked printer port as a local port you can use to attach a printer.
12. Return to the Add Printer Wizard and now select Use the following port
13. Scroll through the port options and select the port you just added, then click NEXT
14. The Install Printer Software box should appear and since you've used this printer before, it may already be highlighted as the correct printer. If not, find the correct one, then click NEXT
15. Keep existing driver, NEXT
16. When the Printer Name box appears, add the word WIRELESS to the name so you know which one to use when you're not connected directly to the router/printer in the future.
17. Set as Default = no (or yes, your call)
18. Click NEXT, then Do Not Share This Printer, then NEXT
19. Print a test page? Sure, go ahead.
20. After the test page completes, click FINISH
21. The printer is now setup and ready to use...disconnect your laptop from the router
22. Activate your laptop's wireless antenna and connect to your new router wirelessly
23. Once connected, your printer should immediately be available again.
24. LAST TIP - you can now connect your internet connection (cable or DSL) to the wireless router, too, and share that wireless connection to the laptop wirelessly...might as well since you bought the router.

Good luck. Doable, but a bit of a project.

[NikkiTH]

Hi rocket scientist! Thanks for taking the time to help me. When it comes to computers I need all the help I can get! I don't have wireless or dsl does that matter? I know, I know hard to believe some people still use dial-up. Thanks, Merci, mucho gracias...

[vingogly]

You would need a wireless router to be able to print wirelessly. It sets up a network that may or may not be connected to the internet. Thus, you could continue using your dial-up connection for surfing but use your wireless network for printing and for file sharing between your computers. One thing to keep in mind is, you could set up a wireless network only to find that the distance between the router and the living room is too great or there's interference in the building infrastructure that keeps it from working well.

I have seen problems getting some USB printers to work correctly with a wireless connection; I bought a cheap-o Canon C-120 and still haven't been able to get it to print wirelessly (it will do so with a hardwire connection). But you have an ethernet printer so I think you should be OK.