Many people are familiar with the typical printer setup that requires a desktop or laptop computer to be directly connected to one another via a specific, often expensive, cable. This cable adds another entanglement into an area that is often already too crowded. Fortunately, printer manufacturers are now producing wireless printers that can be connected to any computer that is part of a wireless network. All that is needed to accomplish this wireless connectivity is the SSID (Service Set Identifier) and any password that may be required in order to access the wireless network.
Step 1
Obtain the SSID and pass phrase for your wireless network. The SSID is the name of the wireless network, and the pass phrase is the sequence of characters that must be entered to meet the established security requirements of the network. If you do not know this information, contact the person who manages your network.
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Step 2
Turn on your computer and wireless printer.
Step 3
Insert the printer's installation disc into your computer and begin the installation. If the disc does not begin to play automatically, then navigate to your disc drive and double click on the disc icon.
Step 4
Select the "wireless" option when prompted during installation. Most wireless printers also allow users to connect them as wired printers, so it is important to make this distinction during installation.
Step 5
Input your SSID when prompted. If your SSID is being broadcast, then you will be able to select it from the list of wireless networks in range. The installation may also refer to the SSID as your "network name."
Step 6
Enter your pass phrase when prompted. If your wireless network does not require a pass phrase, then you can leave this field blank.
Step 7
Print a test page to ensure that the computer can effectively communicate with the wireless printer. If the test page does not print successfully, ensure that the computer and the printer are both on the same network and that the SSID and pass phrase entered into the wireless printer setup were spelled correctly.