Can I print wirelessly to a printer not attached to a pc?

[Pocket8181]

Hello all. I am looking for help concerning my printing wirelessly from my iPad. I would like to buy a printer and plug it into an outlet, not attached to a pc, and be able to print wirelessly from my iPad. Can this be done? I no longer see print central available in the app store. What else can I use? Do I need any specific specs on the printer like Bluetooth? Thanks from this beginner for the help!

 

[accordlayingkit]

Hello all. I am looking for help concerning my printing wirelessly from my iPad. I would like to buy a printer and plug it into an outlet, not attached to a pc, and be able to print wirelessly from my iPad. Can this be done? I no longer see print central available in the app store. What else can I use? Do I need any specific specs on the printer like Bluetooth? Thanks from this beginner for the help!

Check out "print and share" just read that there making this there flagship app for whatever reason. It's by the same company that print central is. I haven't looked at it much as I have print central and works fine. That's weird that it's gone now

 

[ThePhotog]

Start be researching everything you can on AirPrint

Sent from my iPhone using iPF

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

As the previous poster suggested, the iPad can print directly and wirelessly to a WiFi printer that is AirPrint compatible. AirPrint is Apple's proprietary printing protocol that is currently supported by only a small number of printers. You can see the list here...

Apple - iPad - AirPrint

As another poster suggested, printers that are not AirPrint compatible can be used by means of a number of third-party apps. 'Print N Share' can print directly to most (but not all) wireless printers. I have yet to find a list of the supported printers. Print N Share can print to all printers via a wireless connection to a PC but, as you specifically mention you want to be able to print directly, you'll need to be careful if you go the Print N Share route. One advantage of Print N Share over some other third-party printing apps is that it cleverly inserts itself into the print menu of iPad apps that support printing and 'appears' to be an AirPrint printer.

As you're probably aware, not all iPad apps support in-app printing. So, for example, while Apple's 'Pages' (MS Word) app does support in-app AirPrint printing, its native calendar app does not.

If you do decide to go the Print N Share route you could search on this Forum for members who have used this app. The company used to market a similar (identical?) app called PrintCentral (I have this) until very recently and, for reasons that no one seems to know why, it's 'disappeared' from the app store. Print N Share seems to be identical in every respect. So it would be better to search the Forum, using the Search button near the top of the web page, for PrintCentral to find members' experiences with using this app.

Tim
Scotland

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I should have said that the iPad does not support Bluetooth printers...so that route is not available. WiFi only, I'm afraid.....

Tim
Scotland

 

[twerppoet]

If you're already committed to buying a new printer, you might as well look over the AirPrint capable ones first. If they fit your needs and budget they will be more likely to work and have support, and you won't be depending on a third party app to keep you in business.

That's not to say that PrintCentral, Print n Share, or Print are bad apps. Everything I hear about them says otherwise. But why put a third gear in the box if you can make it work with two?

 

[ZibaWal]

I have a brother and can't make it work so far

 

[gentlefury]

Wireless printers are not supposed to be plugged into anything but the wall.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I have a brother and can't make it work so far

Are you using 'Print N Share'? If so, have you installed the PC app? Give us some more details and we'll try and help. By the way, if you're using Print N Share and you want to utilise in-app printing there are two prerequisites.

(a) you need iOS 4.2.1 - the multi-tasking version of the OS.
(b) the Print N Share app has to be 'running'. Double click the 'Home' button and check to see if Print N Share is running by looking for its icon.

If you have to use the PC app to print to a printer not directly supported by Print N Share, then that printer can be connected to your PC by any means - in my case I have a Samsung Color Laser printer that's not directly supported but it works just fine via my PC (wirelessly).

One advantage of Print N Share printing via your PC - other than its integration with the in-app print menu - is that you get all the print choices that you'd get from your PC so, if you have multiple printers attached, you get to choose from the iPad which printer it will print to.

Send us some more details of the problem.....

Enjoy your iPad

Tim
Scotland

 

[LadyPilot]

My problem is a tad different. I have NO wireless network. None. Zilch. I have NO telephone line. I use the iPad for a telephone via Textfree w/voice and watch TV with the Netflix app. My mountain home is rural with a capital R. I do not even have access to a 3G network so most of the time I'm on the Edge network. Is there any way to print from the iPad without any wireless? And without using a computer? In other words, is there a way to print from the iPad with nothing in the room but the printer, the iPad and a power source?


iPad 3G 64gb
iPod 3rd Gen
iPod Shuffle
Zaggmate

 

[twerppoet]

Not that I can think of.

But you could buy a cheap router. The router would not have to have an internet connection. As long as both the iPad and AirPrint printer can join it you could print. You might need a computer to set it up the router, though there are some that advertise as out-of-the-box ready.

 

[Kidson]

Try this out - works quite well for me -

netputing.com/airprintactivator

 

[dgstamper]

iPad printing

I am looking to purchase an HP CP1025NW printer. It is not on the list of HP printers for AirPrint, has anyone tried other printers?

 

[DontUnderstandMyIpad]

My problem is a tad different. I have NO wireless network. None. Zilch. I have NO telephone line. I use the iPad for a telephone via Textfree w/voice and watch TV with the Netflix app. My mountain home is rural with a capital R. I do not even have access to a 3G network so most of the time I'm on the Edge network. Is there any way to print from the iPad without any wireless? And without using a computer? In other words, is there a way to print from the iPad with nothing in the room but the printer, the iPad and a power source?

iPad 3G 64gb
iPod 3rd Gen
iPod Shuffle
Zaggmate

Not that I know off.

The printer needs to be connected to some network device, either a PC or a wifi router.

There is a slight problem though, if you were to buy a wifi router, such as the Airport Express, and that is when the iPad is connected to wifi, it will not use 3G. Meaning if your wifi doesn't have an Internet connection, the iPad will not have Internet connection either, even if it is also connected to 3G. So you would have to only join the wifi for the times you want to print.