Printing to a wired printer

[Kik]

Hi people

 

[pcastricum]

I ran into this problem after I purchased my iPad1 in December 2010 when I found out that I needed a WiFi capable printer (I have a Lexmark C500 laser which is USB) .

I found an application called Fingerprint which is made by a company called Collobos Software (www.collobos.com) and it works great. You download the application and install it on your computer and follow configuration instructions. Once installed and configured, your iPad will recognize it and you'll be able to print. Just remember, both your computer and printer must be running in order to be able to print.

 

[baxlobs]

I hoped that this thread might have been the answer to our problem, but so far no luck.

My wife has just bought an iPad 3, my PC is Windows XP updated to SP3, and I have loaded Fingerprint. My PC and printer are both on and Fingerprint is running. However when we try to print the iPad cannot find any printers.

My 1st guess is that the PC has to be connected Wirelessly to the router rather than by Ethernet cable which mine is. Is this the cause of my problem?

2nd guess is that there is something more complicated to do with Workgroups that needs to be set up correctly.

 

[twerppoet]

My 1st guess is that the PC has to be connected Wirelessly to the router rather than by Ethernet cable which mine is. Is this the cause of my problem?

That is probably it. AirPrint is a wireless protocol. In ordered to emulate it the computer needs to be wireless. It won't be able to do it second hand through a router.

If your router is a Netgear router: Some NetGear router models support NetGear Genie, which will add AirPrint support for printers on your network. If the printer is not wireless, it must be shared on the network, and the computer it is connected to must be on.

The difference here is that the Netgear router becomes the AirPrint server, not the computer.

 

[baxlobs]

twerppoet,

Many thanks, I will have to look into changing to a wireless connection. The router is a BT HomeHub, so can't do the Netgear trick.

 

[twerppoet]

Sounds like your best bet.

Every other solution I know of means buying new hardware, either a specialized AirPrint server from Lantronix or just getting a new printer with AirPrint built in. Getting your printer onto the wi-fi network is probably the cheaper, even if you have to buy a card for it. Though not a whole lot cheaper. Both the Lantronix XPrintServer and an AirPrint compatible printer can be had for about $100.

 

[DocPhyz]

I hoped that this thread might have been the answer to our problem, but so far no luck.

My wife has just bought an iPad 3, my PC is Windows XP updated to SP3, and I have loaded Fingerprint. My PC and printer are both on and Fingerprint is running. However when we try to print the iPad cannot find any printers.

My 1st guess is that the PC has to be connected Wirelessly to the router rather than by Ethernet cable which mine is. Is this the cause of my problem?

2nd guess is that there is something more complicated to do with Workgroups that needs to be set up correctly.

My setup is similar to yours, old HP printer connected to my router by Ethernet, like the PC. FingerPrint didn't work with my iPad3 after iOS6 was installed, though it still worked with an iPod Touch 4 that was still running iOS5.1.1. Problem turned out to be I was still running FingerPrint version1; when I upgraded to version 2.1, everything now works. Version 2 came out last year, 2.1 gives compatibility with iOS6. So check your FingerPrint version next.

 

[baxlobs]

My setup is similar to yours, old HP printer connected to my router by Ethernet, like the PC. FingerPrint didn't work with my iPad3 after iOS6 was installed, though it still worked with an iPod Touch 4 that was still running iOS5.1.1. Problem turned out to be I was still running FingerPrint version1; when I upgraded to version 2.1, everything now works. Version 2 came out last year, 2.1 gives compatibility with iOS6. So check your FingerPrint version next.

Thanks, but I have Fingerprint 2.1 already. I have ordered a WiFi adaptor for my PC so that I can connect wirelessly, rather than via ethernet cable, and hope that will resolve the problem.

 

[retexan599]

My setup is similar to yours, old HP printer connected to my router by Ethernet, like the PC. FingerPrint didn't work with my iPad3 after iOS6 was installed, though it still worked with an iPod Touch 4 that was still running iOS5.1.1. Problem turned out to be I was still running FingerPrint version1; when I upgraded to version 2.1, everything now works. Version 2 came out last year, 2.1 gives compatibility with iOS6. So check your FingerPrint version next.

I also found that I needed to upgrade to FingerPrint 2 to enable printing from my iPad 2 after iOS6. Interestingly, with the original FingerPrint, clicking on File|Updates it said that Version 1.x.x that I had was the latest version. I had to go to their website to get FingerPrint 2. Works fine again.

 

[WillS]

Yeah but the only problem is version 2 of fingerprint is not a free upgrade. It costs $19.95 per PC. I use fingerprint on 2 machines, one at work and one at home, so it's going to cost me $40 to upgrade. Seems a little greedy to me.

 

[twerppoet]

There is an upgrade price discount.

What is FingerPrint?

 

[WillS]

Very cool. Thanks. The upgrade offer I saw expired at the end of August. Of course, at that time we didn't know that v1 wouldn't work with iOS 6

 

[twerppoet]

No problem.

I about half panicked when I read your post, but then remembered that I use Printopia.

 

[ipadder474]

I am just wondering if the Apple Print n share program will work on other non Apple devices?

 

[twerppoet]

The app itself, no. The companion app for the computer side, WePrint, is available for both Mac and PC.

And though it was once featured, it's not an Apple app. EuroSmartz is it's developer.

Print n Share for documents & email for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on the iTunes App Store