Wi Fi printing with Ipad

[Harry_Marks]

I have tried to print from my Ipad 1 to my WiFi Kodak ESP C310 AiO printer. I have downloaded various applications from the ITunes app store onto my Ipad which all say that they can be used with any printer.

The software works ok up to the point where it needs to talk to the printer. However when I send the command to the printer the Ipad registers that the printer is busy but it is not?

I also read somewhere that Ipad appears to only like HP printers and Mr Kodak has not yet caught up!!!!? Can someone help please?

 

[giradman]

Hi Harry - first, welcome to the forum -

Second, I would suggest that you do some 'searching', i.e. there have been numerous threads & posts concerning printing from the iPad; your question(s) may have already been answered?

However, to print via Wi-Fi, the easiest option seems to be to use Apple's AirPrint - check HERE; unfortunately HP makes the only compatible printers at this time (a list is shown in the link).

Now in other threads that I've perused, there are other options - so take a look and hopefully others who have accomplished this goal w/o an HP printer will 'chime in' - good luck!

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Apple have their own proprietary printing protocol called 'AirPrint'. Only a few printers support it at present - HP is one of those that do and you can see if your model is on the list at the Apple web site

Apple - iPad - Print right from your iPad with AirPrint.


If it is there, then you can print directly under iOS 4.2 and 4.3 from apps that support in-app printing, such as Apple's iPad iWorks suite ('Pages', 'Numbers' and 'Keynote'). Not all apps support in-app printing, so you need to check out whether the app you're interested in does. For example, Apple's native iPad 'Calendar' app does not support in-app printing.

If your printer is not on the list then there are third-party apps that can help. Some printer manufacturers have released apps for PCs with their printers connected (i.e. Lexmark). On these models, an app on your PC or Mac 'pretends' to be an AirPrint printer and the app translates the AirPrint printing protocol into a form that the printer understands.

However, there are standalone apps for the iPad and 'Print N Share' is one of the best known. It can print directly from the iPad to a WiFi printer without any PC being involved. It does this by 'pretending' to be an AirPrint printer. It then, similar to the previous case, translates the AirPrint printing protocol to a form that your printer understands.

Most all WiFi equipped printers are supported by 'Print N Share' but even those few that are not are able to print via a PC using, again, a small (free) app that's available from the developers of 'Print N Share'. Once again, this app sits on your PC or Mac and links your iPad to the printer via your PC - meaning, too, that the printer can be WiFi, USB or even Bluetooth. The downside is that the PC has to be switched on.

One 'issue' that sometimes confounds users of 'Print N Share' is that this only works under iOS 4.2 or 4.3 - the iPad's 'multi-tasking' operating system (OS). 'Print N Share' needs to be loaded and running before you can print!! So, if you're going to be doing some printing, you need to first of all fire up 'Print N Share' and leave it running in the background. You can check whether it is running by double tapping the iPad's 'Home' button, to see the tasks that are 'loaded' in the 'Multi-task' menu bar. For various reasons, it's helpful if 'Print N Share' was loaded quite recently. If you haven't printed for a while, use the multi-task bar to 're-activate' it.

Hope this helps, but don't hesitate to post any more detailed questions that you might have.

Tim
Scotland

 

[Harry_Marks]

Kodak WiFi printing with Ipad

Thanks to all who supplied with answers. Unfortunately I have tried all these answers without any luck!!!
Perhaps it's up to Mr Kodak to get him self in with Apple or he could miss out in this ever changing electronics world.

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

I have tried to print from my Ipad 1 to my WiFi Kodak ESP C310 AiO printer. I have downloaded various applications from the ITunes app store onto my Ipad which all say that they can be used with any printer.

The software works ok up to the point where it needs to talk to the printer. However when I send the command to the printer the Ipad registers that the printer is busy but it is not?

I also read somewhere that Ipad appears to only like HP printers and Mr Kodak has not yet caught up!!!!? Can someone help please?

If you're happy to leave your PC switched on and connected to your printer then Fingerprint is the answer. It's a PC app that makes the PC 'look' like an AirPrint printer. I have it on my PC and it works flawlessly. There's a 7-day trial version available from the Developer (since it's an app that runs on the PC and not the iPad, it's available from the Developer not the iPad App Store)

Tim

 

[giradman]

If you're happy to leave your PC switched on and connected to your printer then Fingerprint is the answer. It's a PC app that makes the PC 'look' like an AirPrint printer. I have it on my PC and it works flawlessly. There's a 7-day trial version available from the Developer (since it's an app that runs on the PC and not the iPad, it's available from the Developer not the iPad App Store)

Hi Tim - I was reviewing the program mentioned above; could not find a lot of installation information? But I have a Canon Pixma printer hooked up to our DT PC (XP SP3) - although we have a Wi-Fi network, the printer is not on the network at the moment (just not a big need for me).

So, my question is if I put Fingerprint on the PC hooked to the printer, do I need to 'share' the printer on the network or will Fingerprint receive the print information and simply work w/ the Canon printer? Also, I assume that this program is $10 or less?

Thanks for any additional information - Dave

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Fingerprint has a free 7-day version; the paid version was $9.99 last time I looked. It's as close to plug and play as you'll get. You download the program onto your PC and install it - double click the usual .exe file - then it presents you with a list of printers that are attached to your PC - it's the same list as you get in your Windows print dialog box. You can select which printers you want to be available to the iPad. And that's it.......

FingerPrint makes the PC 'look' like an AirPrint printer. So, when you try to print from the iPad, it detects your PC/Fingerprint as a valid AirPrint printer and offers you a choice of the printers that you ticked in the step above. Choose the one you want and that's it. No printer sharing or any other complications. As I said - it's as close to plug-and-play as you're going to get...

I like it because there's no app on the iPad - so in-app printing is fully supported. Most of the other apps that you use on the iPad don't support in-app printing any longer after Apple made them withdraw that functionality as it used undocumented APIs in iOS.

Tim

If you're happy to leave your PC switched on and connected to your printer then Fingerprint is the answer. It's a PC app that makes the PC 'look' like an AirPrint printer. I have it on my PC and it works flawlessly. There's a 7-day trial version available from the Developer (since it's an app that runs on the PC and not the iPad, it's available from the Developer not the iPad App Store)

Hi Tim - I was reviewing the program mentioned above; could not find a lot of installation information? But I have a Canon Pixma printer hooked up to our DT PC (XP SP3) - although we have a Wi-Fi network, the printer is not on the network at the moment (just not a big need for me).

So, my question is if I put Fingerprint on the PC hooked to the printer, do I need to 'share' the printer on the network or will Fingerprint receive the print information and simply work w/ the Canon printer? Also, I assume that this program is $10 or less?

Thanks for any additional information - Dave

 

[TheRambler]

Fingerprint sounds great, and as my computer is on 24/7 then it seems like this could be my perfect solution!!
I'll try the ten day trial when I get home and update you on my findings. Let's hope it does what it says!!

 

[giradman]

Thanks Tim for the additional information above - sounds like great app & solution; we're likely buying a new computer in the fall, so I'm assuming I can just put it on that one w/o a re-purchase?

 

[Tim SPRACKLEN]

Thanks Tim for the additional information above - sounds like great app & solution; we're likely buying a new computer in the fall, so I'm assuming I can just put it on that one w/o a re-purchase?

As far as I'm aware - not sure what security they use - if they check the PC's MAC address then it's a no-go but I'm sure that, in that event, if you removed it from the old machine and contacted the Developer, they'd re-authorise it for you.

Tim