Five Easy Steps to Setting Up a Wireless Printer

With wireless networks becoming the norm in network computing both at home and in offices, it is not surprising that these users of wireless network now faces and to set up a wireless printer to resolve any printing needs they may have. After all, since wireless printers do not require Ethernet or local area network cables, it is more economical to install them instead of sets meter after meter of network cables either at home or office.

Setting up a wireless printer is not a complicated case to implement. It can take as short as five steps to get it all done things.

Step # 1: Location of the wireless printer.

Since more than one computer would use the wireless printer. It makes sense to figure out the best place to put it. The wireless printer to be set up at a place in your home or office that is accessible to all and where there is ample room for paper, printer ink and other such paraphernalia.

Step # 2: Bluetooth or Wi-Fi?

There are two connectivity choices when it comes to setting up a wireless printer and these two choices are none other than Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Most new computers and printers today are equipped with either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi capability, but if not, it's easy to get a wireless card that can be put through a USB port. The only difference is that Bluetooth printers have a smaller range than Wi-Fi.

Step # 3: Enable Printer Sharing

The server computer's operating system must be informed that the printer will be added to its network is a wireless printer. In Windows Vista, this is done by accessing the network settings in Control Panel and then enable file and printer sharing in the local area network settings.

Step # 4: Share the printer.

The other computers on the network must also be set up to use the wireless printer. To do this in Windows Vista, open Control Panel in Classic View and then open Printers. Right-click the printer that is shared, and then open Properties. In Properties, select the box that allows the printer to be a single entity.

Step # 5: Ongoing Troubleshooting

Wireless networks are prone to disruption, and therefore it is important for who it is who maintains the wireless network at home or at the office to stay connected to the wireless printer active. Nothing is more annoying that setting up a wireless printer and then encounter many glitches afterwards.