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How do I configure a LAN printer on Mac OS X?

Dave, I know nothing about Mac print sharing/usage ... is there a good way to either use a networked printer, or perhaps use a printer connected to either the Mac or PC?

Dave's Answer:

Networked printers (sometimes called "IP printers"), where they can plug directly into your router and operate independently of any individual computer, are a great improvement to home and small business local area networks.

Getting them set up should theoretically be pretty straightforward, particularly on the Macintosh, but my experience is that I've had to go through a few little fiddles to get things actually working properly.

The first step is to plug the printer into the LAN router and turn it on. Print out a diagnostics page which should include the IP address that the printer was assigned by your DHCP server (if you aren't running DHCP, things get a lot more complex. I strongly suggest that you switch to DHCP within your local area network)

On the Mac that you'd like to have work with the printer, launch the Printer Setup Utility (Applications -> Utilities -> Printer Setup Utility) and click on "Add". The dialog box that appears should offer quite a range of different ways to connect to the printer, as shown here:

adding a LAN printer to a Mac OS X system

You can try browsing for an IP printer, but in my experience that's never actually found my networked printers, so instead choose "IP Printer" and enter the four-digit IP address from the printer's configuration / test page. It should look something like this: 192.168.1.104. Enter it with the periods in the "Printer Address" box, then select your printer from the Printer Model pop-up.

The utility automatically assigns a printer name based on the IP address of the printer, which you can change to the printer name, a nickname, the location of the printer in your office, whatever you prefer. I always change mine to the name of the printer.

Click "Add" and the new printer should show up on your Printer List, as you can see my HP IP printer shows up here:

As an optional last step, you can select the printer and click "Make Default" to make it the new default printer for your Macintosh. Don't forget that you'll probably need to quit and restart your running applications for them to know about the new printer.

That should get you up and running!

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Comments

Istead of connecting the printer directly to the router, I have a laser printer and color printer connected to a PC. How do I set up these printers so that all wireless computers (PC, iMac and iBook) can print through the wireless router?

Posted by: Mark at January 15, 2009 8:52 AM

i have printer canon IR2870 and i am trying to configure it at MAC workstation , but the problem that everyone who want to print something must have ID & Password ,but MAC not askinf for any of those ,after giving the order it is going to the printer ,printer dealing with it as unknow user and don't print ,so any one can help me with this problem ,i am printing using any workstation with windows Operating system and it is ok

Posted by: Ahmad at February 12, 2009 7:42 AM

I have been trying to set this up for a client of mine. We support there windows setup, but do the mac out of good will. A d-link print server is setup, dhcp and is working in that I can connect and print fine from any windows pc. However the mac refuses to see it. IP address or UNC style address, makes no difference, apparently the address is invaild....but it works fine with the same address through windows. Even the IP address is no accepted - displayed as invalid address! Is there a special/secret way to type IP addresses or UNC type addresses into a mac? Why is it telling me the address is invalid when it clearly is not?

Posted by: David at September 3, 2009 9:42 AM

Hi there. I'm trying to find this utility in 10.5.8 and can't seem to find it. My wife is trying to set up her Ricoh at her new office. The printer has AppleTalk turned on but her computer can't see it. Figured something like this might help "force locate" it. Very frustrating that the PC's can see it immediately. Any thoughts?

Posted by: Dan at September 16, 2009 12:42 PM

Hi Dave.

Hp doesn't seem to want to help me with this without having to charge me for it. Would you know how to set up and configure my HP6 with my iMac?

Thank you for your help.

Posted by: george at November 2, 2009 8:02 AM

I can't help with specifics without having the printer in my office, George, but I'd be surprised if Snow Leopard couldn't automatically see and configure an HP laser printer. Have you tried hooking it up via USB then just doing "add printer"?

Posted by: Dave Taylor at November 7, 2009 10:00 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!