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Kali

(55,829 posts)
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 08:22 PM Dec 2019

can someone give me super simple instructions for hooking printer up on wifi?

my printer is connected by wire so I don't have any idea how to help a friend with his. older gentleman who had his printer connected wirelessly in his old home, new home, new internet company. needs to get printer going so he can do his x-mas letters! (meanwhile I am still not ready for 4th of July)

if there is a quick bullet point list, I could email it to him or take it by next time I am in town.

all I know is it is a Brother, no model number and his laptop is windows 7

got the wifi for laptop connected today but the situation was strange and there may or may not be multiople passwords involved. we ended up pushing some wifi button on his modem to hook up "fast" since passwords and keys didn't seem to work. I never could get my phone to connect, but his laptop was connected when I left.

17 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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can someone give me super simple instructions for hooking printer up on wifi? (Original Post) Kali Dec 2019 OP
What I did was start the sequence to email Ilsa Dec 2019 #1
he can do email now Kali Dec 2019 #3
I use an Iogear wifi to ethernet connector Xipe Totec Dec 2019 #2
that sounds kind of complicated Kali Dec 2019 #4
I know. It seems complicated. Xipe Totec Dec 2019 #5
ok thanks Kali Dec 2019 #9
Not enough information. LuvLoogie Dec 2019 #6
And if the printer is low-end enough it may not even have wifi sweetloukillbot Dec 2019 #8
it has it, he had it working that way in his last place Kali Dec 2019 #11
I think it is a combined router/modem? Kali Dec 2019 #10
Good Luck. only simple advice there is. 5X Dec 2019 #7
It's the same basic idea as connecting your phone Midnightwalk Dec 2019 #12
thanks! Kali Dec 2019 #13
Here's a link to standard router addresses Midnightwalk Dec 2019 #14
thanks again Kali Dec 2019 #15
well, we spent too much time trying to make it work today Kali Dec 2019 #16
It the printer is connected Midnightwalk Dec 2019 #17

Ilsa

(62,263 posts)
1. What I did was start the sequence to email
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 08:27 PM
Dec 2019

a scanned copy of a document. Then it started requesting a password for wifi and my email.

Good luck!

Xipe Totec

(44,086 posts)
2. I use an Iogear wifi to ethernet connector
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 08:31 PM
Dec 2019

To a Brother laser printer, as a matter of fact.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UAKCS6/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Been using it for 3 years now without a problem.

Used to have it connected by wire but when I moved to a new place, the printer was too far away from the wired connection.

Now I go from the wired connection on the Brother to the ethernet to wifi adapter, and from there to wifi router.

Xipe Totec

(44,086 posts)
5. I know. It seems complicated.
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 08:38 PM
Dec 2019

But basically, you have a gizmo that acts as if the printer was connected by wire to the cable router.

It's not all that hard.

But it seems that your friend's situation might even be simpler. From what I understand, his printer can connect to the WIFI directly, so you don't need an extra adapter if that's the case.

Your friend should be able to call his cable provider and ask for assistance in connecting his printer via WIFI.

Sometimes, the cable companies disable wifi connections in the router, so the first thing to do is get them to change that.

It's a service problem. they should be able to help him, free of charge.

Kali

(55,829 posts)
9. ok thanks
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 09:04 PM
Dec 2019

yes his printer was connected to wifi directly before. so he just needs to call them, or I will next time I am down there.

LuvLoogie

(7,562 posts)
6. Not enough information.
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 08:43 PM
Dec 2019

Model number of the printer is important, as user interfaces vary across makes and models.

Your best bet is to go to the manufacturer website and download a manual for that model.

Also is his laptop connecting to his service provider's modem or to a router connected to that modem?

sweetloukillbot

(12,632 posts)
8. And if the printer is low-end enough it may not even have wifi
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 09:03 PM
Dec 2019

I got sick of dealing w WiFi printers a few years ago and bought myself a basic laser printer without networking. It was dirt cheap and works great, I just need to connect through my desktop to print stuff.
But the model is key- you may not be able to connect to it wireless

Kali

(55,829 posts)
11. it has it, he had it working that way in his last place
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 09:09 PM
Dec 2019

so we know it should work, I just don't know the first steps for even starting. not sure who helped him hook it up originally though he thinks he remembers doing it once himself.

Kali

(55,829 posts)
10. I think it is a combined router/modem?
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 09:07 PM
Dec 2019

getting out of my comprehension status, but some kind of device from the phone company. I don't know the printer model (I'm 20 miles away) but he said he had an instruction booklet for it somewhere and was going to work on it from that angle unless I found something easier. sounds more like we need to call the provider for more info/help. 24/7 tech help was included in his contract!

Midnightwalk

(3,131 posts)
12. It's the same basic idea as connecting your phone
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 09:30 PM
Dec 2019

There should be some button or picture that looks like an attenae at least sort of on the front of the printer. Or look at the printer instructions.

Push that button and it should walk you through the network name, security type and password. If you can get thru that the printer should show up in the list of printers when you try to print

But you say you couldn’t get your phone to connect and you pushed the “easy setup” button. I haven’t had to deal with that for a while and I don’t have window pcs for years so Im kind of hazy on details.

You’ll need to figure out what the current settings are on the wifi router. You might be able to bring up a web page using 192.168.1.1 as the url. That is instead of putting democraticunderground.com into the browser put that ip address in on the pc that is able to connect. That ip address is pretty standard for routers. If that doesn’t work try 10.0.0.1.

If that works you can set the network name and password. If you can just display the password just do that and write it down.

If you can’t display the password you can set it but if you do warned the pc will no longer be able to connect until you go to network settings and put the new name/password in. The security should be something like wpa2. On mac i would click the wireless thing on the top right of screen. I think windows has something similar

Once you know the password you should be able to connect your phone to be sure. The phone is just easier to deal with than standing by the printer typing on a small screen. Once you’ve practiced on your phone push that attenae button on the printer display and do the steps it should walk you through.

Sorry that’s not very simple. This is the type of thing that I would flail at for an hour or so until i got it right. I haven’t had to deal with it for a few years now.

Midnightwalk

(3,131 posts)
14. Here's a link to standard router addresses
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 10:05 PM
Dec 2019

[link://https://www.techspot.com/amp/guides/287-default-router-ip-addresses/|]

Just in case the other 2 don’t work. If you have an ethernet cable and you lose the connection and can’t get it back you can plug the laptop into the router and get the browser up that way.

There’s a couple other useful tips at that site

Good luck!

Kali

(55,829 posts)
15. thanks again
Thu Dec 5, 2019, 10:13 PM
Dec 2019

it might be a few days before I get back down there, but I will update when we get it figured out!

Kali

(55,829 posts)
16. well, we spent too much time trying to make it work today
Sun Dec 8, 2019, 10:26 PM
Dec 2019

got the thing to seemingly connect but the laptop and the printer aren't seeing each other for some reason. went to wallyworld and got a cable for him to try setting it up that way and if it still doesn't work I told him to uninstall anything to do with the printer from the laptop and then reinstall from the DVD or CD whatever he had there.

any other ideas? hate to have to call centurylink, they say they provide 24/7 tech support but it takes a lot of robot menu button pushing to find a human.

Midnightwalk

(3,131 posts)
17. It the printer is connected
Mon Dec 9, 2019, 12:09 AM
Dec 2019

Try to print from your phone. If your phone sees the printer it’s probably some software thing on the pc. If you cant see the printer from your phone the printer must not be connected right somehow.

Sorry don’t have any better ideas.

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