Have multiple computers in your home? Want to be free of wires? Consider using a HP wireless printer. HP wireless printers have everything you need built in without the need to purchase extra equipment such as a router, though you can still use one if you want. Many HP wireless printers allow you to scan wirelessly as well.
What Do You Need?
HP wireless printers require little equipment on your part. First, be sure the HP printer you purchase states that it is wireless, with a wireless networking card built in. Without the networking card, you will need a router. Most HP wireless printers made since 2008 have built in wireless cards.
Next, you’ll need a wireless computer. You can use a computer with wireless built in or you can use a wireless adapter. If you do not want to open up your computer, use a USB wireless adapter which plugs into any available USB port. Installation takes only a few minutes.
Preparation
Unpackage your HP wireless printer. Connect the power cable to the printer and plug the printer into an available power outlet. To keep your printer safe from power surges, consider using a surge protector. Place the printer near the computer you plan to install the software on. In some cases, you need to connect the printer to your computer during the initial installation. Do not turn on your printer or connect the USB cable to your computer yet.
Software
Insert the disk containing the HP wireless printer drivers and software. Follow the prompts to install the drivers. The software is optional, but does provide tools for scanning, copying and customizing your printer. The full installation takes around five to ten minutes.
You can typically connect your printer without installing the drivers and software, but errors may occur later on due to driver issues.
Installing the Printer
When prompted by the software wizard, turn on your HP wireless printer. The power button is located on top of the printer. Wait for the software to recognize your printer. When the name of the printer, which is the model number, is displayed, select it. If the printer is not found on the network, connect the provided USB cable to your printer and computer.
Once the printer is recognized, follow the prompts to set up your network settings. Choose your printer name, which should be something easy to recognize such as the location of the printer, and an IP address. Unless you have a large network, use a dynamic IP address, which is chosen for you automatically. A static IP address allows you to dedicate a single IP address to your printer. The HP software helps you set both types of IP addresses.
Press “Continue” to finish the HP wireless printer setup. Once the setup is complete, you can disconnect the printer from your computer. Print a test page to ensure everything works properly. All details, including the printer name and IP address are listed on the test page.
Connecting Other Computers
After installation is complete, other computers can install the HP wireless printer without using the software disk. On the other computers, go to “Start” and select “Devices and Printers” or “Printers and Faxes,” depending on your operating system. Select “Add a Printer.” Select “Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer.” Wait for the printer to be displayed. The printer must be on in order to be visible in the list.
Select the printer and press “Next.” Windows will pull any required drivers from the HP wireless printer, the operating system and the Internet, if necessary. No user interaction is needed during the installation process. Print a test page when prompted to ensure the printer is responding.
HP wireless printers are extremely easy to install and require very little hardware. The printer appears in your list of available printers as if it were physically connected, but without wires or the need to have a separate printer for each computer in your home or office.
