Once your printer arrives at your home or office, you will need to plug the device in. Connect the printer and computer with the right cable to the right connections – and off you go? In fact, advanced technology makes it true: more and more printer manufacturers are offering so-called plug & play for more and more printers and multifunction devices, plug in and get started. The manual tells you whether your device is one of them. For more information you can also visit our site Super Image LTD.

Even without plug & play, connecting a printer is not rocket science – especially with our guide, which tells you how to connect a printer correctly. You can find out how to install the printer after connecting it in the linked guide.

Connect printer with cable

The print cable is the connection between printer and computer that provides the means for transferring information.

Cable includes a data cable and a printer cable. Sometimes a printer may come with a cable, but not always. You have to get one separately.

Today, the printer cable is usually a USB cable that easily fits into the USB ports on the PC.

Printers have been used in the past, and you can find out more about this in the printer cable guide if you’re more interested in that.

It’s possible that your older version of Windows won’t recognize the external hard drive.

Connect printer via USB – Windows

Make sure the USB cable is long enough to fit loosely between the computer and the device. Make sure that it cannot be run over by an office chair or damaged in any other way.

• Plug one end of the printer cable into the printer and the other end into a matching USB port on your computer.
• Connect the printer to the mains with the power cable.
• You must start by installing the correct driver for the printer on your PC or laptop. Then, turn it on and boot it up. Next, turn on the printer.
• Your computer / laptop should be switched on and booted up. Now turn on the printer.
• If the printer stops printing or has other problems, look on the back for a red or green switch. Turn this switch off and restart the printer.
• Laser printer on/off main switch, especially if you’re using a multifunction device, is very useful, but you’ll find it in addition to the normal on/off
• If you already have a printer driver installed, it is likely that the installation process will begin automatically.
• Follow the instructions on your screen.

Connect printer via USB – installation does not start automatically in Windows

If the installation does not start automatically, follow the steps below:

• Go to the Control Panel or Settings.
• Go to Devices and Printers. Your newly connected printer may already be displayed. Otherwise you can also select the item “Add printer or scanner”. Your printer should now be discoverable.
• Select “Add a device” and follow the on-screen instructions, which initiate the installation of the driver and other printer software, if any.

If you can’t connect your printer to your PC or laptop, check whether the USB standard of the USB port is sufficient for a connection to the printer.

A printer cable will not work on a different USB port.

To find out which USB standard your printer requires, you’ll need to look it up in the manual or online.

Connect printer via USB – macOS

With the operating system from Apple, macOS, you proceed as follows:

• Connect the printer cable between the Mac and the printer to both devices. If you do need to remove the ceiling panel you should be able to lay it loose and easily.
• Connect the printer to the mains.
• Turn on the printer then Start your Mac.
• Go to “System Preferences” so select “Printers & Scanners”.
• Below the list of listed devices on the left, use the “+” icon to select the new printer.
• The macOS operating system automatically searches for the right driver.
• Confirm “Download & Install”. After the installation on the computer you can use the printer.

Connect printer via router and use as network printer

If you want to share the printer with other devices, it’s easy to do so via Wi-Fi. Just configure the router and the printer, and you can access it from any device.

The AVM FritzBox is the router that is most frequently used. To connect to the network, plug the printer into the router using a cable and the power cord.

If you have a USB wireless adapter for your PC, then go to Windows Control Panel > Device Manager and double-click on it.
Select “Add a Printer” and choose the printer you’re going to use as a Wi-Fi router.

After you have done this, there you select “Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer” and follow our instructions in the guide to setting up a wireless printer.

This product allows users to print jobs to a local printer connected to the computer through the WiFi router.

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