How to Connect a USB Printer to a Network

Locate the USB port on your router. Not all routers support USB connections. Most high-end routers come with USB connectivity features. If your router doesn’t support USB, you’ll need to purchase a print server to connect your printer to the network.

Connect the printer to the USB port on the router. If your router has a USB port, you can easily connect your printer through it.

Turn on the printer and wait for 60 seconds. If the printer isn’t ready, plug the power cord into a wall outlet or power strip. Then, turn on the printer and wait 60 seconds for the router to recognize the device.

Enable the printer sharing feature on the router. To activate printer sharing, open a web browser and enter the router’s IP address in the URL bar (commonly 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, 10.0.0.1, or similar). Log in to the router, and the firmware settings page will appear. Navigate to the USB menu, enable USB printer support or Printer Server mode, and save the settings. Each router has a unique firmware interface and login method.

• Refer to the user manual or technical support for your specific router to learn how to log in and enable printer sharing, as some routers may not support this feature. If you can’t find the Print sharing option, you may need to purchase an external print server.

Type Printers. The "Printers & Scanners" settings option will appear at the top of the Windows Start menu.

Click on Printers & Scanners. This option appears at the top of the Windows Start menu. The Printers & Scanners menu will open.

Click on Add a printer or scanner. Windows will scan for available devices. It’s likely that your desired printer won’t be detected initially.

Click on The printer that I want isn't listed. This option appears after Windows completes its scan for nearby printers.

Select "Add a local printer or network with manual settings" and click Next. This option is located at the bottom of the "Find a printer by other options" menu. Click the radio button for this option and then click "Next" at the bottom right of the menu.

Select "Create a new printer port". This is the second option in the "Choose a port" menu. You’ll need to click the radio button to select it.

Choose "Standard TCP/IP" and click Next. Use the drop-down menu next to "Type of port" to select "Standard TCP/IP", then click "Next" at the bottom right.

Enter the router's IP address and click on Next. Input the IP address you used to log into the router in the bar next to the "Hostname or IP address" title. The port name can be anything. After entering, click "Next" at the bottom right corner. Windows will start the port checking process.

Select "Custom" and click on Next. A custom port will be created with default settings. Once done, click "Next" at the bottom right corner.

Install the printer driver and click on Next. After adding the custom port, a window will pop up to install the printer driver. You can select the printer brand in the left box and the printer model on the right. If you have a driver installation CD, insert it into your computer and click the "Have disk" button.

Enter a name for the printer and click Next. You can add a printer name by typing in the bar next to the "Printer name" title, or you can leave it as default and click the "Next" button at the bottom right corner.

Select "Do not share this printer" and click "next". The printer setup is now complete. You can now click "Print a test page" to ensure the printer is working, then click "Finish". Repeat steps 5-17 for all Windows computers on the network that you want to grant printer access to.

Locate the USB port on the router. Not all routers support USB connections. Most high-end routers come equipped with USB functionality. If your router lacks USB support, you may need to purchase a print server to connect the printer to the network.

Connect the printer to the router's USB port. If your router has a USB port, you can easily link the printer through it.

Turn on the printer and wait for 60 seconds. If the printer isn't ready, plug the power cord into a wall outlet or power strip. Then, power on the printer and wait 60 seconds for the router to detect the device.

Enable printer sharing on the router. To activate printer sharing, open a web browser and enter the router's IP address in the URL bar (commonly 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, 10.0.0.1, or similar). Log in to the router, and the firmware settings page will appear. Navigate to the USB menu, enable USB printer support or Printer Server mode, and save the settings. Each router has a unique firmware interface and login method. Refer to the user manual or technical support for your specific router to learn how to log in and enable printer sharing. Some routers may not support print sharing. If you can't find this feature, you might need to purchase an external print server.

Click on System Preferences. This option is the second item in the Apple Menu. The System Preferences window will open.

Click on the Printers & Scanners icon. This option features a printer symbol.

Click the + button to add a printer. This button is located below the printer list on the right side of the "Printers & Scanners" window.

Enter the router's IP address in the "Address" field. This is the first bar in the window. Input the IP address you used to log into the printer.

Select "Line Printer Daemon" next to the "Protocol" option. The "Protocol" dropdown menu is located below the address bar. Click on it and choose "Line Printer Daemon."

Choose "Select Software" next to the "Use" option. Click the dropdown menu beside "Use" and select "Select Software." A list of available printer software will appear.

Select the manufacturer and model of your current printer, then click Ok. Enter the printer brand in the "Filter" search bar, choose the model number from the list, and click "Ok."

Click Add at the bottom right corner of the "Add" window. The printer driver will be installed, allowing you to add the printer for wireless printing via the router. Repeat steps 5-14 on all Mac computers in the network to grant printer access.

Plug in the print server. This device resembles a router in appearance. Choose a location near both the printer and the router to connect the print server.

Connect the printer to the print server. Use the USB cable connected to the printer and plug it into the print server.

Link the print server to the router. Here are a few methods to connect the print server to the router:

• Use an Ethernet cable: You can connect the print server to the router using an Ethernet cable. In fact, some wireless print servers may require a wired connection during setup.
• Use a wireless connection: If the print server has a "WPS" or "INIT" button, you can connect it wirelessly to the router by turning on the print server, pressing the "WPS" button on the router, and quickly pressing the "WPS" or "INIT" button on the print server.

Turn on the print server. If the device is off, flip the switch or press the power button to activate the print server.

Install the print server software. Typically, the print server comes with a CD containing the installation software. This software can also be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. Use the CD to install the print server software on all computers in the network that you want to grant printer access to. Simply insert the CD and run the installation program. The setup process varies depending on the print server model. The installation program on the CD will guide you through connecting to the printer and setting up the Wi-Fi connection (for wireless print servers). You may need to provide the Wi-Fi password to connect the wireless print server to the network. Once completed, perform a test print to ensure the setup was successful.