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One item that the author does not mention (and may not agree with) is that I have always had MUCH better luck connecting wirelessly to a Mac or PC connected printer if I install the printer driver on the computer (PeeCee or Mac) with the printer connected via USB BEFORE I then have it connect wirelessly. Not sure why this helps but it does. It is a realy pain carrying the printer (or the computer) around the house to install the software but I have seen it work many times. Bonjour just does not seem to recognize the driver sometimes unless the printer was connected when you installed it.

another point to consider is that connecting an all-in-one via network will often not let you do any of the printer's other functions, such as scanning (all depending on particular model, of course)

I have a question about connecting to a network ready printer via an IP address. I have found no way to edit the IP address of a printer that has already been added. Sometimes the IP address of the printer will change, and the only solution I've come up with is removing the printer(s) and adding them back in. I'd prefer to simply edit the IP address if possible. Does anyone have a solution?

payneok, on 01 October 2010 - 06:41 AM, said:

The author doesn't disagree, but to be entirely honest I haven't had a problem like this with a printer that officially supports OSX in a long while. I have both a low-cost tethered Brother multi-function and a higher-end networked Xerox solid-ink printer and both work fine over Airport with Snow Leopard.

As always, YMMV, though—if a printer is not recognized, your method sounds like a solid backup.

3Dlabrat, on 01 October 2010 - 07:25 AM, said:

It's actually easier than you think. We have a bunch of HP Laserjet printers that we assign an IP address to. Each networkable printer has its own way to print out a configuration page from the printer. Sometimes it's by pressing a button, other times you can navigate through menus from the display (if you printer has one). If the printer has a display, you can usually navigate to the configuration menu, and select TCP/IP (refer to your user's manual for the printer to find out how to get there). If you print out a configuration page you can also open a web browser (any will do), and enter the IP address in the address bar. This will bring you to a web front-end for you printer. You can configure it from here. You'll need to remove and add the printer one last time once the configuration has been done.

By assigning the IP address it won't change on you and you won't have to go through the process of removing and re-adding the printer.

That's the quick version of it. I hope it helps.

Ben

bensim123, on 01 October 2010 - 08:20 AM, said:

Ben is correct that it is possible to manually assign an IP address from the printer's web interface or using the buttons on the unit itself. In my opinion, it is more reliable to print out the configuration page, find the MAC/Ethernet Address of the wireless or wired network card, login to your router, and make a DHCP reservation.

I have a WIFI enabled HP Printer.
I had to configure it using a PC and USB Cable. Once I did that MAC detected without problems. I can Print & Scan from the MAC, also I can print from my Android Phone.
Printing or Scanning from PC is tricky. Sometimes the printer dissapears from my Printers in Control Panel and I have to manually add it (doesn't happend in MAC)

Whether it is driver problems or network problems I do not know, but I have NEVER been able to sucessfully scan from my network connected C4780 with the HP Scan software. If I ever have to scan, the only way it will work is to scan to a SD card and manually move the file to the Mac.

spim_nyborg, on 01 October 2010 - 07:04 AM, said:

I have an Epson NX420 that works perfectly over the network - including scanning. Preview grabs scans from it with no problem (File, Import from Scanner, Include Networked Devices). I have never used the Epson software, though - I didn't even install their drivers. I let Snow Leopard download the drivers automatically when I first set up the printer.

Another issue with sharing a printer with a Mac is when the Mac decides to randomly change its network name, by adding 2, 3, 4... I have no idea why this happens. When this happens, you either have to look for the new name from the remote device or you have to go to the Mac with the printer and rename it back to the no-number name. It's annoying, but easy to switch back.

One more issue not yet mentioned. I have two printers connected to a MacPro. Both are set up be shared. The Brother laser printers shares OX. The Canon iP4600 shows up on a networked Windows 7 laptop, but does not spool print jobs. The iP4600 works OK on the Windows 7 laptop if connected via USB.

Apparently there is a problem with Canon printer drivers. You can share if all computers are Windows 7. You can share if all computers are OS X. You can share if all computers are Vista, etc. But you can not share between different networked systems.

Canon make great printers, but I always had one problem or the other with their drivers over the years I used Canon printers and scanners.

_udo_, on 03 October 2010 - 11:33 AM, said:

With morning coffee in hand, I opened Mail. Saw latest Macworld Weekly and clicked to read the full article. Read it, sipping the hot brew, remembering, "oh yeah, I haven't been able to get anything to print from my other networked mac mini. Hmm..?" Printer was showing up but something was wrong. So, I followed your directions for setting up sharing, via Bonjour, to see if simply redoing it would solve the problem. Yep! Printed up a test page just fine. So it works great, now. Fabulous! Thanks so much!

Okay.. onward!