Learn to add a wireless printer or Bluetooth printer to your Windows 7 network. Printers have long played an important role in both the home and business, and they continue to present challenges to the layman, resulting in service calls to IT companies. However, with Windows 7, D-I-Y printer installation is easier than ever before, and even Dad or Grandpa can often get that printer installed without help from a technician.
Wireless printing technology has been around for quite some time now; with it, printing from multiple computers in a house or a business enterprise has become so much easier, while simultaneously reducing the clutter of all the cables that were once required. Wireless printer setups allow printers to be placed just about anywhere in the house or office (within the reach of Wi-Fi signals). Wireless printers feature a built-in wireless card. The majority of wireless printers function smoothly if the installation instructions are followed properly.
Preparing To Add A Wireless Printer
Before you attempt to add a wireless printer to your network, make sure that your computer is connected to the network or that your wireless or Bluetooth printer is turned on. Place the printer within the range of the wireless router. Few printers come with an LCD panel that allows you to configure the wireless settings directly. The printer will automatically detect the wireless signals within the range. A Wireless printer can be installed using your operating system’s native add-printer procedure. In order to do this, the printer’s wireless feature must be turned on. In Windows 7, the Operating system’s discovery software automatically searches for the necessary drivers and installs it. In case the operating system fails to find a wireless printer, an alternate way is to add the printer as a local printer and then add an IP address port. For you to do this, the printer’s IP address must be known.
Most of the time, any obstacles attempting to add a wireless printer arise due to the wireless network settings. Having basic knowledge of your network beforehand can prove helpful.
Steps To Add A Wireless Printer, Bluetooth Printer in Windows 7:
- Click on Start select “Devices and Printers” (make sure that the wireless or Bluetooth printer is turned on and the computer network is up and running).
Add A Wireless Printer
2. Select “Add a printer” from the devices and printer wizard (You may also get to the printer wizard through the control panel >> Devices and printers >> Add a printer.
3. The next step would be to add a wireless or Bluetooth printer. The printer wizard will prompt you to choose a type of printer that you may want to install.
From the “Add Printer” Wizard. Select Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer, and then click Next.
4. The wireless printer gets detected in the “Add printer” Wizard. From the list of available printers, select a Wireless printer that you want to add to the network. Click next to continue
5. When you select the printer, windows prompts you to install the necessary software drivers for the printer. Click on “Install driver” to install the driver for a Wireless printer.
6. Congratulations! You have just learned how to add a wireless printer to your network.
If you experience problems during the installation of your printer on a Windows network, see the following printer troubleshooting article by Microsoft.
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