How To Connect A Wireless Printer To A Computer Or Laptop (6 Easy Process)

You will get a bit more options to connect a wireless printer to your computer or laptop. 

They are quite easy and quick but you should have accurate details about their connectivity process. 

To connect a wireless printer to a computer or laptop you can choose between Bluetooth, WPS connectivity, SSID (Service Set Identifier), Wi-Fi Auto-Connect, and Wi-Fi Direct.

In this article, we are going to explain all options of connectivity that you can do. 

Related Topic: How Do I Connect A Wireless Printer To My Mac?

Connect A Wireless Printer With USB Cable

Your printer can be connected using the USB cable to many devices like mobile phones, laptops, computers, tablets, etc. 

But we don’t recommend this for wireless printer it is only for knowledge purpose.

Once you connect the printer to your device via USB cable, you will be able to print a document or a photo. 

People often use wireless printers using home networks or office networks. 

But what if your Wi-Fi is unstable and you are not able to print some urgent files. 

In this case, you can connect your device to the printer via a USB cord.

1. Turn on the printer and connect the USB cord to your laptop or desktop.
2. Because you are using the USB cable to connect, your computer knows which brand printer it is, so it will ask you to install drivers. 
3. Many printers do not get recognized automatically, so you have to download the printer’s official software and driver from the manufacturer’s website. For HP printers, you can go to 123.hp.com/setup and download the drivers.
4. After installing the driver, your printer will be recognized by your computer. You can now print any file or document.
5. To print, open the file, photo, or webpage. Press the Control + P key, and you can now give the print command.

Connect A Wireless Printer With Bluetooth

Some printers have a Bluetooth connectivity feature, which you can use to connect and print with different devices like laptops, desktops, mobiles, and more. 

Bluetooth features let you connect your printer to any device wirelessly. 

Here is how to connect the printer with Bluetooth, have a look.

1. Click on the start menu and open settings. 
2. Now, go to devices and find Bluetooth and Other Devices.
3. Click on Bluetooth and search for your printer.
4. After device pairing is complete, go to Devices and Printers.
5. Your printer drivers should be installed on the computer so that it can recognise the printer over Bluetooth.
6. Now, choose the file or photo you want to print and press the Control+P key to print.

Connect A Wireless Printer With Wi-Fi

WPS System

Many modern printers do have an option to connect over WPS systems. 

It also allows you to print files, photos, documents easily without connecting any wires. 

However, this option can be found in a commercial printer, which is used for security purposes. 

To connect your printer with the WPS network, you just have to push the WPS button on your printer and press the WPS button on your router. 

Make sure your router supports WPS connectivity. 

What is WPS in a Printer?

WPS is a built-in feature in many modern devices, including printers. 

It makes it easier for you to connect the device without having a wired connection. 

WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup, and this option is provided to ensure high-level security in your printer. 

Many modern printers have a dedicated button for WPS, which lets them connect to your home or office network without entering the password. 

This is one of the most common and easiest ways to connect to a printer. 

Where is the WPS Button on a Printer?

The WPS button is located on your printer’s control panel. If you have a printer with a touch screen, you can find the option under settings. 

The option can have a different name like “Wi-Fi Protected Setup”. 

In contrast, the printer without a touch screen includes a WPS Push button on the backside. 

However, some printers can also have the button on its top, near the control panel. 

Connecting your printer with WPS to your computer

1. Press and hold the WPS Push button on your printer for 3 seconds. 
2. A LED light will blink, which means the WPS feature is now enabled.
3. For printers with touch screen control panels, go to Network Settings or Wireless Settings>>WPS or Wi-Fi Protected Setup>>Push Button>>Start, and the WPS will be enabled.
4. On your router, press and hold the WPS button until the light blinks. 
5. The printer will then start establishing a secure connection with your router. It can take up to 2-3 minutes. 
6. Now, install the official manufacturer’s software on your mobile device or computer, and the printer will be connected to it.

SSID System

The SSID stands for Service Set Identifier. It is a unique name of a wireless network, and it can be your home Wi-Fi or your office Wi-Fi. 

To connect the printer using Wi-Fi with SSID:

1. Find the SSID and Password of the access point. To do it, open up a browser on your computer.
2. This feature usually comes with an Epson printer, so the process is for Epson printers. 
3. Go to Epson.sn and type the printer model no in the search box.
4. Click on search, and then a new page will come up.
5. Click on “Let’s get started”, and on the next page, scroll down the page.
6. On this page, Click on Skip, and a new page will come up with a download option.
7. Download the software and install it. Stop on the Connection Settings page. 
8. Go to your printer and tap on the Network icon.
9. Tap on Wi-Fi (Recommended) and tap Start Setup.
10. Click on Wi-Fi Setup Wizard.
11. Now enter the SSID, which can be found on the back of your router.
12. Enter the password, which can also be found on the router’s back.
13. Now, click on Start Setup. If it fails, restart the printer and router and then try again.
14. Go back to your computer and click next. The computer will check for the connection with the printer. If the printer’s name appears, then click Next.
15. Follow the on-screen instructions and finish the setup.

Wi-Fi Auto-Connect

The Wi-Fi Auto-Connect feature is a new common feature in modern printers. It is very easy to use and handy. 

You can use the Wi-Fi Auto-Connect feature if your computer or laptop is set up with your home or office Wi-Fi. 

While you install the setup or drivers of your printer, you have to make sure that you are connected to the same Wi-Fi network on which you want to use the Auto-Connect feature.

1. Ensure that the printer is turned on, but it should not be connected to your computer via USB cable.
2. Download the printer software or drivers from the official manufacturer’s website. After installing the drivers, a firewall alert message will pop up, which will ask you to block or unblock the software for connecting to the network. 
3. Make sure that you do not select Block, Keep Blocking, or Ask Me Later, as it will block the software from connecting to the internet. 
4. Now, follow the on-screen instructions and finish the setup. 
5. Your printer will now use the Wi-Fi Auto Connect feature.

Wi-Fi Direct

The Wi-Fi Direct option is used when a local Wi-Fi network is unavailable at your home or office. 

Moreover, this option can be used if a guest wants to print with your computer, but you don’t want to share your Wi-Fi network password. 

1. Turn the printer on by pressing the power button.
2. On your Windows 10/8/8.1/7 computer, click on the start button.
3. Search for Printers & Scanners and select it from the results.
4. Click on Add a Printer or Scanner.
5. If displayed, select Show Wi-Fi Direct printers.
6. From the list of detected printers, you have to select your printer. Make sure you select the printer which has a Direct in the name. 
7. After that, click on Add Device.
8. Now, you will get a prompt, which asks you to enter the WPS PIN for your printer. Moreover, you have to enter the WPS PIN within 90 seconds of asking.
9. Go to your printer and write down the 8-digit pin displayed on the screen. Moreover, your printer can print out a paper sheet with an 8 digits pin.
10. Enter the PIN in the prompt asking for it.
11. Click on Next, and then Windows will complete the installation, and the printer will be added to the list of available printers.
12. What to do if the computer is unable to detect the Printer?

What To Do If The Computer Is Unable To Detect The Printer?

Here is the solution which you can try to fix the issue:

1. Restart the printer. Unplug and plug it back in. 
2. Check if the USB is properly connected to your computer.
3. If the printer is detected but not printing anything, then check the ink cartridges.
4. If you are on a local Wi-Fi network, ensure the connection is stable, and your computer is connected properly.
5. If there are any queued printing jobs, cancel them.
6. Check if you have installed proper software and drivers.
7. Reinstall the drivers from the manufacturer’s official website.
8. Make sure the File and Printer sharing is enabled. This option can be enabled on the network printer server. 
9. Use the troubleshooting option on a Windows computer. Navigate to Settings>>Trouble Settings>> Other Troubleshooters>>Printer and run the troubleshooter.
10. Try with a different connectivity option. If your printer is connected through Wi-Fi, then try connecting to it via USB cable. 
11. Reset the printer.

Our Choice

As all connectivity options are great, we recommend avoiding USB and Bluetooth. 

As we are talking about wireless printers, the best process to connect a wireless printer to a computer is WPS. 

If it is not available for you then go for the SSID process.