Many MacBook users are faced with the need to resolve the issue related to how to connect a printer to a MacBook. In general, any laptop from Apple has software that allows you to connect a printing device of any model to a mac. Solving this problem as a whole is quite simple, but keep in mind that there are often some differences in the instructions in the methods of setting up different models of such devices.
The easiest way to connect your printer to your MacBook and install all the software it needs is to use a USB cable.
- To get started, you will need to download the latest driver for your printer and install it on your MacBook. You can find suitable software on the official website of the device manufacturer in the support section. There you need to select the series and model of the device, or use a special search. Next, select the OS version installed on your laptop and download the recommended drivers.
- Once you've downloaded the software you want, start installing it. After completing this process, connect the device with a cable to the USB port of your MacBook.
- After the printer connects to your Mac, click on the "System Preferences" button and find the section with printers and scanners. There you need to click on the plus sign button, which is usually located on the left side of the window.
- In the list that appears, you need to find your device, and then click on "Add" - usually such a "manual" approach is not required in this matter, because after installing the appropriate drivers and connecting the printer to the MacBook, the printing device is automatically detected by the operating system.
- After completing this step, be sure to try using the device connected to the laptop and print some test documents.
LAN connection
- If you plan to connect to the printer over a local network using a MacBook, then the device can be accessed over a wireless network or Ethernet. In any case, first of all, make sure that your laptop is part of the same workgroup with other PCs. To do this, right-click on the computer icon, which is usually located on the desktop and go to its properties. In the list of all possible parameters, find the name of the workgroup and remember it.
- In the next step, you will need to find a section called "Network" in the system settings of your MacBook and go there.
- Find and click on "Advanced", then go to the "Wins" section. Pay attention to the "Working group" field - if the value given there does not coincide with the name in paragraph 2, then change it and save the change.
- Install the "fresh" drivers for the device and click on "Printers and scanners" in the system settings of the computer.
- Click on the plus sign and open the "Windows" tab, on the left side of which the name of the workgroup will be displayed - select it.
- Next, specify your MacBook and, by clicking on the name of the device, click on "Select driver".
- The next step is to open the "Other" section - there you have to select the driver that you installed earlier. Then make a test print of any document.
It should be added that by connecting to the printer via a local network, you can share (allow) access to any resource on your laptop for other users.
For example, you can separately create a specially shared folder where all those documents that are needed for the work of all users of the local network will be sent.
Briefly about what to do if your MacBook cannot see the printer
If you are faced with the fact that the laptop does not display new equipment, then one of the reasons for such a problem may be associated with a breakdown of the device. To verify this, try connecting your office equipment to another PC to test its functionality.
Another reason may be a malfunctioning USB port - in this case, just try plugging the cable into a different port. Also, be sure to check if the installed drivers match your printing device model. It is possible that you were mistaken when looking for the optimal version. A cable problem is also a possible source of trouble, so check for external signs of damage, or simply try a different cord that is working.
Any MacBook or iMac comes with software that allows you to use a printer from almost any company. It is very easy to install it, however, there are often differences in the instructions, because not only from different manufacturers, but also from different models, there may be differences in the methods of setting.
Connecting equipment directly
The first step will simplify and speed up the installation of the printer: download the updated drivers for your model of the device on the manufacturer's website. If there is no update, chances are there is enough firmware to run. Turn on the printer and connect one USB end to it. The second one needs to be installed in the MacBook. In the Mac, click on the "System Settings" => "Print and Scan" button. There you can make sure whether you installed the device correctly or not. If you are not sure that the computer sees the device and you managed to connect it, open any file that can be printed, in the “File” menu click “Print” (hot keys - “Comand-P”). Your printer should be displayed in the pop-up window in the corresponding menu. If it doesn't appear, try adding it manually.
Network printers
To install the device, we repeat the initial step from the first description. The printer can be accessed via Ethernet or wireless. To add a printer to a hardware network used by a specific computer:
- Go to "Finder" => "Utilities" => "Go", then click on the printer settings program twice. Press the "Add" button and select the desired name.
- The System Preferences button followed by Print & Scan. There we click on "+" to add a new printer. Then we double-click on his name.
Printing process
If it was possible to connect the equipment, it means that the moment of the main workflow has come. Open the file you want to print. Follow the path "File => Print => ... (Printer name is selected in the menu)". We determine the orientation of the document and other options available in the menu at our discretion (set the paper type, for example). After setting, click on "Print".
- If the printer is sending you "light signals", it is most likely that there are errors in the operation. It is worth consulting with specialists and finding out the causes of the problems.
- The machine does not print the sent files, what should I do? Don't sound the alarm right away. Cancel the job and turn off the device. After half a minute after turning off completely, try turning the printer back on and restarting the task.
- When printing files on non-standard paper, be sure to indicate this before starting to print. It's easy to set up paper and start printing, but breaking this rule will damage both the printer and the object to be processed.
- Setting the photo quality to high is a very useful feature. However, printing something of secondary importance can also lower the resolution.
You press the print button, but time passes, and the process has not begun? At the same time, the check gives you that the problem does not concern any specific document, but is a systemic one. There are several reasons for this, as well as their resolutions.
1. Check the Print dialog box.
After the document failed to print, press the “Command-P” function again. Most likely, you will see an exclamation mark icon next to the printer name in the Print dialog box. This signal indicates that there is a problem and is accompanied by a message explaining what kind of problem occurred and how to fix it.
First, check is the correct printer selected?: Sending a document to the wrong printer is by far the most common. It occurs when you use a laptop in different places, including the printing function. The laptop simply remembers the last device, which may not be present at the moment. The fix is very simple. Select your printer from the pop-up menu in the print dialog and try to print the desired document again.
Another possible reason for a non-working printer may be previously suspended printing.
If printing has indeed been paused previously, you will see a corresponding error message. After clicking the Resume button, try printing again. If it does not work, check if there are any documents queued for printing (see below).
2. Check the print queue
If the document cannot be sent to print, the “In queue to print” icon will appear on the monitor, which actually indicates that the document is in the queue. For more information on the reasons, click on this icon.
If the icon isn't highlighted, go to Apple menu> System Preferences. Then click “to scan and print”, select your printer from the list, and then click the “open print queue” button.
Resume paused printing. Pause printing can occur for several reasons. The first is technical, for example, due to paper jams. Second, you yourself paused printing by pressing pause (when you saw that you were printing the wrong document, or decided that something was wrong with the printer, or there was no paper) and forgot about it. As a result, the printer may not print until you resume printing. In this case, click the Resume button
Get rid of old print jobs: they can also slow down the printer. The document that appears in the list may no longer exist. Remove it from the queue - click on the “x” next to the progress bar, below the name of the document.
Connection problem. If, when checking the print queue, you get a message that there is a “message” problem with the printer or it is not connected, go to the next step.
3. Check the printer itself
First, check for paper. Look into the manual or automatic paper feed slot for printing, whichever you choose to use. There may be a piece of paper jammed there.
Make sure the printer is turned on. Check if the product is plugged in and the printer is connected to the computer with special cords, or if a wireless connection is established.
Turn the printer on and off. It is desirable completely, even from the outlet. And turn it back on after a few minutes. If an error message in the print queue reports a “communication” problem, this should help.
Check the cartridge. There may be insufficient toner in it. Some models of inkjet printers refuse to print if the amount of ink is insufficient. At the same time, if you use only black ink when printing, the device may decide that there are no color ones and refuse to complete the task. So you may need to purchase or refill a cartridge.
Using the “Print Queue” you can check the ink supply level or try to print a test page. To do this, select "Printer" from the menu to see all the possibilities. For diagnostics, click the "Settings" button in the "Print Queue" window. If your printer contains additional utilities (auxiliary programs), you will find them in this section.
4. Check for printer software updates
Software updates are often done using OS X Software Update. To do this, choose Apple menu> Software Update. If it shows there is an update for your printer, install it. If not, you can easily find it on the company's website. Download it and install it.
If printer problems started after upgrading to a newer version of OS X, it is unlikely that the software is causing the printing problem. It is worth trying, however, as the update process can fix the problem if the printing software has been corrupted in some way.
5. Remove and reinstall the printer
Go to Apple menu> System Preferences. Select "Print & Scan". Select your printer from the list on the left. Click the minus (-) button at the bottom of the list. This will remove it from the list of printers. To add a device again, click on the plus sign (+). In theory, you should see among the pre
the printer you just deleted. If so, add it back. If not, click Add Printer or Scanner. In theory, you will be presented with a list of default printers. Find and select yours. Click the add button.
Use an IP address. Network printers sometimes require additional steps. Select “Add Printer or Scanner”. When the window opens, click the IP button at the top of the window. Enter the IP address of the printer. To find it out, see the Errors and Fixes section, Tips column> How to find the IP address of your printer.
Avoid sharing the printer. If you see that your printer is listed with an @ icon, for example, CannonMP990 @ MacBook Pro, it means that you are being asked to connect through an additional computer. Try to avoid this. And choose an alternative connection path. Otherwise, printing will be available to you only when this option is connected, even if the attempt to re-add the printer is successful.
6. Check the error log
If you have reached this point and the error remains unresolved, check the error log. To do this, return to the "Print Queue" item, select "Printer"> Error Log. After that, the application opens - error_log file, which lists the possible causes of the problem. This is not the most convenient way, but sometimes it works. So, there were cases when the error sheet indicated an incorrect installation of the cartridge. To fix the situation, it was only required to extract it and install it properly.
7. Reboot the printing system
Go to the "Print & Scan" menu. Right-click on the printer name to bring up a context menu. Select “Reset Printing System” from the list provided. +
After that, a message will be displayed that further steps will lead to the removal of all existing printers, scanners, faxes and held jobs. In essence, this action will completely wipe your PC and bring it back to the level when you just unpacked your laptop. The prospect is not happy. But this may be the last way out, if all the previous ones did not lead to a solution to the problem.
To protect not only the work with the printer, but also to protect your poppy, we recommend purchasing a cover for macbook air 13 at itrade.
Follow the steps below to set up a wireless connection.
Click Open to launch the Wireless Setting application.
Rice. : Example for starting up the Wireless Setting application
The Samsung Easy Wireless Setup page is displayed on the main setup screen. Click Next to start configuration.
Rice. : Sample Samsung Easy Wireless Setup Home Screen and Selecting the Next Button
Make sure the printer is turned on and connected to your Mac with a USB cable.
Rice. : Example of a reminder to turn on the printer and select the Next button
Select the method for setting up the wireless connection. For the initial setup of a printer that is not connected to the network, select Using a USB cable(With a USB cable) and click Next.
Rice. : Example for selecting a method for setting up a wireless connection
If you have not already done so, temporarily connect the printer to your Mac and click Next.
Rice. : Example of temporarily connecting a device using a USB cable
The setup wizard will search for all connected devices and obtain information about the wireless network.
If the printer cannot be found, a dialog box appears. Printer Not Found(Printer not found). Check the USB connection between the printer and your Mac, and then click Next on the Printer Not Found window. Try using a different USB cable if available.
If the printer still cannot be found, the dialog box reappears. Printer Not Found(Printer not found). Make sure the printer is turned on and ready to print, and then click Next on the Printer Not Found window.
Rice. : Example of checking a device
Make sure your wireless router or access point is broadcasting in the 2.4 GHz band and not the 5 GHz band. Samsung printers do not currently support 5GHz.
Check if another wireless device connected to the same access point has a strong signal (at least 2 bars). Note that the antenna power varies from device to device. If the signal strength on your laptop or phone is one bar, chances are there will be no signal from the printer.
If the signal is strong and stable, but the printer cannot see the network, click Advanced Settings and manually enter the network information.
Enter the security key (WEP / WPA / WPA2) in the corresponding field and click Next.
Rice. : Example for Configuring Wireless Security
Note.
If you do not know the security key, contact your network administrator or router / access point manufacturer for assistance.
The printer will try to connect to the selected wireless network.
Rice. : Example of connecting to a wireless network
Connect the USB cable to the USB port on the printer and the other end to your Mac.
Once connected, start the wireless setup by opening the Wireless Setting app.
Note.You can download the EasyWirelessSetup_Mac application. Alternatively, go to (Software and Driver Downloads) and enter your printer model in the search text box to download Easy Wireless Setup.
Rice. : Example program for setting up a wireless connection EasyWireless Setup
A list of wireless networks that are available to the printer will appear on the screen. Select a network and click Next. A dialog box will open Wireless network security(Wireless Security). If the network you want is not listed, try the following.
Rice. : Example of searching for available wireless networks
Let's try to figure out how you can organize printing from Windows to a printer installed on a system with UNIX / Linux / Mac OS X. Standard Printing Subsystem for UNIX called CUPS(Common UNIX Printing System). One of the ways to organize network printing on a CUPS printer is to share it with Samba. However, in this article we will not consider this method, because Despite the fact that this method is "native" for Windows clients, it is not always advisable to deploy and configure a samba if, in addition to organizing a print server, there is no other need for it (most likely, you will have to solve a number of problems, mainly, of course, related with authorization).
The preferred method for connecting a Windows client to a CUPS print server on a UNIX-like operating system is IPP ( InternetPrintingProtocol) used in CUPS as the basis for job and queue management. IPP is an HTTP-based standard protocol that allows printing control, supports authentication and encryption (SSL), access control, and allows port forwarding and tunneling. Compared to Samba, the configuration of the CUPS print server over IPP is simpler and less error prone.
Windows built-in support for IPP only appeared in Windows 2000.
So, suppose we have a computer with OS X Lion, on which a CUPS server with a Canon printer is deployed, the network access to which is open (in this example, access is open to everyone without login / password authorization).
Get the address of the print queue on the CUPS server
Suppose that the address of our computer with OS X (and, accordingly, our print server) is 192.168.11.211, by default the CUPS server uses TCP port 631. In the address bar of your browser, go to the address, and then to the tab Printers... The tab will display a list of all printers installed on the OS X system and available to us. The name of each printer is a link, the address of which is the address of the printer's print queue in the CUPS system.
Thus, we find out (and immediately copy it to the clipboard) that the queue address of the printer of interest to us in the CUPS system is
http: // 192.168.11.211:631/printers/Canon_iP4000_series
Windows IPP / CUPS Printing Support
To enable IPP printing support on Windows, you must install the appropriate role. Typically, Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 already has Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) support. If not, in Windows 7, the IPP client can be installed through the control panel. Go to Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn Windows feautures on or off... In the window that appears, expand the branch Print and Document Services, check the option Internet Printing Client and click OK, after which the client for supporting IPP printing will be installed (in Windows 2008/2008 R2, a separate function with the same name is installed). 
Installing and Configuring a Network CUPS Printer in Windows
We will install and configure the IPP printer in Windows 7 (the procedure is similar in other versions of Windows, note that in this case we are setting up a network printer, and not a local one as described in the article). Go to the printer control panel ( Control Panel \ Hardware and Sound \ Devices and Printers) and create a new network printer (Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer). The automatic search for printers will start, but most likely, the required printer will not be found, so click the button The printer what I wont isn't listed.
In field Select a shared printer by name Paste the address of the printer's print queue you copied earlier and click Next.
Windows will try to connect to the printer, and not the fact that it is successful, it depends on many factors and it is unlikely that it will be possible to disassemble them all. From practice, we note that if the process of connecting to the printer takes longer (more than 3-5 minutes), try to check the availability of the CUPS server by going to the same address using any browser, and try connecting the printer again.
If the connection is successful, the system will prompt you to install the printer driver. Let's dwell on this moment. CUPS accepts print files from clients that are regular PostScript documents. The PostScript printing language is supported out of the box by Windows, the main problem is that the name of the standard PS driver sounds Microsoft Publisher Color Printer(funny disguise, isn't it), but on some systems the MS Publisher Imagesetter naming can be used.
So, we select the driver, for which we go to the section Generic, choose MS Publisher Color Printer and click OK (if the system has a "native" printer driver, still select MS Publisher!).
If everything went well (and usually there are no problems at this stage), then a typical procedure for setting up the printer follows (name, description, whether it is necessary to share). Click Next to try to print a test print page. As a rule, a test print page is printed without any difficulty on a printer connected to a Unix-like client.
In some cases, it is worth trying to install the native printer driver, although it is still preferable to first make sure that print jobs are output correctly with the simple PS driver. But it should be understood that the driver installed in the CUPS system is actually used for printing, and the PostScript driver installed in Windows just generates a PS file and transfers it to the server.
Note. Remember to check that port 631 is not blocked by the firewall between the OS X machine and Windows.
So, we figured out how to set up printing on a printer installed in Mac OS X in Windows 7 (in UNIX / Linux the procedure is similar).