How do I print from iPad (1st gen)?

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Level 1

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How do I print from iPad (1st gen)?

I have Apple's Numbers and Pages apps for both my iPad and iMac. Occasionally it would help to be able to print from those apps from my iPad to my printer which is shared via wifi using Airport Express and is used successfully by the 3 Macs we have here. It seems very long-winded to have to transfer files to the iMac to do that.

1. When connected to our wifi network here the iPad Pages/Numbers print dialog is unable to see my printer. Do I therefore need a separate app to enable printing from the iPad?

2. Having read reviews about some of the iPad print apps not working well, which ones do the job they are supposed to?

Many thanks if anyone can shed any light.

iPad, iOS 4.3.2

Posted on May 22, 2011 4:52 AM

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Answer 1

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

May 22, 2011 10:06 AM in response to bcmartin

BC-

The iPad normally uses AirPrint to print to AirPrint-enabled printers via WiFi. Last time I checked, only HP had them. I assume yours is not an AirPrint printer.

iPad Apps such as EuroSmartz' Print n Share work well, but use their own mail, photo, browser and text programs. They may not be able to print from within other Apps. On the other hand, they are not very expensive, so you could try one and see. See if you can find one that has a free trial version.

There are also Apps for the Macintosh such as Printopia, that will share the Mac's printer as AirPrint over WiFi. If you are running Snow Leopard, take a look at

<http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2658720&tstart=0>

for a free alternative. Of course the Mac has to be powered-on any time you want to print using sharing.

Fred

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