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This there anyway that I can connect my thermal printer to my iPad Air 4, via a USB hub maybe? Is it not possible yet? Any workarounds that I should try. I don’t have a laptop to “AirPrint” it to.
iPad Air, iPadOS 14
Hello Tretre776,
We understand you'd like to know if there is a way to Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. We also understand you don't have a computer to use with your thermal printer.
If your thermal printer is AirPrint-enabled, you can Connect an AirPrint printer to a Wi-Fi network for wireless printing from your iPad.
You can also see a list of AirPrint-enabled printers and print servers in this link: About AirPrint
If your printer isn't listed, we'd recommend checking the printer's documentation or contacting the printer's manufacturer to determine if it is AirPrint-enabled. If your printer is AirPrint-enabled, please refer to the printer's documentation or manufacturer for detailed steps on how to connect to a properly configured Wi-Fi network.
Cheers!
Yes, I have explored those options but my prints needs to literally be connected. Most thermal printers (for labels) are not WiFi or AirPrint enabled.
Hoping that that apple comes out with an update that will allow a driver to be installed to the new iPads where I could connect the printer directly. I know that developers sometimes come out with work around to achieve these sort of things.
iOS/iPadOS uses a “driverless” print protocol known as AirPrint/
Non-AirPrint capable printers require installation of Print Driver software on the host computer to which the Printer is directly connected.
Apple AirPrint is a driverless connection protocol - that requires a compatible Printer to be wirelessly connected to your WiFi network. A high proportion of modern printers intended for Home and SoHo environments support AirPrint. If your printer is not compatible with AirPrint, your alternatives are limited.
Some printer manufacturers have a suitable companion App that provides Print capabilities for mobile devices, often using a web-based print service.
You might also consider connecting a non-AirPrint printer to your PC or Mac computer - and install a “helper application” that allows the computer to emulate AirPrint capabilities; one such option is Readdle Printer Pro, for which suitable software for your PC is available. A link to the PC software is included from this page:
https://readdle.com/printerpro
A further alternative is to consider installing a dedicated Print Server Appliance on your network - and connect your printer to this. One example is the Lantronix xPrintServer, although the cost of this solution may exceed that of your existing [basic] printer.
The remaining solution is to simply replace your printer with one that is AirPrint capable.
Trying connect Ipad Air 4 to a thermal printer without a computer
