pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

How to link printers to 2nd Mac?

I have 2 HP LaserJet printers connected by USB to MacBook Pro (with Catalina).

How can I make these printers accessible as well to new added MacBook Air 2 2022?

MacBook Air 11″, OS X 10.10

Posted on Aug 18, 2022 11:18 AM

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

140,957 points

Posted on Aug 18, 2022 12:29 PM

Laser Printers?

The typical way to connect laser printers is directly to your network, using an ethernet cable. Then they become network printers, and any device on your network can use them.

If these were dumb inkjet printers that could not possibly connect to a network, the way to connect them would be to check the [√] shared printer checkbox in their printer setup window on the MacBook Pro. Then when your MacBook Pro is on the network and booted up and not asleep, the MacBook Air could see them. After proper setup the MacBook Air, MacBook Air could use them to print.

In every case, you should be sure that

System Preferences > network > what ever you use...

IPv6 is set to "link-local-Only"

This allows the Mac's Bonjour/Discovery protocol to discover them and makes setup much easier.

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77 replies

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 25, 2022 2:14 PM in response to pwwwayne

Some significant success!

Following a reset and recycle on/off of cable modem connected router and MBP connected to router by ethernet,

I succeeded in reaching internet and after typing in 192.168.1.1 got to the setup page!
Put in new name and new password for router;
new unique network name & password form the Network -- completed!

MBPro SysPref>Network shows I am connected to the internet by Ethernet

Wi-Fi on but not connected to a network.

Only color LJ printer is connected and functional.

All of above refers to MBP -- there has been NO progress on MBAir.

What do I do next? (In these action I have used replies of Jan Hedlund and Grant Bennet-Alder, not email from ASUS)

Would you indulge me further by guiding what I do next?

?Disconnect the ethernet cable between router and MBP? Will I lose internet access?

How to produce (and when?) a wi-fi network (at present I have none)? - still using iPhone hotspot.

How to bring MBAir into this success?

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 25, 2022 3:07 PM in response to pwwwayne

Very good!

If you again go to the setup page (do NOT use the reset button this time) via 192.168.1.1 (and if this setup page looks like the one on page 23 in the manual at https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/wireless/RT-N12_D1/E7901_RTN12_D1_Manual.pdf), it should say Operation Mode: Wireless router. Do not change anything at this stage; just look. You should now see a Wi-Fi network top right under System Status. This ought to be your new Wi-Fi network to connect to from the computers. Check that it has the Wi-Fi network name = SSID that you want. Check that the security settings seem to be OK.

Also, is the Network Map correct?

If the above is OK, you could log out from the router's setup page. Next, power off the router, any printers, and the MacBook Pro.

Disconnect the Ethernet cable between the router and the MacBook Pro.

The printers would be connected to LAN 1 and LAN2 by Ethernet. The cable modem would still be connected by Ethernet to the WAN port of the router.

Power on the router, the printers, the MacBook Pro, and the MacBook Air.

Once the two computers have started up, you should look for your new Wi-Fi network, and try to connect to it wirelessly. Please post back with the results.

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 25, 2022 4:56 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

MBPro accessed internet via Wi-Fi connected thru iPhone;

Only colorLJ is visible (twice, once in use, once offline) in SysPref

I do not see the new wi-fi network listed.

MBAir is not connected to the internet

Wi-Fi on but not connected to a network; Network Name blank

Both printers listed but Offline.

No evidence of new Network.

?? ?Start over from your last post?

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 25, 2022 5:27 PM in response to pwwwayne

>Put in new name and new password for router;

I assumed that this is the name and password used for login to the router (when accessing the setup page via 192.168.1.1).

Is that not correct?

>new unique network name & password form the Network -- completed!

I assumed that this is the new Wi-Fi network name and password.

Is that not correct?

What did you see top right on the router's setup page under System Status -> Wireless name(SSID)?

Again, if the setup page looks like the one on page 23 in the router manual (link above).

You should now try to locate the new Wi-Fi network provided by the router. This is the network to connect wirelessly to from the computers. Once connected, Internet will be provided to the computers that way.

For a test, you could primarily use the MacBook Air for this, since that computer is not connected to the iPhone's hotspot.

If necessary, the MacBook Pro could be temporarily connected by Ethernet to a free LAN port of the router once more, in case you want to check or change anything on the router's setup page.

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 25, 2022 5:36 PM in response to Jan Hedlund

Both of your questions are answered correctly

System Status -> Wireless name(SSID)? correct new name I entered earlier

It's hard to see both pages simultaneously (and they are strange) but they seemed to me to be the same.

?? "locate the new Wi-Fi network provided by the router." -- How?

Oddity: My iPhone offered me a list of networks to join. The new one created at ASUS is correctly named!!

I didn't join because I was afraid I'd lose the only functioning link I have: my iPhone hotspot

"If necessary, the MacBook Pro could be temporarily connected by Ethernet to a free LAN port of the router once more, in case you want to check or change anything on the router's setup page."

I need to think about it. I'm confused and lost/frustrated right now

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 25, 2022 5:52 PM in response to pwwwayne

> locate the new Wi-Fi network provided by the router. -- How?

Connect to the internet with your Mac - Apple Support

(Connect to a Wi-Fi network)

>My iPhone offered me a list of networks to join. The new one created at ASUS is correctly named!!

That is a good sign.

A good idea to keep the MacBook Pro and the iPhone unchanged until everything is OK.

Try a wireless connection from the MacBook Air to begin with.

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 26, 2022 8:05 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

I am at a loss.

From my MBAir I go to the Apple recommended "Connect to a Wi-Fi Network" and find a list of networks (other than iPhone which is functional); in that list is the network setup through the router yesterday.

But there is a peculiarity in the name --> it is listed as ' Txxxxxx' --> note the [ '] and the space before the rest of name Txxxxx

But I choose it anyway and it asks for a WPA2 password which I enter hxxxxxxx

Momentarily in NetworkSysPref MBA the Wi-Fi is on and the the new name Txxxxx appears.

There then appear 2 messages which flash by so quickly and disappear it is virtually impossible to read/capture and then disappear. I'm able to repeat but with the same transient result.

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 26, 2022 8:20 AM in response to pwwwayne

I do the same on MBPro with exactly the same result; Both computers relapse back into iPhone hotspot connection.

So I try again on MBA but the "' Txxxxxx'" (note ' and " symbols) could not be joined. . . ."Alternately, run Wireless Diagnostics to troubleshoot. --> None of your preferred networks are available.

Again could not join "'Txxxxx'" could not be found.

Stumped!

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 26, 2022 8:37 AM in response to pwwwayne

It is difficult to comment. You would have to double-check the Wi-Fi network name (SSID), and more importantly the exact WPA2 password. See also these articles:

If you need help with your Wi‑Fi password – Apple Support (UK)

Change Wi-Fi settings in Network preferences on Mac – Apple Support (UK)

Change Wi-Fi options in Network preferences on Mac – Apple Support (UK)

Anyway, the mere fact that you are seeing the new Wi-Fi network, be it on the iPhone or on one of the Mac computers, is a good sign. At least it means that the router's Wi-Fi is active and broadcasting. Of course, in order to connect wirelessly to the new Wi-Fi network, you will need the exactly correct password (which you entered on the router's setup page). The password is case-sensitive.

Earlier you have proven that it would be possible to connect to the Internet using the MacBook Pro via an Ethernet cable connected to one of the LAN ports of the router (for example, LAN3 or LAN4). If you enter 192.168.1.1 in the web browser's address field, it will take you to the router's local setup page. If, on the other hand, you would enter any other address in the browser (such as apple.com), it should allow you to access the Internet (using an Ethernet cable connection between one of the computers and the router). Hopefully, you will soon find out how to connect wirelessly as well.

Choose preferred Wi-Fi networks on Mac – Apple Support (UK)

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 26, 2022 8:55 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

new Wi-Fi network, you will need the exactly correct password (which you entered on the router's setup page). The password is case-sensitive. --> I was meticulously careful to record the password I chose and entered and preserved on Pages locally.

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 26, 2022 9:25 AM in response to pwwwayne

You could at least connect the MacBook Pro to the LAN3 or LAN4 (as you did earlier). Instead of going to the router's setup page, check what happens if you enter apple.com (or any other web site) in the browser. Does the computer connect to the Internet? If it does, you know that you have access to the Internet that way (instead of via the iPhone).

Before connecting the Ethernet cable to LAN3 or 4, power off the router, the printers (if connected), and the MacBook Pro. When the cable is connected, power on in the same order (I assume that the cable modem has been connected to the WAN port and active all the time).

Again, do not go to the setup page this time, and do NOT press a reset button or change anything.

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 26, 2022 10:41 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Done and successful.

So I have access to the Internet that way (ethernet) (instead of via the iPhone).

But does this help me create a wi-fi network?

So I try again from wi-fi list where Txxxxx is listed, put in password, join --> invalid password

???? How do I correct that?

Both printers are now listed and active on MBP; both listed on MBAir but Offline.

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 26, 2022 11:19 AM in response to pwwwayne

Very good. It does not help you with the Wi-Fi network connection, but you now know that you have (wired) Internet access (and that you do not have to rely on the iPhone's Personal Hotspot).

Without having the computer(s) in question in front of me, it is difficult to say exactly where the problem lies.

The Wi-Fi network is already created (it is also appears to be listed on your iPhone and on the computers).

However, why an invalid password? I assume that you have been using valid characters only.

If you need help with your Wi‑Fi password – Apple Support (UK)

Just as a test, what happens if you try to join the new Wi-Fi network from an iPhone, iPad, another mobile phone, or a PC?

pwwwayne Author

Level 2

183 points

Aug 26, 2022 11:55 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

Just as a test, what happens if you try to join the new Wi-Fi network from an iPhone, iPad, another mobile phone, or a PC?

I tried it from both MBPro and MBA with same result. I tried from an iPad --> Invalid password.

2nd iPad--> Incorrect password.

On the MBA I eventually got to this screen:

I don't know/where to find correct insert for iPv6; Its on Manual -- I tried automatic but that failed.

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,241 points

Aug 26, 2022 12:02 PM in response to pwwwayne

This message should not be related to the Wi-Fi password/login issue.

If you cannot find a reason for the password problem, it may become necessary to return to the router's setup page 192.168.1.1 in order to rewrite the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) and WPA2 password (key). Make sure that only valid characters are used, without any spaces. Only perform/save this. Do not change anything else, unless absolutely necessary. Do NOT press the reset button.

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How to link printers to 2nd Mac?