How do I activate Wi-Fi Direct on my iPad?

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Level 1

4 points

How do I activate Wi-Fi Direct on my iPad?

I have a current-version iPad Air, and we have a Brother HL-L3290CDW laser printer here in our home. The Brother operating manual provides instructions for configuring a Wi-Fi Direct Network so that I can print items from my iPad, but the instructions require "activating" Wi-Fi Direct on the iPad as part of the configuration. I have been unable to find an instruction anywhere that would tell me how to activate Wi-Fi Direct on the iPad. Can anyone offer some assistance with this?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPad Air, iPadOS 18

Posted on Feb 21, 2025 11:45 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 21, 2025 11:54 AM in response to LindeDallas

In my experience, the printer establishes it’s own WiFi “micro-LAN” with it’s own SSID and password. (obtainable from the printer’s control screens; or sometimes by printing a canned/internal “info” page.)

You then simply set your iPad to connect to the printer’s SSID and you’re up and printing.

Others might ring-in with more sophisticated methods.

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Answer 2

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

24,403 points

Feb 22, 2025 1:12 PM in response to LindeDallas

May I ask why you want to use a Wi-Fi direct connection?

If you have a Wi-Fi network (Wi-Fi router), it is usually better to use that (infrastructure mode). For example, if you want to print a web page that you are visiting via an iPad/iPhone/Mac over your home Wi-Fi network, you could do this immediately without having to change to the printer's own network for direct printing.

The Brother HL-L3290CDW is listed as a supported AirPrint model in About AirPrint - Apple Support (us-en edition February 12, 2025). AirPrint means that the iPad can be used for printing without special apps. The printer and the iPad (and any iPhones and Macs) must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Use AirPrint to print from your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

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How do I activate Wi-Fi Direct on my iPad?

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