Level 1

1 points

Printing via Airprint and Airport Express

I have 2 x printers attached via USB hub to my airport express which is part of my wireless network. When looking for printers using airprint on both my iPad and iPhone, neither can find a printer.
Anyone else having this problem? I was under the impression that airprint should work with printers connected to airport express...

Macbook Pro 15", Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Nov 22, 2010 11:08 AM

104 replies

Feb 18, 2011 5:59 AM in response to Walk

Printopia works like a charm with ipad, etc. Wish I could find a simple route around idvd for burning a simple slideshow. I have read all the fixes suggested on that and am still stuck. Printopia is only 10 dollars, no hassle.

Walk

Level 1

13 points

Feb 18, 2011 7:24 AM in response to lynjon1

I will email them today. I'll look at Printopia too... Thank you for the suggestions...

Mar 9, 2011 6:02 AM in response to Ovito

BIG THANKS to those who suggested Printopia!

What a great, SIMPLE printing solution (at least for Mac users). I love most things Apple, but their AirPrint "solution" was very short-sighted and terribly implemented. Printopia should see a lot of sales between now and the arrival Mac OS X Lion and iOS 5 (perhaps iOS 4.3), assuming Apple smartens up.

dawsonj

Level 1

23 points

Mar 13, 2011 9:48 AM in response to rs11gps

how did you manage that?

I have a non airprint printer attached to an airport express.
The airport is used to extend ethernet and USB printing from a wireless network created by a time capsule.

Does it work if the airport creates its own wifi network (ie acts as an access point)?

Mar 13, 2011 11:25 AM in response to dawsonj

This is the exact set up I have (actually, my Time Capsule is bridging from another router, but that isn't an issue). My AirPort Express is extending my WiFi network created by my Time Capsule and has my non-AirPrint printer connected via USB. I've shared the printer on my network in System Preferences. PRINTOPIA (http://www.ecamm.com/mac) makes it visible to my iDevices, even allowing me to duplex if desired.

dawsonj

Level 1

23 points

Mar 13, 2011 5:35 PM in response to Dana Cameron

Thanks for responding so quickly.

I have your EXACT set up except I am not running this printopia thing.

Will look into it as $10 is around the same as buying a dedicated iphone product I found and additional in app purchase for pdf support.

Would rather use airprint natively from the iDevices

thanks again

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

Mar 13, 2011 6:36 PM in response to dawsonj

Dawsonj-

As I understand it, Printopia runs on the Macintosh, and makes shared printers appear to be AirPrint printers when seen by the iDevice.

Programs (such as Print n Share) that run on the iDevice, do NOT use AirPrint. They have their own mail programs, picture viewers and web browsers, as well as print drivers for several common printers including PostScript. They have the advantage of not requiring a computer to be running when you want to print.

These programs are not extremely expensive, so you might want to try both approaches. Printopia might be the best for use at home, and Print n Share might be the best for on-the-road.

Fred

dawsonj

Level 1

23 points

Mar 13, 2011 7:33 PM in response to Fred-M-

Thanks for the clarification Fred,

I purchased it already. Have a mini at home running as a media server will move the airport express printer to it and run the software 24 x 7.

Will most likely get both, not a lot of money really 🙂

Mar 13, 2011 9:02 PM in response to Fred-M-

Indeed, Fred, thanks for this additional tip!

+Print n Share+ may actually supplant the need for Printopia if it's just as effective on my home network as with other networks. As you point out though, having both would cover all the bases while not breaking the bank.

Dana

runex

Level 1

8 points

Apr 5, 2011 6:29 AM in response to Ovito

I am almost there when it comes to setting up airprint support for my printer, via my MyBook NAS. THat means some linux hacking with open source tools.

The questions is: *Why does not Apple implement this support intheir Airport Express, and Airport Extreme/Toime Capsule?* It does not look to be very advanced. It is a printer server, serving the printers network address (delivered by the Airport) out with the "airprint protocols".

Millions of users wpould suddenly be able to print from their iOS devices - now it is only for geeks and thos who choose to have their Mac work as airprint server through Printopia. Come Apple, this should not be much work.

fredges

Level 1

13 points

Aug 9, 2011 9:17 PM in response to Ovito

IMHO, Apple just realeased this "feature" too early.If they'd waited and released it only after it worked with more printers, and worked over our WiFi networks to our old printers that are plugged into our Airport base stations, people would've been raving about how great it is. Moral of the story: look what happens when you take it out of the oven before it's fully baked. Ouch, Apple. Great idea, poorly executed.

Sep 4, 2011 9:32 AM in response to fredges

I struggled with the same problem but I think I have found the right app. I have a HP C4400 printer connected to the airport. I downloaded the app and it immediately recognized the printer and the ip adres of the airport. After I installed the app it will pop up if click on OPEN IN. It does not pop up in print. The app gives you the option to test it (it works) but Shen you want to print your own document it asked you if you want to upgrade for 7,99 EUR. But, it works so if you want to spend the money you have a solution. Haven't checked the total functionality yet.

App is called Print Direct www.eurosmartz.com.

Oct 29, 2011 5:42 AM in response to Africanrein

It's possible to use free software (Virtualbox and Ubuntu) to fix the broken iOS 5 Airprint printing with non supported printers. Here's a fix that works on my imac, but should also work on even a windows pc.

My setup is a lion imac with 2 non-airprint supported usb printers attached, a belkin wifi router that provides network connectivity for my imac, ipad, and iphone.

Install ubuntu 11.10 in a virtualbox vm. Specify to use the "Bridged Adapter" with "en1: WiFi (AirPort)" for the network hardware. Make sure the imac's usb printers are setup with sharing. On ubuntu, select System Settings > Printers and add your imac's shared printers to the list. Then start ubuntu's firefox and set "localhost:631" in the address. On the administration tab, under the Server section, check "Share printers connected to this system" and hit Change Settings button to activate it. Go back to ubuntu's printer setup, and right click on each printer and check that the properties Policies tab does not have any messages about it being unshared. If so, then go back to firefox and make sure the Server sharing checkbox is enabled. It may help to reboot.

Fire up virtualbox to be able to use AirPort printing to your imac's usb printers, when you want to print from the iphone or ipad. This also works on iOS 5.

Only problem is error message from iphone to check the printer for errors, even though it actually prints ok.

references:

http://askubuntu.com/questions/26130/how-can-share-my-printer-so-that-i-can-use- it-with-airprint

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2011-June/033611.html

tyennior

Level 1

0 points

Nov 19, 2011 4:08 PM in response to Ovito

i just had the same problem...

figured out that the mac had to be on and connected to the network in order for Airprint to work wiith non-Airprint printers.

Jbs89

Level 1

0 points

Jan 13, 2012 3:31 PM in response to Ovito

Hi I also use an airport express. I use a free program though. Called Airyunes Activator. Apple really needs to support their express or iPhone software!! Requiring my MacBook to be on is not too cool..

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Printing via Airprint and Airport Express