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AirPrint Information and FAQ

All, I figured I'd start one of my famous FAQ threads here to help head off some of the problems. So with that being said, lets get started.

Q: What is AirPrint?
A: AirPrint enables printing from a supported iOS 4.2 device to supported AirPrint enabled printers. Today several HP models support AirPrint.

Apple AirPrint Information and Printer list:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4356

Apple AirPrint Support Page:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/airprint.html

HP AirPrint Information and Printer list:
http://www.hp.com/go/airprint

HP AirPrint Support Page:
http://www.hp.com/sbso/printing/mac/hp-airprint.html

Q: I don't have one of the supported printers, is there any other way for me to get AirPrint to work?
A: Yes, there are several third party AirPrint Sharing Solutions for the Mac (although I am not personally endorsing any of them):

FingerPrint
http://www.collobos.com/

Printopia for Mac
http://www.ecamm.com/mac/printopia/

If you have a problem with a specific printer while using one of these applications, please direct the question to vendor that wrote the app.

Q: Does AirPrint work directly with any Printer?
A: No. At this time, only select models from HP work with Airprint.

Q: Can I share a printer from my Mac and print to it?
A: See the above question for the 3rd party products that enable AirPrint Sharing.

Q: Can I connect a USB printer to my AirPort BaseStation (Express, Extreme, TimeCapsule)?
A: This is not supported. See above.

Q: Can I use AirPrint with my older HP printers?
A: This is not supported by HP. See above.

Q: I have one of the supported printers that is supposed to work now, but I'm not seeing it. What's wrong?
A: Make sure you have updated to the latest firmware available. You can check in:

Tools->Web->Automatic Updates->Check for Product Updates.

Note that you may need to enable eWeb Services to see the updates.

Q: I have on of the printers that will be supported in the future (ie one of the Officejets), when will it be supported?
A: While at the moment the latest official answer is December 27th. I hope to be able to update this soon with an earlier date, but it will still be sometime in December.

Q: I have an iPhone 3G or a second gen iPod touch. I have iOS 4.2, but I am not seeing AirPrint, can you help?
A: AirPrint only shows up on iOS devices that support multitasking. While these devices have iOS 4.2 available for them, they do not support multitasking and hence do not support AirPrint.

Q: I still can't figure this out, what am I doing wrong?
A: Hopefully HP will have a support doc posted later today with pictures to help you work through the steps. I'll post a separate link to that document once its ready.

I will build on this list in this thread over time if you have questions that aren't answered here.

And while most of you from the Mac forums know this, I need to make it clear here as well: Although I am an HP employee, I am speaking for myself and not for HP.

Just trying to help.

Andrew

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Nov 23, 2010 12:41 PM

150 replies

Jan 12, 2011 8:00 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Andrew,

I finally was able to get my Ipad to print using AirPrint with my HP 6500A plus. All I had to do was enable my web access on the printer and my IPad found my printer. I am assuming that is updated my firmware. Hope this might be of some use for anyone. Thanks.

Charles

Jan 17, 2011 4:28 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Hello all. I was just wondering, is there any way to use AirPrint without a wireless network? I have a 3g iPad, and a "wired" network at home. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks...

Jay.

Fred-M-

Level 4

2,397 points

Jan 18, 2011 10:06 AM in response to helifreak

Helifreak-

There must be a WiFi connection from the iPad. It doesn't need to be a wide network if you have an AirPrint-compatible WiFi printer connecting in Ad Hoc mode.

A couple of the AirPrint printers do not appear to have WiFi. To print to them you would have to connect them via Ethernet to a WiFi router.

AirPrint does not work over a USB connection. However, your computer might be able to print to the printer's USB port in addition to the iPad using AirPrint to print to its WiFi port.

Fred

Jan 18, 2011 5:34 PM in response to Fred-M-

Thanks for your reply Fred.

Jay.

Jan 18, 2011 7:53 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

More on compatible routers:

So from another thread, you can add the following router as confirmed to work to the list:

Belkin F7d4401uk + firmware upgrade

Belkin just released a firmware upgrade that solves the problems they were having.

Just trying to help.

Andrew

Jan 18, 2011 7:58 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Q: Is there any way to Print to non-AirPrint compatible printers without the need for a computer running?

A: Yes, there does now appear to be a solution. EuroSmartz has updated PrintBureau and PrintCentral with supposed support for AirPrint to non-AirPrint Printers. I read about it in [this|http://www.macworld.com/article/157209/2011/01/eurosmartz_printing.html] Macworld article. A quick check of the App store, shows the apps there so Apple must have approved them.

Note for the record I have not tried either of these Apps, nor am I endorsing either, simply passing on information to try and help those users who want to print, print.

Just trying to help.

Andrew

Jan 18, 2011 8:00 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Q: Do you have any additional support Docs?

A: Why yes, we do. Check [this|http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02623193&cc=us&dlc=e n&lc=en&jumpid=reg R1002USEN#N684] one out. There is some useful info here for novice users.

Just trying to help.

Andrew

Jan 25, 2011 6:06 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Q: I have tried everything and I still can't see the printer, can you summarize the issues so I know I have tried everything?

A: Sure. If you are sure you have the latest firmware on your Printer (the necessary first step), then most likely there is an issue with your router blocking the Bonjour packets used for AirPrint to find your Printer. The Mac and Windows clients can use methods other then Bonjour, so it is possible your desktop can see the printer, but the iOS device can't. Here are the trouble shooting steps:

1) Make sure your Printer is running the latest firmware and that you are running iOS version 4.2.1 or later.
2) Power Cycle Everything (the router, the iOS device, and the Printer). And I mean actually Power Cycle. If this solves the problem and the problem returns, power cycling just the router will probably temporarily fix the problem. This is a problem with the router.
3) Make sure your iOS device and Printer are on the SAME network. Bonjour only discovers devices on the local network.
4) Make sure your router's firmware is up to date. ) Some people report firmware updates for their router fixed the problem.
4) Try turning off Bluetooth. Some people are reporting that turning off Bluetooth on their iPad solves the problem.
5) Try turning off Wide Band (40 MHz) channels on your router. Some people report that turning off Wide Band (40 MHz) channels on the 2.4 GHz radio on their router solves the problem. This is the radio that the Printer connects to. Wide Band channels were only part of the Draft N specification and are not part of the final specification.
6) Try connecting to the Printer's AdHoc network. To setup an AdHoc network, first reset the Printers Network Settings, then turn on the Wireless Radio. This will have the Printer create a network that you can connect to with your iOS device, to very that both the iOS device and the Printer work, and hence the problem is with your router.
7) As a last resort, if your router supports DD-WRT, you can give that a try. People report using DD-WRT (an alternate router firmware) solves the problem.
8) Buy a new router. The AirPort routers work just fine, as do some other routers. Routers that work are listed in this thread and in others.

Just trying to help.

Andrew

Feb 8, 2011 7:03 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Same here. i have the correct printer on a newer router my computers all see my printer on the network but my ipod does not. is there something i need to do on the ipod a setting? something? it is getting frustrating.

Feb 10, 2011 7:41 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Andrew,

I am back to having troubles again with AirPrint. I was able to print from the iPad just recently, however, now it is down again. My printer is a HP 6500A Plus. I am kind of baffled and a little frustrated. I originally had print problems because i needed to turn on web services on the printer. When i did that the iPad would print fine to my printer. Now, when i try to print my iPad recognizes the printer, but freezes on the icon box that says contacting printer. I know the the printer is working because i am able to print from my PC. Wondering if you have any suggestions? Would lack of hard drive space affect printing? I know my ipad is close to compacity, however, it is not full yet. Thanks for your help. Charles.

Charles

rs11gps

Level 1

8 points

Feb 12, 2011 12:52 PM in response to HP Mac Architect

Q: What routers are know to work with AirPrint?
A: While we haven't exhaustively tested every wireless router, in addition >>>>> to the entire Apple AirPort line, we have tested with the following devices:
Trapeze WLAN controller
Linksys WRT54G
Cisco 1200

Thanks Andrew. I have been trying to run down the "printers not found" issue so many of us have been struggling with. I believe the routers are a major culprit, in that Bonjour is not being properly processed through them.

I have a newer D-Link DIR665. A great router, highly configurable and capable, but it looks like it is not fully compatible with Bonjour. The sysptoms are that the entire network operates great, all computers see all printers and can print, EXCEPT any iPad or iPhone. They will USE the network, but cannot see any printer on it.

The closest I can get is by using the PrintCentral app, which talks to the WePrint app, which uses my PC to print to the HP c410a printer. No direct printing works, no other method I have found works. Not exactly the easy "touch print, and select your printer" in the ads.

Any hope of getting a Bonjour compatible router list out of Apple? Thanks

Feb 14, 2011 4:40 AM in response to rs11gps

sounds about right. apple needs a patch to make it compatable with all routers,

May 19, 2011 6:59 AM in response to HP Mac Architect

I have a question on AirPrint if anyone can help. I have a HP Photosmart printer which seems to have several names - HPCQ521B or HPC410b. I believe it supports AirPrint. I cannot get it to work on iphone or ipad in this scenario:

Printer connected (via ethernet and a switch) to my wireless router (a Belkin Play Max)

iPad connects to the network via the wireless router

The iPad has connectivity to the printer as I can access the admin page.

So why does the iPad not find any printers when I try to print using AirPrint? Firmware appears up to date, the apple devices are on iOs 4.2 or above.

I participated in a chat session with a HP support guy, he wasn't particularly helpful - he just said that the printer has to be connected wirelessly. I can't see how it could make any different to the ipad connectivity whether the printer is connected to the router via a wire or wireless. If he'd said it has to be an AD-HOC connection between Printer and iPad wirelessly I could have understood it perhaps, but he specifically said it should be infrastructure mode in which case it isn't a direct connection (ipad to printer) and so I can't see how it makes any difference how the iPad talks to the printer as long as connectivity is there ?

(before someone asks why I use a wired connection to connect the printer to the router.....I have to have the printer connected via ethernet as the printer is in one side of house and wireless router in the other side and the wireless signal doesn't reach).

Please help!

Regards,

Paul

rbii

Level 2

345 points

May 19, 2011 7:11 AM in response to silverous

AirPrint uses Bonjour (mdns) to find printers on the local network. (Both wired and wireless) The Play Max routers historically have not supported Bonjour. Recently Belkin has provided router firmware updates for some of their products. There's a somewhat dated discussion thread on Belkin routers and Bonjour here:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1066929

May 19, 2011 7:23 AM in response to rbii

Thank you, will look into that. Are you suggesting that it should work with the printer connected "wired" if the router was ok with it? I checked my router firmware recently and there is no update but perhaps I'll give another router a try.

AirPrint Information and FAQ