Printing with my iPad2 without Airprint printer? Oh yes I can!

Does your Mac need to be on for this to work, (their site is not entirely clear)

So it seems that to be able to print a computer must be on and running.

Thanks

Moderately annoyed, I'd heard that Apple had fixed the no print thing and now discover (should have read the small print...) that they dont appear to have fixed the problam at all.

I've got 2 printers - an Epson R2880 connected to a Win Server 2003 box by USB. - a HP 2300dtn connected directly to the network by a JetDirect card - all bog standard run of the mill stuff.

Whats the view on this do I stand any chance of getting the Ipad to print to either of these?

If you want to print from an iDevice to a printer without a computer acting as go-between you must have an airprint enabled printer, and you don't!

If you don't mind using a computer to facilitate the connection the App Store has many choices.

I have no idea what you mean by "I'd heard that Apple had fixed the no print thing"

Michael Ryan. wrote:

Hello All,

There is a very long FAQ list on the Printopia website (see link in my original post), but here is some of the requirements you need to have: You need a Apple computer that has OSX 10.5 or 10.6 or above. Your iPhone,iPad or iPod need IOS 4.2 or above and must be AirPrint compatible.

Unfortunately there is no WINDOWS version.

Hope this helps.

Mike

If Printopia allows you to print to a printer without a computer what relevance is the OSX version?

Sounds to me as if a Mac is needed for this to work so not exactly what I am looking for.

Csound1 wrote:

So it seems that to be able to print a computer must be on and running.

I am using the demo right now and yes the computer must be turned on and running.

Michael Ryan. wrote:

Hello Csound1,

I'm not an expert on Printopia (I just know it works really well for me), but I'm fairly certain that your iDevice is sending the print job to your Apple computer, so the printer is printing the job from your Mac and not from your iDevice.

So Printopia's workaround helps all of us who use Mac, but don't have an AirPrint printer.

Hope this helps.

Mike

Thanks, I already knew that, I am looking for a way to print without a computer involved (the whole portability thing goes out of the window if I have take my iPad and my MBP with me in order to print)

Hi Csound1

"I'd heard that Apple had fixed the no print thing"

What I intended to convey was that I was aware that when released the original iPad did not have the ability to connect to printers, but I though an update to the iPad firmware/OS had fixed this.

I now realise that this was somewhat wide of the mark or that I'd misinterpreted what Apple said and that the printing function is limited to a very very small number of HP printers. No I wont be buying a printer just for the iPad!

I work in a Windows environment and at home other then the wifes iPod all our IT infrastructure is MS Windows and theres no way I'd even consider a Mac.

Lots of you guys live and breath Apple and the perception is that everybody understands the basic fuinctionaliaty of the devices, largely I suspect through the music applications and social networking (facebook et-al) stuff. Whilst I've quite a bit iof experience with IT I'm not at all interested in either music or social media. I've never used a Mac (and no desire to) and my experience of iTunes is limited to loading it onto a Win 7 box importing all my wifes CD and syncing her iPod. At which point I pass her the iPod and she gats on with it, dont think I've ever actually used the iPod...

Long way of saying that all this is uphill for me. On ballance I think I'll just connect the iPad to the work machine and buy Win7 phones for our personal use, at least I can get MS stuff to work and talk to the house infrastructure.

ANBody66 wrote:

Lots of you guys live and breath Apple and the perception is that everybody understands the basic fuinctionaliaty of the devices, largely I suspect through the music applications and social networking (facebook et-al) stuff. Whilst I've quite a bit iof experience with IT I'm not at all interested in either music or social media. I've never used a Mac (and no desire to) and my experience of iTunes is limited to loading it onto a Win 7 box importing all my wifes CD and syncing her iPod. At which point I pass her the iPod and she gats on with it, dont think I've ever actually used the iPod...

How splendidly misinformed and insulting. I am a born again teenager at the age of 65 and equally have no interest in social networking (although some interest in Baroque music), having spent the last twenty years making a living in desktop publishing, database design and management, spreadsheeting at a reasonably advanced level, and CAD for publishing international publications. Been using computers since 1968.

I've gone through a period of using Windows, and prefer not to do so, but occasionally still do on the old Mac Pro, sometimes Bootcamping, and sometimes for lesser work via a virtual machine.

You're quite right. You stick with Windows and leave Macs to us youngsters with our music and sharing our pictures of our drinking sessions with our friends.

And one more Mac-only iPad printing solution is this free minor tweak to OS X is detailed in this thread, dating from November 2010: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2658720?threadID=2658720&tstart=0

It requires that the Mac is on and awake. I'm using it to print from an iPad 2 in iOS 4.3.1 and a MacBook on OS X 10.6.7 with both an HP LaserJet connected via USB and a Canon MP560 connected wirelessly.

It worked with both 10.6.5 and 10.6.6. Have not tested 10.6.8 yet.

Of course there is no guarantee that this free tweak might or might not continue to work with any future release of iOS or OS X which must remain nameless under the Apple Support Communities Terms of Use that prohibits speculation about future products.

And finally, don't forget to see if your printer manufacturer has a printing app. Canon has a iOS photo-printing-only app compatible with my MP560.

Message was edited by: kostby

@Csound1: Like you, I wanted to be able to print WTHOUT having to have my MacBook Pro running, as my goal is to substitute my iPad for my MBP whenever possible. I bought an HP Envy Air Print printer (heavily discounted) because it has a compact form factor. It's not a portable, but it is transportable to my classroom, to my studio, etc. All I have to do is have it on the same local network as my iPad.

Having this printer has greatly enhanced my productivity and my enjoyment of my iPad2. I never thought I'd buy an HP printer, but I have to give HP props for responding to the Air Print technology. There are now 25 models of HP printers that are Air Print compatible and some of them don't cost much more than the cost of the ink cartridges. You can take a look at them and see if one of them meets your needs.