It would be amazing if the printers being shared by my iMac could be accessed from my iPad2 in the same way they are accessed from my MacBook Pro.
Anyone come across an existing solution to make this work? Since the iOS sems to be extremely iTunes dependent, it seems that there may not be.
On a side note, I am utterly surprised that things like Printer Sharing, File Sharing and Screen Sharing are not integrated into the iOS.
Thanks,
Warren
5 years later still an issue! I should not have to install 3rd party software to print to a shared printer on a Mac using the latest MacOS software (Sierra) using brand new iPhone or iPad. If you have a nice USB printer you can only share to another Mac, Windows or Linux computer, not an iDevice. Sad.
The current options are:
You have to get a network "Airport" printer and connect over WiFi or ethernet and assume all the security risks involved by sticking an IoT device on your LAN. These printers have internet-facing administration interfaces and have been used as malware vectors.
You have to plug the printer into into an Airport Extreme over USB, a device on which Apple has let the hardware lag and is likely going to discontinue. Then hope it somehow works.
-or- You have to install some unsupported, shady hack you find on the internet. Maybe pay money for some commercial software. This just proves it's possible but that Apple themselves aren't interested in supporting. It's just Bonjour networking, Apple. Build it in to the OS!
I'm looking for a solution, I've filed a bug report with Apple. Anybody have any other ideas? Did I miss something?
LACAllen wrote:
1 "Apple has already exited the router business."
2 "It is built in to iOS and needs to be built in to the printer as well."
3 "I don't believe it's viewed as a bug. The design of iOS only supports AirPrint."
4 "Likely at the risk of network security."
1. Not quite true, you *can* buy brand new Airport Express, Extreme and Time Capsule devices right now. But soon we agree that this will not be possible.
2. It should not need more than a shared Mac that is already acting as a print server on the network that is currently serving (successfully) to macOS, Windows and Linux clients right now using Samba and CUPS. This is not hard and we've been doing this for years. The printer should need the AirPrint Bonjour functionality if it stands alone. A USB printer attached to a Mac that is providing sharing services should not require that the printer have such functionality.
3. You are most likely correct. It's may be a missing feature not a bug in the eyes of Apple. Just in case it IS a bug, I filed a report.
4. I disagree. Sending customers to unsupported hacks to make things work is a risk of network security. Adding AirPrint Bonjour services to a Mac that is already actively successfully sharing on the network to Windows/Mac/Linux is not any kind of security issue. There isn't even any interface on the public internet.
My point is that if even my Windows machines can see a USB printer attached to a Mac that is sharing a printer, my iPad should too! And this is a choice Apple makes, and one that I disagree with. All we can do is ask and hope.
You have to plug the printer into into an Airport Extreme over USB, a device on which Apple has let the hardware lag and is likely going to discontinue.
Apple has already exited the router business.
It's just Bonjour networking, Apple. Build it in to the OS!
It is built in to iOS and needs to be built in to the printer as well.
I'm looking for a solution, I've filed a bug report with Apple. Anybody have any other ideas?
I don't believe it's viewed as a bug. The design of iOS only supports AirPrint.
This just proves it's possible but that Apple themselves aren't interested in supporting.
Likely at the risk of network security.
The iOS uses the AirPrint feature which requires an AirPrint compatible printer. That is how printing is integrated into the iOS on iDevices.
There are third party applications that you can use for printing if your printer is not AirPrint compatible. There are apps in the app store that claim to work virtually any wireless printer ... Print Central, Print n Share, Print Bureau ...
Mac users can download Printopia on the Mac and many users love it. I believe that the Mac has to be running for this app to work. Some users use a feature called AirPrint Activator. Take a look at both of those if you like.
I had not heard of Printopia! It looks like it will do the trick.
I had tried AirPrint Activator, but could not get it to work as expected.
Thanks, Demo.
Warren Heaton wrote:
I had tried AirPrint Activator, but could not get it to work as expected.
Make sure you delete the printer, install AirPrint Acitvator then reinstall the printer.
You may need to reboot.
Mac OS x printer sharing with iPad
