How do I add a printer
How i Do I add a printer to my i pad?
iPad, iOS 7.1
To print directly from an iPad you need an AirPrint - enabled printer on the same wireless network as the iPad. If a printer is not an AirPrint - printer, then you can avail yourself of some workarounds with the goal of keeping that printer in service.
Those choices amount to varying degrees of expense or inconvenience, and are:
1. Using a Mac or PC as a proxy for AirPrint. The Mac utilities are:
- handyPrint (Mac only, donation-supported)
- Printopia (Mac only, $19.95 with free trial)
These are utilities you install on a Mac you would normally use for printing, enabling it to act as an AirPrint print server for any printer the Mac can use. The Mac must be "on" but may be asleep for them to work. The iPad needs nothing else, no iOS apps need to be installed and no configuration is necessary. If your Mac can print, so can the iPad, using one of these utilities on your Mac. The obvious disadvantage is that if you don't have a Mac they're not attractive options.
There may be PC equivalents to the above, but you'll have to do your own research since the only product I had been aware of is no longer available.
2. Using a standalone hardware print server such as this one:
http://www.lantronix.com/it-management/xprintserver/xprintserver.html
It is a small device connected to your network, and bypasses the need for a computer to act as an AirPrint print server.
Its advantage is that you don't need a computer, but even the least expensive model is about the price of a new AirPrint printer. It is the more attractive option for someone who doesn't want to rely upon a utility that resides on a Mac, or who already has and wants to use a large number of non-AirPrint printers.
Either of these two options allow you to use any printer available to your Mac: wired, wireless, or USB-only.
3. A free iPad - resident app such as Brother iPrint&Scan. Canon, Epson, and HP have equivalent apps.
The disadvantage of such apps is that their functions are more limited than having a true AirPrint print option appear in apps that can print, and can generally print only some types of documents.
Otherwise you will need to buy an AirPrint printer or multifunction device. I recommend AirPrint compatible Brother printers and multifunction devices over those of other manufacturers.
Read the reviews and choose wisely.
