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Question

Help with a WiFi printer

by Nov 8, 2012 1:21PM PST

Hello, I am a college student and live in a triple. One of my two roommates brought a printer with him to the dorm and he has been kind enough to let me print with his printer. He has an HP Photosmart Plus B209a-m. Our dorm does have wifi. My question is...can we set up the printer to connect to the internet (which it can), but require a password for computers to print to it? Basically, I don't want to walk across the room and plug in the printer via a USB, but more importantly, I don't want anyone in our dorm, let alone our campus, to be able to print to his printer. So I would appreciate any steps on how to properly set up the wifi feature on this printer so only the three of us can use it. Thanks.

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3 Posts
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Answer
It usually does not allow this use.
by Forum moderator Nov 9, 2012 1:18AM PST

Your network admin usually sets what can connect. And for this one since it's on their network you ask them to help with setup.

However you know some prankster will empty your ink one day. I'd go with the old USB connect when I need to print solution.
Bob

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Thanks to sunwatcher, I added the AD-HOC method.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Nov 10, 2012 12:58AM PST
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Answer
Separate Router
by Nov 9, 2012 10:15AM PST

I did this recently for a situation just like yours. I used an old wireless router and set it up in the room to be used only for printing (no internet access). I set up the printer wirelessly to this router. Whenever someone wants to print something, they disconnect from the college wifi and reconnect to the old router. Anyone who needs to print needs the wireless key for the old router. You can essentially put the router anywhere; it doesn't need to be connected to either the printer or an internet connection.

Disconnecting and reconnecting wifi is the small inconvenience you pay for printing wirelessly, but it works well.

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