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Draytek wireless printing and Macs...

I have a Draytek Vigor wireless router which is very versatile in many ways and among its features, it has a USB printer port which enables you to connect a printer to it, and then print to that printer via your wireless connection.

The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac. Does anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?

I know Macs are brilliant and all that, but when you try to add a printer and it offers you the option of entering an IP address, it all seems to require a lot of technical expertise that isn't explained in any manual that I've seen. Anyway, entering the IP address of the router brings up a list of printers, none of which corresponds to my printer, and even if I choose one at random I can't print to it, not even random characters.

If there is a more appropriate newsgroup for this question than this one, let me know.

Reply to
The Todal
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I asked this question in the context of a networked printer and received the following from Jon B

"""""""""" Go into system preferences, print & fax, click + tick, the printer will either be picked up in the default browser over 'bonjour' networking, or click 'IP printer' where you can drop in the IP address. """""""""

As I see it there is no difference between a printer with an ethernet interface and hence an IP address, and a printer connected to the router which uses the router's IP address. In a PC context the printer is treated as a "standard TCP/IP port". I have found that some printers do not work when connected like this - specifically an HP PSC 1500 - but others such as an HP 1220C work very well.

But I agree, the Mac interface for an IP printer was less than intuitive.

-- Graham

Reply to
Graham

I asked this question in the context of a networked printer and received the following from Jon B

"""""""""" Go into system preferences, print & fax, click + tick, the printer will either be picked up in the default browser over 'bonjour' networking, or click 'IP printer' where you can drop in the IP address. """""""""

As I see it there is no difference between a printer with an ethernet interface and hence an IP address, and a printer connected to the router which uses the router's IP address. In a PC context the printer is treated as a "standard TCP/IP port". I have found that some printers do not work when connected like this - specifically an HP PSC 1500 - but others such as an HP 1220C work very well.

But I agree, the Mac interface for an IP printer was less than intuitive.

-- Graham

Reply to
Graham

Many thanks! I'll try it tonight.

Reply to
The Todal

I have the same router and also a network of printers using LPD. It's the same in each case.

Select Print & Fax Press the [+] button to add a new printer. Click on IP Printer at the top of the dialog. Protocol Line Printer Daemon - LPD Address: enter address of printer or router Queue: Leave blank

If desired enter a Name and Location these are descriptive strings to help you recognise the printer. If you do not fill these in the printer will be identified by IP address only, which confuses users.

If you are luucky once you have entered the address the Name: Location and printer driver will be selected automatically. Again you should change the Name and Location to something sensible. If the type of printer is not recognised, select your make and model from Print Using.

Believe it or not, this is simpler than doing the same job on a PC, not least because OSX has drivers for most printers.

Reply to
Steve Firth

Thanks, Steve - I shall give it a try.

Reply to
The Todal

It works (insofar as I can print to the printer). But it doesn't offer me the printer driver for my printer (a Canon i865) even though I had installed the driver. I had to guess which Canon driver might be the most appropriate. And I couldn't make the utilities to clean the print head, work.

Reply to
The Todal

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