Amethyst Posted May 11, 2011 ID:427412 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Does anyone know if there's a way to turn off the wifi in a wireless printer? Our son might be in a situation, such as a college dorm, where he might want his own printer connected by USB to his laptop, but he may have to use a wifi network to get online, in which case I don't think him using a wireless connection for his printer would be such a good idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShyWriter Posted May 11, 2011 ID:427428 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Does anyone know if there's a way to turn off the wifi in a wireless printer? Our son might be in a situation, such as a college dorm, where he might want his own printer connected by USB to his laptop, but he may have to use a wifi network to get online, in which case I don't think him using a wireless connection for his printer would be such a good idea.Hi kidddo,I just did a Google search using the term "disable wireless printer" and there seems to be a range of ways depending on the Manufacturer or model. If he doesn't have the manual for the printer (instructions for disabling are usually within) one can go to the Manufacturer's web site and get a PDF version of the model manual to get the instructions or can login to the site's "forum" and ask how to do it.Hope that helps. I'm not sure if disabling Printer and File sharing within Windows itself would solve the problem just as easily.Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted May 11, 2011 Author ID:427520 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hope that helps. I'm not sure if disabling Printer and File sharing within Windows itself would solve the problem just as easily.SteveI'm not sure about that either. I think in such a setting he would have file and printer sharing within Windows disabled anyway. Here at home on my network, I have a desktop computer with the printer software installed on it and 3 laptops can use it to print, but the laptops have to connect to the desktop computer itself (a little tricky setting up a Vista and a Windows 7 to talk to an XP where the print is installed, but we got it done) because it's the actual computer that runs the printer. If the desktop computer happens to be asleep, we have to wake it up to make the printer work. I don't know how these wireless printers work, though. I have read posts on the internet which say that on a college dorm wifi network, if you have a wireless printer, there's a risk anyone behind that wifi network could access the printer. So my choice would be to just hardwire the printer and then have the wireless feature turned off. (Someone on a message board elsewhere said just turn the printer off when it's not being used, LOL! Makes sense. ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShyWriter Posted May 11, 2011 ID:427588 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I'm not sure about that either. I think in such a setting he would have file and printer sharing within Windows disabled anyway. Here at home on my network, I have a desktop computer with the printer software installed on it and 3 laptops can use it to print, but the laptops have to connect to the desktop computer itself (a little tricky setting up a Vista and a Windows 7 to talk to an XP where the print is installed, but we got it done) because it's the actual computer that runs the printer. If the desktop computer happens to be asleep, we have to wake it up to make the printer work. I don't know how these wireless printers work, though. I have read posts on the internet which say that on a college dorm wifi network, if you have a wireless printer, there's a risk anyone behind that wifi network could access the printer. So my choice would be to just hardwire the printer and then have the wireless feature turned off. (Someone on a message board elsewhere said just turn the printer off when it's not being used, LOL! Makes sense. )Laugh.. you're right.. Simplest answer is usually the best answer.I thought some more about it last night and realizing his IP will always be different, I wonder if the printer setup menu allows one to marry the wireless to his computer's MAC address which never changes and is unique to his computer??Downloading the manual and just turning off the wireless option is the most permanent answer since he's always going to print via USB.My meager technical abilities have been exhausted; if the instructions in the manual don't work, I'm out of ideas. Good luck.. KIDS!! Pain in the butt even when they leave home; I know; I put two through college; one in state and one out of state.. The weirdest thing about a kid in college away from home, Amethyst, is you don't worry about them as much as you do when they are home and drive locally to a movie; you'll see..Take care my friend,Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Admin AdvancedSetup Posted May 12, 2011 Root Admin ID:428009 Share Posted May 12, 2011 You can manually assign a wireless IP as well so that it does not change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted May 12, 2011 Author ID:428135 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Thanks Steve, Ron. I just ordered the printer yesterday, so now I know which manual to look for. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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