I’ve been using this printer via USB for some while now, without a hitch. It comes with a wireless adapter built it, so I tried to use that to print with from another machine. No Luck. The other machine was never able to browse to the printer to add it. I was able to get the printer’s web setup via its IP address, and I could even ping the printer from the other machine, but no matter what I tried I couldnt add this printer via the windows “Add Printer” dialog.
About a half an hour later I stumbled on the secret: You have to run the Lexmark “Wireless Setup” option on each machine that wants to print via wireless. This program is installed along with the printer drivers when you use the CD that comes with the printer. It’s amazing how long it can take to figure out simple things. I’m posting this to save someone else the trouble.
There is one shortcut I figured out so you don’t have to install the CD on each machine. When you run the Wireless Setup program it creates a virtual printer port that you use to connect to the printer via wireless. Windows assumes this virtual port is a physical port, so once you have the printer connected to your machine via this magic port YOU can now share the printer out to everyone else on your network the nice windows way. Other computers can browse to your machine and see the printer, like you would expect. Im sure that slows down printing since your adding an extra hop, but it does make printing alot easier to setup.
I’m not sure what kept Lexmark from implementing a universal plug and play solution, this virtual port via wireless solution seems like a hack.
- Lexmark’s virtual wireless printer port solution
