Installing a wireless printer on windows xp

Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Plug the printer's USB cable into your computer. It should fit into one of the USB ports on the side of your computer laptop or on the back or front of the CPU box desktop. If your printer doesn't have a USB cable, you may have to buy one for your printer before continuing.

Look up the printer's model number followed by "USB cable". If there isn't a USB cable available for your printer, you'll need to install the software manually instead. You may also have to plug the non-USB end of the cable into the printer. Turn on the printer. You'll see this at the top of the Start window.

Click Add a printer or scanner. Click your printer's name. It should be in the Add a printer or scanner window. Doing so will bring up the printer's installation window. Follow the on-screen installation steps.

Each printer will have a distinct installation process. Once the installation process is complete, your printer should work. Method 2. Ensure that your printer is compatible with Mac. Not all printers can run on a Mac's operating system. Before you spend hours trying to install a printer on your Mac, look up the printer's model name and number to see if it is compatible with your Mac.

Make sure the printer is close to your computer. Most printers come with relatively short USB-to-printer cables that allow you to connect your printer to your Mac for direct communication between the printer and your computer. To attach this cable, your printer and computer must be close to each other. Make sure you have a USB adapter if needed.

It should fit into one of the USB ports on the side of your computer laptop or on the back of the iMac display desktop. Click Install when prompted. Macs will automatically detect your printer and determine whether or not it needs to be updated; if you've never installed the printer on your Mac, you will receive the update prompt. Follow the on-screen prompts.

Click through the printer's installation steps to install the latest software and drivers on your Mac. When the process is complete, you'll be able to use your printer. Method 3.

Consult your printer's manual. The manual may have a section with instructions specific to your printer model regarding what you can do to install your printer without the software. If this is the case, follow those instructions to find and download your printer's software.

Go to the printer manufacturer's website. Click the Printers tab. Each manufacturer website will vary in appearance, so you may have to poke around for this option at the top of the page. Search for your printer model. Either scroll through available models, or type your printer model's name into a search bar if applicable.

Look for a "Software" download link. You may have to re-enter your printer model in a search bar to find software here as well. Some websites place the Download Software link in very small text at the bottom of the page. Click the download link for your printer's software. Doing so should prompt the software to begin downloading to your computer. Wait for your printer's software to download. This can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

If prompted, select a save location first. Unzip the software's folder if you're on Windows. When I try to "add a printer" I only get the option to install plug and play printers and therefore cannot search for the wireless printer that is already successfully installed on my network.

Can anyone please help. Thanks Paul. This thread is locked. You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread. I have the same question 0. Report abuse. Details required :. Unlike newer versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system, Windows XP does not auto-detect wireless and Bluetooth printers within range of the PC.

Once XP knows where to find the device on your organization's local area network, it can create a connection with the printer over Wi-Fi. Print a configuration page or browse to network settings via the printer's control panel to find the IP address of the device.