How to Connect a Printer to a Computer

Position your printer. If you have a laser printer, allow a few inches of space on all sides for ventilation. Ink-jet printers don't require ventilation.
Buy a bidirectional, IEEE 1284-compliant parallel printer cable. (Printers rarely come with cables. See 'How to Buy a Printer Cable,' under Related eHows, for more information.)
Shut down the computer, but leave it plugged into the surge suppressor.
Compare the connectors at the opposite ends of the cable.
Attach the 25-pin end of the cable to the parallel, or printer, port on the computer. (The plug will go in only one way.)
Tighten the hand screws securely.
Connect the other end of the cable into the printer's socket.
Latch the retaining clips (on most printer ports).
Plug the power cord into the printer and into the surge suppressor.
Turn on the printer.
Install cartridges according to the printer manufacturer's instructions.
Turn on the computer.
Install printer driver software according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Add the printer to the list of printers your computer recognizes (see 'How to Add a Printer,' under Related eHows). On a Macintosh, just select the new printer in the Chooser.

How to Reboot an HP PSC 2355 Printer (3 Steps)

Press the 'Power' button and wait for the printer to shut down completely if it has not done so already. Wait 60 seconds for the memory to reset. Try to reboot the printer by simply pressing the 'Power' button again.
Unplug the USB and power cables from the back of your HP 2355 printer if it still will not respond. Wait 60 seconds and plug the cords back into your device.
Press the 'Power' button to reboot the printer. The printer will run a quick self-diagnostic test and the lights will flash. All memory will be cleared, and interrupted print jobs should restart.

How to Find Out What Kind of Ink Cartridge I Need for My Printer

Locate the existing ink cartridges inside the printer. Remove the cartridge and find the correlating identification number on the outside casing. You can order a replacement cartridge using that exact number either online or by locating the cartridge by number in a store. Inkjet printers require separate ink cartridges for black and color ink cartridges, making it necessary to buy two replacement cartridges. In some cases, your printer may require separate ink cartridges for all four colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, necessitating four replacement cartridges.
Locate the name of the printer by inspecting the outside of the actual machine. The name of the printer and any identifying description should be on the front of the machine, or at the very least, on the back where the cord extends from the machine. For example, if the front of your machine reads 'HP Photosmart 8250' jot that information down for easy reference when going to purchase a replacement.
Log on to the office supply website of your choice. Locate and select the 'Ink & Toner' section and enter the make and model of your printer. Evaluate the options provided, while determining if you need black, color or both ink cartridges. Purchase accordingly.
Drive to an office supply store and ask a sales associate to help locate the replacements quickly. Make a note of the ink cartridge number for future purchases.

How to Undry Printer Cartridges (4 Steps)

Open up the front lid to the printer.
Remove the ink cartridges from the printer.
Take a damp cue tip and rub it across the end of the cartridge that ink comes out of. This will remove any old ink from the cartridge and create a clear path.
Dry off the cartridge with the other end of the cue tip. Place the cartridge back into the printer.

How to Print on a DVD With a Laser Printer

Ensure your laser printer is CD/DVD-compatible if you haven't already. If you are unsure, consult the manual.
Open your printer control panel. For most printers, you can do this by selecting 'Print' from any application, then clicking 'Settings' or 'Preferences.' Some laser printers also install a little printer icon in the lower-right corner of your screen.
Look for and click on a tab or link labeled 'Paper Type,' 'Paper Size' or 'Media.'
Click the drop-down box and select 'CD/DVD.'
Insert a printable DVD into your printer. You'll know a DVD is printable because the top will be white instead of silver or colored. CD/DVD-compatible laser printers will have a special slot for this. Be sure the disc is facing the right way or the printer will print on the recordable side and ruin the disc.
Open the image or document you wish to print on the DVD.
Click 'Print' from the application's 'File' menu.
Click 'Print.'

How to Print With a Photo Printer Without Using a Computer

Setup your printer. Make sure your printer is configured and assembled correctly. Refer to your manual.
Load paper. In basic mode, you will print on 4- x 6-inch glossy paper. Insert the paper upright into the printer, glossy side up. Place it against the right paper guard and slide the moveable paper guide over so it touches the left side.
Determine how you will access pictures. There are several ways to get photos onto your printer. You can use USB, dock your camera or use a memory card. Steps 4 through 6 explain each option.
Connect with USB. This uses Pictbridge technology and your camera must be Pictbridge enabled. Simply connect a USB cable from your camera to your printer. Make sure both devices are turned on and ready.
Connect by docking. If you charge your camera with a dock, you can connect the dock to the printer just as you'd connect it to your PC. Some printers also have built-in docks.
Transfer via memory card. Remove the memory card from your camera. Find the slot for the memory card on your printer (you may have to open a panel) and insert the card.
Preview your pictures. If you are connecting with USB, you will preview and print using the camera's controls. Otherwise, use the LCD screen to scroll through your pictures and select which ones to print. Take note of the numbers.
Print an index. If you do not have a preview screen, find the option on the menu to print an index. Your printer will print thumbnails of your photos as well as numbers. Write down the numbers of the photos you want to print.
Select a photo to print. Use your camera's interface or your printer's interface to select the photo you want. Find a 'select photo' feature and scroll down to the number or thumbnail you want. Press 'okay.'
Print. Press the print button on your printer to begin printing.

How to Convert a Paralleled Printer to Wireless

Unplug the printer cable from the printer and computer.
Plug the print server firmly into the printer and secure it with the retainer clips.
Plug the CAT5 cable into the print server and the router.
Connect the power adapter to the print server and plug it into the wall.



Install the software for setting up the print server on the computer used to administrate the network.
Follow the directions that came with the print server to log in to the print server and set the options needed for your network.
Log into your router and look under the DHCP settings to find out where it starts assigning IP addresses. Most routers default to between 192.168.1.2 and 192.168.1.50.
Assign your printer an IP address. To avoid conflicts, set your printer's IP address outside of that range -- to something between 192.168.1.51 and 192.168.1.255.



Click the Start button. Navigate to Control Panel, then Printers and Faxes, then Add Printer.
Click Next on the dialog that pops up. Select the radio button next to 'A network printer or a printer attached to another computer.'
Click Next again. Select the radio button next to 'Connect to a printer on the Internet or on a home or office network:' In the field, type in the IP address that you specified for your printer via the print server.
Click Next. At this point, the printer will install automatically using drivers supplied with your operating system or you will be prompted to provide a disk containing the drivers.