Introduction to wireless printing

Wireless printing allows you to print from anywhere in your home, without cables! It also lets the entire family share a single printer.

With an HP wireless-enabled printer, your computer will not need to be connected to your printer using a cable. This allows you to print from anywhere in your home—and lets the entire family share a single printer!

Benefits of wireless printing

• Mobility: Print from anywhere in your home.
• Less clutter: Say goodbye to cord clutter and the length of printer cables determining the placement of your office equipment. A wireless printer can even be placed out of sight in a closet or back room.¹
• Savings: Share a single printer with an entire household or office. Save on the hardware and energy costs it would take to have a printer for each computer.
• Speed and range: Wi-Fi printing is fast and has a range of approximately 100 feet in a typical home.

Wireless printing requires a wireless router, a computer connected to that router, and a wireless printer.

HP offers a wide range of wireless printers for home and office use, including the HP Photosmart eStation.

Each of the three wireless connection methods requires that you first have a wireless network established. A wireless network consists of the following:

• A wireless router. A wireless router is the core of a wireless network, allowing communication between your computer and printer.
• A computer connected to wireless router. Your computer or laptop should be connected to your wireless router (either wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable) before you connect your printer.
• Wireless-enabled printer. Many HP printers feature built-in wireless capabilities. Visit the HP Wireless printer buying guide to explore all your wireless printer options.

Remember, before you can print, you’ll still need to install the printer’s software driver on each computer! This will allow your printer and computer to communicate wirelessly.

NOTE: If you choose the USB setup method, this step will be included in the setup process. It is not included in the WPS or Wireless Setup Wizard.

Don’t have the software driver that came with the printer? No problem! You can download up-to-date drivers from HP.com.

Use the large touchscreen on the HP Photosmart 7510 eAiO touchscreen, to easily connect your printer to your wireless network.

Use the large touchscreen on the HP Photosmart 6510 to easily connect your printer to your wireless network.

The Wi-Fi Protected Setup (or WPS) method consists of following a few simple steps on the printer’s control panel or touchscreen before pressing the WPS button on your wireless router.

• Ideal for: Those with a wireless WPS router featuring a push-button.
• Requirements: You will need a router that supports WPS. It also requires an encrypted network with WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) or WPA2 protection.²
  
  You do not need to know your network name/SSID (Service Set Identifier), or your network password.
  
  
• Availability: This connection method is featured on all newer HP Photosmarts, Officejets, and Deskjets. For a list of the newest printers with this setup method, visit the HP Wireless Buying Guide.

Want to learn more? See how the WPS setup method works.

The Wireless Setup Wizard helps the printer find your local network and establish the connection.

The HP Photosmart 6510 e-All-in-One offers the Wireless Setup Wizard to help you get connected easily.

This wireless setup method consists of following steps on the printer’s control panel or touchscreen. During these quick steps, you’ll be prompted to enter your network name and password.

• Ideal for: Those with a wireless router that does not support WPS.
• Requirements: For this method, you will need to know your network name or SSID (Service Set Identifier).
  
  If you have set up a password on your wireless network, you’ll need this WEP encryption key or WPA passphrase—also referred to as your network password.



• Availability: This connection method is featured on all newer HP Photosmarts, Officejets, and Deskjets. For a list of the newest printers with this setup method, visit the HP Wireless Printer Buying Guide.

Want to learn more? See how the Wireless Setup Wizard method works.

Connect a wireless printer to your network using the printer’s software and temporarily connecting a USB cable.

With this setup method, your computer and printer will only be connected by USB cable during setup. Afterward, you’ll be free to print from anywhere in your home!

This wireless setup method uses the printer’s installation software and a USB cable. It will walk you through the steps of temporarily connecting your printer to your computer using the USB cable. Once the setup is complete, you will remove the USB cable to print wirelessly.

• Ideal for: Those whose printer does not support connection method #1
  or #2.
• Requirements: For this method, you’ll need a USB cable at the very beginning of setup, as well as your printer driver. Also, your printer will have to be temporarily close enough to your computer to connect with the USB cable.
  
  Find an HP USB cable online.



• Availability: This connection method is featured on many HP wireless printers and all-in-ones. For a list of the newest printers with this setup method, visit the HP Wireless Printer & All-in-One comparison charts.

Want to learn more? See how the USB setup method works.

Step 1: Choose See support and troubleshooting information.

Still not sure which method to choose? Check your printer’s manual to see which of the wireless setup methods your HP printer or all-in-one supports.

Don’t have your printer’s manual? You can always download a copy from HP.com.

1. Choose See support and troubleshooting information.
2. Enter your printer model below and then click Go.
3. When your printer appears, choose Manuals from the onscreen options.