How Do I Print to an Airport-Connected Printer?

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by John Howard, Mar 18, 2007.

  1. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

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    I have a Brother MFC-4800 printer connected to my Airport Extreme. However, I cannot "find" the printer using my Parallels WinXP SP2 virtual machine. when I use control panel to try to set up a network printer, it cannot find it, either by browsing or by typing in the printer name

    Printing works fine from MAC OS X 10.4.9 after setting up with the following instructions.

    Open the "Printer Setup Utility".
    Delete the existing Brother printer from the list.
    Select Add Printer....
    Select "IP Printing" from the connect type drop down list.
    In "Printer Type" please select "Socket/HP Jet Direct".
    Enter the IP address 192.168.123.137 and select the Brother Printer Model from the Printer Model drop down list.

    The printer prints fine in Mac OS X after doing this. How do I get it to work in my VM?
     
  2. dkp

    dkp Forum Maven

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    1,367
    So a search in this forum for Bonjour. It makes OS X the printer server for Windows and seems to work every time it's tried. Including here.
     
  3. chabig

    chabig Hunter

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  4. drval

    drval Pro

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    It's certainly worked for me as well.
     
  5. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

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    126
    NEW Airport print problem - "remained data"

    Thanks. I found and installed Bonjour. And it found my Airport-connected printer with no problem. But having succeeded at that, I have a new problem:

    When I try to print from my VM to the Airport-connected printer (doesn't matter what I'm printing - even pure Notepad text), the printer first says "receiving data" (which is normal), then it says "remained data" (which is not normal - it's never happened before) then it just hangs there until I reset the printer.

    I don't have this problem printing wireless straight from Mac OSX. I also don't have any problems printing from my VM straight to a hard-wire USB-connected printer.

    Any advice? Thanks.
     
  6. Reel1

    Reel1 Bit poster

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    2
    It almost sounds that the correct print driver has not been used.
     
  7. drval

    drval Pro

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    490

    Try using Shared Networking -- in Parallels Devices\Network...
    And make certain that Shared Networking is in operations.

    This has worked for me.
     
  8. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

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    126

    I used Generic Postscript. Brother's MCF 4800 drivers appear not to work with wireless - hardwire parallel and USB are the only driver options and my system will accept neither because the printer is Airport-wireless.

    I have another hard- wire USB printer (an Epson C86) that prints fine. But it is recognized as USB because it is hard-wired connected to the iMac's USB port - not to an Airport
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2007
  9. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

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    126
    I will try. But first - right now "bridged ethernet" is selected under Parallels Devices\Network. Will I have to disable "bridged ethernet" in order to use "shared networking"? And if I do, will that compromise my connectivity?
     
  10. drval

    drval Pro

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    490
    I don't know how your networking is set up -- Bridged maybe necessary for you and your situation. But, OTOH, using Shared will not per se compromise connectivity. It depends on your local configuration.

    I believe there are a number of threads about the relevant differences between Bridged and Shared, as well as "Host Only" so you may want to use the Search function of the forum to find some of those discussions. Or perhaps someone else here can either summarize or point to them.
     
  11. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

    Messages:
    126

    As it turns out "shared" is grayed out and not available in Devices, Preferences or anywhere else. Only option is "bridged" and under that I have a chouce of ethernet or airport (airport is "default").
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2007
  12. drval

    drval Pro

    Messages:
    490
    Is this a MacPro or MacBook Pro?

    My choices for Bridged or Shared appear AFTER I've selected the Device. Do you not see "Default Adapter" in your list of Devices?

    Also make sure that you have set the option for Shared Networking in Preferences:

    Parallels\Preferences\Network and then select "Enable DHCP scope for shared networking".

    You may need to modify the Start, End and Mask settings based on your local configuration but mine have always just been the defaults.
     
  13. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

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    126
    JH REPLY: I don't see those settings, they are not under "preferences". Where are they?
     
  14. dd55

    dd55 Member

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    43
    Go here:
    http://www.ifelix.co.uk/tech/windowsxp.html
    where you will find tutorials on configuring airport connected printers to work with windoze computers in just about every imaginable arrangement. I have used these to get a number of airport connected printers to work with "stand alone" windoze peecees, and though I have not yet needed to print from my VM, I don't see any reason this would not work with the VM. Try it...let us know.

    DD
     
  15. drval

    drval Pro

    Messages:
    490

    In the same place in Preferences where you can "Enable DHCP..."
     
  16. John Howard

    John Howard Hunter

    Messages:
    126

    I see it...but I have no clue as to what changes I should make. Until I had this Airport print issue, parallels was for me completely install-and-run (plug-n-play) and except for adjusting my HD size I didn't need to tweak anything.
     
  17. drval

    drval Pro

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    490
    It's curious though that Shared Networking isn't available for you.
     
  18. dkp

    dkp Forum Maven

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    John - it's possible your Parallels Tools are not correctly installed. It might be worth while to make a backup of your VM then re-install the tools and try again.
     
  19. nycruza

    nycruza Hunter

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    I know I posted this once before but here goes :)
    Bonjour for Windows is the pits for a non-PS printer.
    This is the approved method
    In Windows, install drivers for MFC-4800
    Make sure pritner is on and connected to Airport
    Open Control Panel
    Select Printer Faxes
    Select Add Printers
    Select Next
    Select Local pritner attached to computer and deselect Auto detect
    Select Next
    Select Create a new port.
    In drop down box select Standard TCP/IP Port
    Select Next
    A new window appears
    Select Next
    In "Printer Name or IP Address" enter the IP address of the Airport your pritner is plugged into.
    After you enter the IP Address, the port name should fill in "IP_xxx.xxx.xxx" - xxx is your IP address.
    Select next
    Select Standard and Generic Network Card
    Select Next
    Select Finish

    Shortly you should receive a message stating that "new hardware" was discovered.
    You may be asked to install driver. Browse for the software you installed at beginning of process. OR have the printer driver CD handy.
    Once you tie in the driver you will be told that your new hardware is ready.

    If you follow these steps, your printer WILL work under XP.
    Check the website of Printer to ensure you have the LATEST printer driver, using IE from the XP side.

    Good Luck
    ajm
     
  20. dkp

    dkp Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,367
    I use Bonjour with a Laserjet PS printer and an HP PhotoSmart inkjet printer. I can print perfectly from OS X and from Windows to either printer. I set up CUPS to print to raw devices and allow OS X and Windows printer drivers to format the print stream correctly. So there's more than one way to do it as they say.
     

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