Draytek wireless printing and Macs...

I have a Draytek Vigor wireless router which is very versatile in many ways
and among its features, it has a USB printer port which enables you to
connect a printer to it, and then print to that printer via your wireless
connection.

The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac. Does
anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?

I know Macs are brilliant and all that, but when you try to add a printer
and it offers you the option of entering an IP address, it all seems to
require a lot of technical expertise that isn't explained in any manual that
I've seen. Anyway, entering the IP address of the router brings up a list of
printers, none of which corresponds to my printer, and even if I choose one
at random I can't print to it, not even random characters.

If there is a more appropriate newsgroup for this question than this one,
let me know.

"The Todal" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a Draytek Vigor wireless router which is very versatile in many ways
>and among its features, it has a USB printer port which enables you to
>connect a printer to it, and then print to that printer via your wireless
>connection.
>
> The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac.
> Does anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?
>
> I know Macs are brilliant and all that, but when you try to add a printer
> and it offers you the option of entering an IP address, it all seems to
> require a lot of technical expertise that isn't explained in any manual
> that I've seen. Anyway, entering the IP address of the router brings up a
> list of printers, none of which corresponds to my printer, and even if I
> choose one at random I can't print to it, not even random characters.
>
> If there is a more appropriate newsgroup for this question than this one,
> let me know.

I asked this question in the context of a networked printer and received the
following from Jon B

""""""""""
Go into system preferences, print & fax, click + tick, the printer will
either be picked up in the default browser over 'bonjour' networking, or
click 'IP printer' where you can drop in the IP address.
"""""""""

As I see it there is no difference between a printer with an ethernet
interface and hence an IP address, and a printer connected to the router
which uses the router's IP address. In a PC context the printer is treated
as a "standard TCP/IP port". I have found that some printers do not work
when connected like this - specifically an HP PSC 1500 - but others such as
an HP 1220C work very well.

But I agree, the Mac interface for an IP printer was less than intuitive.

--
Graham

"The Todal" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a Draytek Vigor wireless router which is very versatile in many ways
>and among its features, it has a USB printer port which enables you to
>connect a printer to it, and then print to that printer via your wireless
>connection.
>
> The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac.
> Does anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?
>
> I know Macs are brilliant and all that, but when you try to add a printer
> and it offers you the option of entering an IP address, it all seems to
> require a lot of technical expertise that isn't explained in any manual
> that I've seen. Anyway, entering the IP address of the router brings up a
> list of printers, none of which corresponds to my printer, and even if I
> choose one at random I can't print to it, not even random characters.
>
> If there is a more appropriate newsgroup for this question than this one,
> let me know.

I asked this question in the context of a networked printer and received the
following from Jon B

""""""""""
Go into system preferences, print & fax, click + tick, the printer will
either be picked up in the default browser over 'bonjour' networking, or
click 'IP printer' where you can drop in the IP address.
"""""""""

As I see it there is no difference between a printer with an ethernet
interface and hence an IP address, and a printer connected to the router
which uses the router's IP address. In a PC context the printer is treated
as a "standard TCP/IP port". I have found that some printers do not work
when connected like this - specifically an HP PSC 1500 - but others such as
an HP 1220C work very well.

But I agree, the Mac interface for an IP printer was less than intuitive.

--
Graham

"Graham" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:f1f0v7$4kl$1$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "The Todal" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I have a Draytek Vigor wireless router which is very versatile in many
>>ways and among its features, it has a USB printer port which enables you
>>to connect a printer to it, and then print to that printer via your
>>wireless connection.
>>
>> The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac.
>> Does anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?
>>
>> I know Macs are brilliant and all that, but when you try to add a printer
>> and it offers you the option of entering an IP address, it all seems to
>> require a lot of technical expertise that isn't explained in any manual
>> that I've seen. Anyway, entering the IP address of the router brings up a
>> list of printers, none of which corresponds to my printer, and even if I
>> choose one at random I can't print to it, not even random characters.
>>
>> If there is a more appropriate newsgroup for this question than this one,
>> let me know.
>
> I asked this question in the context of a networked printer and received
> the following from Jon B
>
> """"""""""
> Go into system preferences, print & fax, click + tick, the printer will
> either be picked up in the default browser over 'bonjour' networking, or
> click 'IP printer' where you can drop in the IP address.
> """""""""
>
> As I see it there is no difference between a printer with an ethernet
> interface and hence an IP address, and a printer connected to the router
> which uses the router's IP address. In a PC context the printer is
> treated as a "standard TCP/IP port". I have found that some printers do
> not work when connected like this - specifically an HP PSC 1500 - but
> others such as an HP 1220C work very well.
>
> But I agree, the Mac interface for an IP printer was less than intuitive.

Many thanks! I'll try it tonight.

The Todal <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac. Does
> anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?

I have the same router and also a network of printers using LPD. It's
the same in each case.

Select Print & Fax
Press the [+] button to add a new printer.
Click on IP Printer at the top of the dialog.
Protocol Line Printer Daemon - LPD
Address: enter address of printer or router
Queue: Leave blank

If desired enter a Name and Location these are descriptive strings to
help you recognise the printer. If you do not fill these in the printer
will be identified by IP address only, which confuses users.

If you are luucky once you have entered the address the Name: Location
and printer driver will be selected automatically. Again you should
change the Name and Location to something sensible. If the type of
printer is not recognised, select your make and model from Print Using.

Believe it or not, this is simpler than doing the same job on a PC, not
least because OSX has drivers for most printers.

"Steve Firth" <%steve%@malloc.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1hxl7ue.1t13pwm1khhnvuN%%steve%@malloc.co.uk. ..
> The Todal <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>> The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac.
>> Does
>> anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?
>
> I have the same router and also a network of printers using LPD. It's
> the same in each case.
>
> Select Print & Fax
> Press the [+] button to add a new printer.
> Click on IP Printer at the top of the dialog.
> Protocol Line Printer Daemon - LPD
> Address: enter address of printer or router
> Queue: Leave blank
>
> If desired enter a Name and Location these are descriptive strings to
> help you recognise the printer. If you do not fill these in the printer
> will be identified by IP address only, which confuses users.
>
> If you are luucky once you have entered the address the Name: Location
> and printer driver will be selected automatically. Again you should
> change the Name and Location to something sensible. If the type of
> printer is not recognised, select your make and model from Print Using.
>
> Believe it or not, this is simpler than doing the same job on a PC, not
> least because OSX has drivers for most printers.

Thanks, Steve - I shall give it a try.

"The Todal" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Steve Firth" <%steve%@malloc.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:1hxl7ue.1t13pwm1khhnvuN%%steve%@malloc.co.uk. ..
>> The Todal <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>> The instructions only explain how to connect a Windows PC. Not a Mac.
>>> Does
>>> anyone know how to connect a Mac, or whether it is even possible?
>>
>> I have the same router and also a network of printers using LPD. It's
>> the same in each case.
>>
>> Select Print & Fax
>> Press the [+] button to add a new printer.
>> Click on IP Printer at the top of the dialog.
>> Protocol Line Printer Daemon - LPD
>> Address: enter address of printer or router
>> Queue: Leave blank
>>
>> If desired enter a Name and Location these are descriptive strings to
>> help you recognise the printer. If you do not fill these in the printer
>> will be identified by IP address only, which confuses users.
>>
>> If you are luucky once you have entered the address the Name: Location
>> and printer driver will be selected automatically. Again you should
>> change the Name and Location to something sensible. If the type of
>> printer is not recognised, select your make and model from Print Using.
>>
>> Believe it or not, this is simpler than doing the same job on a PC, not
>> least because OSX has drivers for most printers.
>
> Thanks, Steve - I shall give it a try.

It works (insofar as I can print to the printer). But it doesn't offer me
the printer driver for my printer (a Canon i865) even though I had installed
the driver. I had to guess which Canon driver might be the most appropriate.
And I couldn't make the utilities to clean the print head, work.