How to Connect a USB Printer to a WiFi Router

If you have an older printer that only connects via USB, you might assume it can never join your wireless network — but that is not the case. Learning how to connect a USB printer to a WiFi router opens up wireless printing for the whole household without buying new hardware. Whether you are sharing the printer across multiple computers or simply want to print from a laptop without fumbling with cables, this guide walks you through every reliable method available today.

Before diving in, it helps to understand that a USB printer does not have a built-in wireless radio. To get it onto your WiFi network you need an intermediary: a router with USB print server capability, a dedicated print server device, or a computer acting as a shared print host. Each approach has trade-offs, and the right one depends on your router model, how many devices need access, and how often the printer is used. If you are also interested in setting up a specific wireless model from scratch, our guide on how to connect a Canon TS3122 printer to WiFi covers the wireless-native process in detail.

Methods for Connecting a USB Printer to WiFi

There are three practical ways to put a USB-only printer onto a wireless network. Understanding what each one involves before you start saves a lot of backtracking.

Using Your Router's Built-In USB Port

Many mid-range and high-end routers include a USB port on the back specifically to support a shared storage drive or a printer. When a printer is plugged into this port and the router's print server feature is enabled, every device on the local network can send jobs to it over WiFi. This is the cleanest solution because no computer needs to stay powered on, and the printer is always available as long as the router is running. Routers from ASUS, NETGEAR Nighthawk, TP-Link Archer, and several Linksys models support this feature, though budget routers often omit it.

Using a Dedicated Print Server Device

A standalone print server is a small box with a USB port on one side and an Ethernet or WiFi connection on the other. You plug the printer into the print server, connect the print server to your network, and configure it through a browser-based admin panel. These devices cost roughly $20–$60 and work independently of any computer. They are a good option when your router lacks a USB port or when the router's built-in print server is unreliable.

Sharing via a Host Computer

The oldest and most universally compatible method is to connect the USB printer to one computer, enable printer sharing in the operating system, and let other machines on the same network discover it. Windows and macOS both support this natively. The downside is that the host computer must be on and not sleeping whenever someone wants to print. For a home office where one machine is almost always running, this works perfectly well.

Step-by-Step: Router USB Print Server Setup

Check Router Compatibility

Open your router's admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1) and look under the Advanced or USB Application section. If you see a "Print Server" or "USB Printer Sharing" entry, your router supports it. You can also check the router manufacturer's product page or the Wikipedia article on print servers for background on how the protocol works. If the option is absent, skip to the dedicated print server or computer sharing method.

Enable the Print Server Feature

1. Plug the USB printer into the router's USB port. Use the cable that came with the printer — USB-A to USB-B is the most common type for desktop printers.
2. Log into the router admin panel and navigate to USB Application → Print Server (the exact label varies by brand).
3. Toggle the print server to On and save the settings. The router may reboot.
4. After the router restarts, return to the USB Application section and confirm it shows the printer's model name or "USB Printer Ready."

Add the Printer on Client Devices

Windows: Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → Add a printer or scanner. If the printer does not appear automatically, click "The printer that I want isn't listed," then choose "Select a shared printer by name" and enter the network path. For ASUS routers this is typically \\<router-IP>\USB_Printer such as \\192.168.1.1\USB_Printer. Install the driver when prompted — download it from the manufacturer's website if Windows does not have it built in.

macOS: Go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners → click the + button. In the Add Printer window, switch to the IP tab. Enter the router's IP address, set Protocol to LPD (Line Printer Daemon), leave the Queue field blank, and choose the correct driver from the Use dropdown.

Step-by-Step: Dedicated Print Server Device

Dedicated print servers vary by brand, but the general process is consistent across most models.

1. Connect hardware: Plug the USB printer into the print server's USB port. If the print server has an Ethernet port and you want a wired connection, run a cable from the print server to your router or a switch. If it is WiFi only, skip to the admin setup step.
2. Power on and find the IP: Check your router's DHCP client list (under Connected Devices or LAN settings) to find the IP address the router assigned to the print server.
3. Configure via browser: Enter that IP into any browser. Most print servers present a basic admin panel with fields for SSID and WiFi password if they support wireless operation. Enter your network credentials and save.
4. Install on computers: Add the printer on each computer using the same IP tab method described above for macOS, or by entering the print server IP as a TCP/IP port in Windows (Settings → Printers & scanners → Add a device → "Add a local printer" → "Create a new port" → Standard TCP/IP Port).
5. Test: Print a test page from each device to confirm the connection is stable before declaring the setup complete.

If you regularly print from an Android phone, our article on how to print from an Android phone explains how to set up mobile printing once your printer is on the network.

Step-by-Step: Windows Printer Sharing

Enable Sharing on the Host PC

1. Make sure the printer is connected via USB and functioning — print a test page to confirm.
2. Open Control Panel → Network and Sharing Center → Change advanced sharing settings.
3. Under "Private" network profile, turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing. Save changes.
4. Go to Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners, click the printer, then Printer properties → Sharing tab.
5. Check Share this printer and give it a short share name (no spaces is safest, e.g., OfficeHP). Click OK.

Connect From Other Windows Computers

On each client PC, open File Explorer and type \\<hostname-or-IP-of-host-PC> in the address bar (for example \\DESKTOP-ABC123). You should see the shared printer listed. Double-click it and Windows will install the driver automatically. Alternatively, use Settings → Printers & scanners → Add a printer or scanner and let Windows discover it on the network.

Connect From a Mac

On macOS, go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners → click +. In the Add Printer dialog, select the Windows tab (labeled "Windows" in older macOS versions or found via the toolbar icon). Browse to the Windows workgroup, find the host computer, and select the shared printer. Choose the correct driver under Use. If macOS does not detect the shared printer automatically, try the IP tab with the Windows host's local IP address and use the SMB protocol.

Once everything is working, it is worth locking down access. Our guide on how to secure a wireless printer on your home network covers firewall rules, access controls, and other steps to keep your printer safe from unauthorized use.

Comparing All Three Methods

The table below summarizes the key differences to help you pick the right approach for your setup.

For most households, the router USB method is the simplest long-term solution if the router supports it. If you want to explore a wider selection of wireless-capable printers that eliminate USB conversion entirely, visit our printer reviews and buying guides for recommendations across every budget.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Printer Not Found on Network

Check the same subnet: All devices — the printer host, router, and client computers — must be on the same local subnet (typically 192.168.1.x or 192.168.0.x). If your router assigns addresses in a different range to some devices, they may be isolated by a guest network or VLAN. Disable the guest network for the affected device, or move the printer share to the main network.

Firewall blocking: Windows Firewall sometimes blocks printer sharing traffic. Open Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app through firewall → make sure "File and Printer Sharing" is checked for Private networks.

Driver mismatch: If the shared printer requires a specific driver and the client Windows version is different (e.g., 32-bit vs 64-bit, or Windows 10 vs Windows 11), the automatic driver install may fail. Download the exact driver from the manufacturer's website and install it manually before trying to add the shared printer again.

Router print server not detecting printer: Some routers only recognize printers that use a standard USB device class. Multifunction printers (print + scan + fax) sometimes expose multiple USB interfaces and the router's print server may refuse to connect. In that case, a dedicated print server or computer sharing is more likely to work.

Print Jobs Get Stuck in Queue

A stalled print queue is one of the most common frustrations after a network printer setup. On Windows, open Services (search "services" in the Start menu), find Print Spooler, right-click and select Restart. Then go to C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, delete any files in that folder (not the folder itself), and try printing again.

On macOS, go to System Settings → Printers & Scanners, select the printer, click Open Print Queue, and cancel any stuck jobs. If the queue keeps freezing, delete and re-add the printer.

Persistent queue problems can sometimes be traced back to a bad driver. Uninstall the printer completely from Device Manager on Windows or drag it out of the Printers & Scanners list on macOS, then reinstall using a freshly downloaded driver package.

If you notice degraded print quality after getting the printer online — streaks, banding, or blurring — those are separate issues worth addressing. Our article on how to fix streaky lines on printer output covers the most common causes and fixes.