Community Forums

RangerRick · 01-28-2023, 08:22 AM

I am setting up a home office in my RV and I would like to connect my laptop to my printer wireless. The problem is, I do not have WiFi except for my mobile hotspot. I know I need a router of some sort but the ones I have looked at all need to connect to a modem.
Has anyone encountered this problem and if so did you find a solution?

BigBillSD · 01-28-2023, 08:34 AM

If you're on windows you can make it a hotspot(windows) that your printer can be setup to connect to. You will want to google how to set that up as its a bit of configuration. See the pic below, I only have a Win11 box to do a screen shot of handy, so it will look different on Win10

Or you could have your printer connect to the internet hotspot(Int) and if that hotspot(Int) allows clients to connect to one another then you connect to that hotspot(Int) Some hotspots have a setting to prevent them from allowing clients to connect to one another. -Bill

shootist · 01-28-2023, 08:40 AM

Use a cable, much cheaper and faster.

MrMark52 · 01-28-2023, 08:45 AM

BigBillSD has some good suggestions.

A router doesn’t need a modem to be used to set up as a wireless network.

Get yourself a cheap router. I’ve used an ASUS RT-N12 for doing what your trying to do. You might can also add your wireless hotspot (but I see no need to do so as the printer doesn’t necessarily need internet access - except for maybe firmware updates - but you can do those manually if needed).

YC1 · 01-28-2023, 11:12 AM

Look closely at the printer. With a very modern printer it may have blue tooth.

Printing wirelessly can be a pain at times and I keep a cable plugged into mine at all times. I have not had to use it in a long time but it is there and easily accessible.

theoldwizard · 01-28-2023, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shootist

Use a cable, much cheaper and faster.

If you use a CAT 5/6 cable to go directly from your laptop to your printer with nothing in between, it needs to be "cross over" cable.

I would also suggest you MANUALLY go into the printer setup, turn off DHCP and give it a "fixed"/"permanent" IP address, something like 192.168.0.111.

Windows will allow you to set up a printer to this fixed address.

chuckbear · 01-28-2023, 11:36 AM

We connect both or printer and laptop to ur various hotspts all the time and print with no problem. We have a Toshiba laptop and a Brothers printer, using a Verizon jetpack and AT&T in a Nighthawk MB1100 with our Car Connect plan from our old Mobley device. It all works just fine. As long as the laptop and the printer are wireless connected to the same device. It also connects wirelessly to our T-Mobile home internet. Chuck

traveldawg · 01-28-2023, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RangerRick

I am setting up a home office in my RV and I would like to connect my laptop to my printer wireless. The problem is, I do not have WiFi except for my mobile hotspot. I know I need a router of some sort but the ones I have looked at all need to connect to a modem.
Has anyone encountered this problem and if so did you find a solution?

So how do you connect to the internet with your laptop?

If it is via your hotspot then just connect your printer to the same hotspot.

If you connect directly to campground WiFi then you "may" be able to connect your printer too - but that isn't such a good idea as other could likely see it too.

If you connect to directly to campground WiFi then just consider getting a repeater type router, have it connect to the campground and then connect your laptop and printer to that repeater router.

As someone said - you don't need a modem to use a router.

btw.... your hot spot is actually a modem and router built into one.

Gumpster808 · 01-29-2023, 04:10 PM

As others have said, connect the printer to the same hotspot you use for your laptop, works well.

Can also do direct cable hookup if the printer has the connection.

We have ours connected to our hotspot and can print from phones, laptops, iPads, etc easily.

RobReab · 01-30-2023, 09:36 AM

What brand/model of printer do you have?

I know HP has a WIFI direct feature. No router needed.

mrboyer · 01-30-2023, 09:53 AM

So does Cannon. If your printer is an older model, maybe less cost to just purchase a new printer.

DancinCampers · 01-30-2023, 11:20 AM

Our Epson XP-434 All in One has an Access Point built in, as well as WiFi connect.

Captain8 · 01-30-2023, 08:18 PM

Like Shootist said but let me rephrase use a USB cable much easier and always works regardless.

I'm an IT guy and trust me it's a pain even if you have wifi. Every printer has a square USB port on it called a usb printer cable or USB A to B cable. Pick it up at Walmart or wherever and just plug it in when you want to use it.

Also hopefully you have an ink jet printer. Laserprinters use a ton of power at start and I have a brother laser in my RV and it cause all kinds of issues when I'm using my inverter.

RangerRick · 01-31-2023, 04:36 AM

Thanks for all the great replies. I think my post was a bit misleading. When I referred to my mobile hotspot I was referring to my cell phone. It does not seem there is a simple solution so I will continue to print via USB. It works fine but I sit on the opposite side of my RV when working so I have to run the cable across the floor when I want to print and then roll it up when I am finished. Not that big a deal.