This article teaches you how to connect a printer wired or wireless printer. Once connected, you can also share the printer on your home network, allowing other computers in your house to print from it even though they aren’t directly connected.

Let’s Get Started

First and foremost, make sure you’ve properly removed the printer from its box with all included pieces for swift and organized assembly. It is easy to rush through the simplest part blinded by excitement and haste, and even easier to skip the most basic of steps.

Once you’ve got all the pieces of the puzzle laid out and ready for configuration, plug the double-pronged end of the power cable into a conveniently located outlet. Your printer may automatically turn on or you may need to press a power button to wake the machine up. This is where we come in.

Steps to Connect a Canon Printer Via Wired USB Cable

Among your puzzle pieces should be a USB cable that connects directly into your computer’s tower or your laptop’s body. Depending on your computer’s operating system, your computer should notify you that a new connection is being made and that a driver will need to be downloaded for it to complete the installation.

If you get this notification, follow your computer’s intuitive lead and click the notification. It could do all the heavy lifting for you. If your computer has left you to do all the figuring out by yourself follow these steps.

Step 1: Open Windows Setting

• At the bottom left of your screen, click the Windows icon to reveal your Start Menu.
• At the bottom of the left-most column, you should see a gear icon linking to your settings window.

Step 2: Access devices

• Within the first row of your Windows settings, find and click the icon labeled “Devices”

• In the left column of the Devices window, select “Printers & Scanners”.
• This new window brings up a page where the first option will be to “Add Printer or Scanner”.

Step 3: Connect your printer

• Once you’ve clicked “Add Printer or Scanner,” Windows should be able to detect your printer connected via USB cable.
• When the name of your printer pops up, click it and complete the installation as per your computer’s instruction.

That’s it! Your printer should be connected and running, ready to churn out beautiful pages.

Steps to Connect a Canon Printer Via Wireless Network

If you want to connect a wireless printer, the connection process may seem more daunting, but you’ll be surprised to find how smooth the transition from wired to wireless can be.

Step 1: Locate your settings

• Once turned on and ready for configuration, you’ll need to connect the printer to your home WiFi.
• While the steps on installation vary by manufacturer, most modern printers will have an LCD screen that lists the available WiFi networks.
• On this screen, click around and locate the setup page that allows you to adjust the Wireless LAN Settings.

Step 2: Link your WiFi Network

• After accessing your LAN settings, you’ll need to locate your home network service set identifier – better known as your SSID.
• You can find your SSID by hovering your mouse over the WiFi icon located at the bottom right of your taskbar.
• Your SSID is also located on the bottom or side of your internet service provider’s router.

Step 3: Complete connectivity

• With the SSID selected, you’re ready to enter your network password.
• Once entered, your printer is prepped for all printing activity.

Step 4: Locate your printer settings

• Click the Windows icon at the bottom left of your desktop screen to reveal your Windows Start Menu
• Locate the gear icon link to your settings window and click on the icon labeled “Devices”

Step 5: Connect the printer to the computer

• Within your “Devices” screen, you should find an option to “Add a Printer or Scanner”
• After clicking this, the name of your printer – generally with the manufacturer name and model number – should appear as available.
• Select “Add Device” and your computer will do the rest to complete the wireless configuration.
• Print away!

Connecting a printer with a USB cable to set up a printer and/or print is not entirely difficult or impossible. Hope this article is helpful to you.