Is it possible/worth it to make a printer wireless or bluetooth?

daivid

I have a Brother HL2130 which is more than up to my home printing needs, cheap to run and still going strong after 8 years. It lives in the home office which isn't always where I am when I want to print (and as my laptop battery is failing rushing to the printer before the laptop shuts down is a bit of a pain), I would also like to be able to print directly from my iPad from time to time. Is it possible and cost effective to connect something to the printer that will give it wireless or bluetooth capability? I would prefer not to replace a perfectly good printer.

dan958

https://maker.pro/raspberry-pi/projects/how-to-turn-a-usb-printer-into-a-wireless-printer-with-raspberry-pi-zero-w

debitcardmayhem

That is a good idea, but if you want to print from an  iPad you  need to edit cups to enable air print

e.g. https://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Features/AirPrint

Andy_L

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=wireless+print+server&camp=1789&creative=390957&linkCode=gs3&linkId=JZBRTWLS6JJBGQJW&tag=ricksdailytip-21

Oddly the "wireless" search doesn't work & some of them aren't wifi

daivid

dan958 said:

https://maker.pro/raspberry-pi/projects/how-to-turn-a-usb-printer-into-a-wireless-printer-with-raspberry-pi-zero-w

I did wonder about a raspberry pi but have no experience of them. This seems like the perfect excuse to buy one. The compatibility search seems to be inconclusive, my model isn't listed at all though the models with numbers either side are and are compatible. If it doesn't work I'll just need to find another use for the raspberry pi...

debitcardmayhem said:

That is a good idea, but if you want to print from an  iPad you  need to edit cups to enable air print

e.g. https://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/Features/AirPrint

I think (from a quick read of the how to guide) that it is theoretically possible, getting the printer to work from the iPad would just be a bonus really as I can always send things across to the laptop if I really want to.

jsmith9

I googled it and found several hits )(not specifically for Brother) - not sure if they will help you but for example this might be worth a read...

How to Convert a Non-Bluetooth Printer to a Bluetooth Printer (azcentral.com)

moneysaver1978

Looking at the connectivity of the printer (it has USB), is connecting it directly to a router an option for you? See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHyuJIvwJPc&feature=youtu.be&ab_channel=localguy

daivid

Well after spending more than I paid for the printer (Raspberry pi 4b 2GB, charger, case, micro SD card £60, printer was £50) and spending many hours trying to program it I finally have a network printer to which I can send jobs from my laptop and iPad . Thanks to all who made suggestions in particular @dan958 though I must admit I couldn't get it to work following that how to, tried several others, re-set the raspberry pi then had success following this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdwqQjDjMzU

I also had to tinker with the drivers, in the end having success with the hl1250 drivers from open printing .org.

When I have a little more time I may see what else I can do with the Raspberry Pi so as to make the project a bit more MSE...

fred246

I must say I would have just got a wireless printer. Cheaper too I would have thought.

daivid

fred246 said:

I must say I would have just got a wireless printer. Cheaper too I would have thought.

From a quick look £10 more to buy a printer (so with a full search you may be correct) but taking into account the hours of 'entertainment' the project has provided it was a bargain...

As I'd said earlier in the thread Raspberry Pi's have been of interest for a while but I've never got round to getting one. This was a good excuse to do so and as working the printer is hardly taxing for it I should be able to do plenty more with it.

CoastingHatbox

Probably good to make the existing printer wireless, as a new printer would have more of an environmental impact. And as @daivid recognises, the Pi has a multitude of uses.