Connecting a laptop to a printer withiout using Wifi?

[wax lyrical]

My laptop (or desktop) and Canon printer no longer want to connect via Wifi.

There's no 'Printer' port on my laptop, so is my only option to buy a printer cable and print from my desktop?

Many thanks!

[essayer]

Your laptop has no usb?

[wax lyrical]

Yes, it has USB. There are USB printer cables??!!

essayer said:

Your laptop has no usb?

[FunkyNige]

wax lyrical said:

Yes, it has USB. There are USB printer cables??!!

What ports are there on the printer? Unless it's 15 years old you should be able to connect it via USB.

[essayer]

FunkyNige said:

What ports are there on the printer? Unless it's 15 years old you should be able to connect it via USB.

Surely the printer has a USB "B" port like this




Or is it one of these?


If so, you can buy USB to Parallel cables on Amazon for a few quid

[CubanPete]

You could uninstall and reinstall the printer driver and retry the WiFi.

You can almost certainly be able to connect via USB.

You can probably connect via ethernet.

[hutchst]

wax lyrical said:

Yes, it has USB. There are USB printer cables??!! smile

Oh I feel old ☹

[FourWheelDrift]

If the printer is new enough to have wifi it will have a USB B port.

You just need one of these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmazonBasics-USB-2-0-Cabl...

Check the reference chart diagram on that link to make sure.

[wax lyrical]

Thanks All! Much appreciated.

[Buzz84]

It's highly likely it came with one when you bought it, it just depends if you are a hoarder (like me, I have a draw full of cables!) or chucked thinking you didnt need it.

If it's not connecting via WiFi then you probably have some issues with the drivers on your laptop. These drivers would also be used to communicate with your printer via the USB to so the connection issues could still stop it when you get a cable.

As suggested above it might be wise (also free and fairly quick) to reinstall the drivers on your laptop and to get it going via WiFi again.
Uninstall the drivers from the laptop and factory reset the printer. Drivers and instruction manuals will be available from the manufacturers web site.

[Who me ?]

Some printers like to be setup with a USB connection and then once set up wil look for/ accept a WiFi connection.That's from the installation advice on my Epson WF2010. I've never had to go that far as mine always sees the PC straight off .

[Troubleatmill]

If you have powerline adaptors with wifi that may be the issue.

Had this with 2 Epson printers I had.
Went to a Mesh network and all is good again.