Connect a printer to an AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort base station
If you connect your printer to an AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort Extreme Base Station, any Mac on your network can use the printer, whether they connect to the network wirelessly or with a cable.
Note: Connecting a printer to an AirPort Time Capsule or an AirPort base station doesn’t make it an AirPrint-enabled printer.
On your Mac, update your software: Choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Software Update, then install any software updates listed. Even if no updates appear, this ensures that macOS has the latest information about printer software it can download from Apple. If you don’t do this, you may see a message that software isn’t available when you connect your printer.If you have an AirPrint printer, you don’t need to check for software updates.
Prepare your printer: Use the instructions that came with your printer to unpack the printer, install ink or toner, and add paper. Turn on the printer and make sure it’s not displaying any errors.
Test your printer: Temporarily connect the printer to the USB port on your Mac, then print a test page.
Connect your printer: Plug in the printer to your AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort base station.
If your printer has an Ethernet port, connect your printer to one of your base station’s Ethernet ports.
Otherwise, connect your printer to the USB port on the AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort base station.
If you’re setting up an AirPort Express for the first time, connect the printer to the AirPort Express before setting up the base station.
Print a document: Open a document, then choose File > Print. Click the Printer pop-up menu, then choose the printer from the Nearby Printers section of the menu.
Note: If your printer is connected to the USB port on your AirPort device and you have problems scanning, viewing the printer’s utilities, checking ink cartridge status, or viewing error messages, disconnect the printer from the AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort base station and connect it temporarily to your Mac. Choose Apple menu
> System Preferences, click Software Update, then install any software updates listed for your printer. Then, reconnect it to the AirPort Time Capsule or AirPort base station.