OS X Mountain Lion: Set up a printer to print wirelessly
If your printer has built-in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, you can print to it wirelessly. You can also print wirelessly to any printer you can connect to your Time Capsule or AirPort base station.
Add a Wi-Fi printer to your list of printers
If you’re setting up a printer with built-in Wi-Fi, you don’t need to connect it to your Mac, Time Capsule, or AirPort base station.
- If the printer isn’t connected to your Wi-Fi network, follow the instructions that came with the printer to unpack it, install ink or toner, add paper, and connect it to your Wi-Fi network.
For more information, see this article:
Apple Support article: How to connect a wireless-capable printer to your AirPort network
- When you’re ready to add the printer to your list of printers, choose Apple menu > Software Update to make sure OS X has the latest information about printer software it can download from Apple.
Don’t install software that came with the printer on your Mac. OS X downloads the latest printer software automatically.
- Open a document to print, and then choose File > Print.
- Open the Printer pop-up menu and choose your printer in the Nearby Printers section of the menu.
- If you don’t see your printer, choose Add Printer from the Printer pop-up menu.
A dialog appears listing printers on your local network. It may take a minute or two for your printer to appear.
- Select your printer when it appears in the list, and then click Add.
OS X automatically uses AirPrint if your printer supports it, or it selects printer software (also called a printer driver) and downloads it from Apple if necessary.
Add a Bluetooth printer to your list of printers
- If the printer is new, follow the instructions that came with the printer to unpack it, install ink or toner, add paper, and make sure it’s ready to connect via Bluetooth.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to install the software that came with the printer.
- Open a document to print, and then choose File > Print.
- Open the Printer pop-up menu, and choose Add Printer.
- Select your Bluetooth printer, and then click Add.
If your printer isn’t in the list, you might need to turn on Bluetooth and set up the printer as a new device in Bluetooth preferences.
Add a printer connected to a Time Capsule or AirPort base station
You can use an AirPort Extreme Base Station, AirPort Express Base Station, or Time Capsule to share a printer with other computers on your network, whether they connect to the network wirelessly or with a cable.
For more information, see this help topic:
Set up a printer connected to a Time Capsule or AirPort base station