Setting up a WiFi printer/scanner???

[mogs]

I have 2 Wifi laptops that get Wifi via a Cisco Linskys router (we have Alsatis internet). OS is Windows 7

I have a Canon Pixma MG5200 printer/scanner/copier that has a WiFi system which I've made sure is enabled.

How on earth do I sort them out to talk to each other, it is baffling me

[EuroTrash]

Have you installed the printer o your pc?

And got the printer linked to the router? is the wifi light on the printer lit up? With a livebox there is a button you press and the livebox briefly emits a signal to allow the printer to connect to it,

[mogs]

When I install the printer I get 2 options a) with a USB cable or b) Wifi

No I don't think the printer is linked to the router (don't know how to do this)

Yes the wifi light is lit on the printer

I do have a button on the router, haven't yet tried to press this whilst trying to get the 2 to pair

does this help find a solution

[cooperlola]

Can you use the cable?   I found that installing mine with the cable initially meant the WiFi then worked when I disconnected it afterwards.  After that, any computer on the home network could use the printer.

[Quillan]

OK Mogs I may be able to help you.

Firstly, in simple terms you need to know whats going on and how it basically works. Your computers and the printer all need a post code number which we refer to as an IP address. It's the post code of each individual device that decides what letter (or what we call data) goes to where. Now the little chap who is responsible for dishing out these postcodes lives in the main post office i.e. your router. But life in never that simple because somebody might want to try and break in to your post office so it has a secret code so before you can get your post code you have to tell the post office what the code is and that's the first part of setting up you need to do.

Now this secret code is a very long number made up of numbers and letters. On some routers it's stuck on the bottom or is in a card or book that came with the router but if you already talk to the Internet using a wireless connection you will know what that number is already. If you know how to access the router to set it up you can also find the number as part of the WiFi setup screen.

So the first thing you need to do is get the IP address (post code) in to your printer from the router (post office) and you do this via the front panel of the printer. The reason for this and why you can't do this from the computer is because the printer needs the IP address so the computer knows where it is, without the IP address the printer cannot be seen by the computer, get the idea, its a like like what came first the chicken or the egg.

Now THIS LINK is to the English language manual of your printer or a model very near to your printers model number and this part of the setup will be the same or almost the same. The bit you need to watch out for is when you get to step 6 where you will probably have to select the Pin option then enter that long number and then follow the rest of the instructions.

The router is only used to issue the IP number, after that the computer(s) talk directly to the printer so once you have completed the above and you got to step 9 with the message 'Connected to Access Point' you can then go and install the software using the CD you got with the printer on each computer. If you don't have the CD you can download it HERE .

Hope that helps and let us know how you get on.

[AnOther]

I have the Canon Pixma 6150 and if your model is anything like it you can enter the WiFi SSID and security code directly on the printer control panel.

[mogs]

I didn't realise it was the IP address that you key into the "passphrase" bit on the printer so many thanks Quillan for explaining all that. I will let you know how I get on when I try to do it alll again later today.

Many thanks for everyone else for your answers.

[mogs]

"""Now this secret code is a very long number made up of numbers and letters. On some routers it's stuck on the bottom or is in a card or book that came with the router but if you already talk to the Internet using a wireless connection you will know what that number is already. If you know how to access the router to set it up you can also find the number as part of the WiFi setup screen."""

On the bottom of my router I've got a model no (WRT160Nv3), a s/n and a mac address, do I use the model no.? I wasn't the person who set up the WiFi router so not sure how to find it on my laptop. If it isn't one of these no. how do I find it? I've got windows 7 as my operating system.

Many thanks

[cooperlola]

My Neufbox has a model, s/n and a mac number but it's none of those - there should also be a "Code WiFi" or similar (it's often a load of lower case letters and numbers, as somebody said above.)  If not, try the correspondance from your ISP.

[Quillan]

[quote user="mogs"]"""Now this secret code is a very long number made up of numbers and letters. On some routers it's stuck on the bottom or is in a card or book that came with the router but if you already talk to the Internet using a wireless connection you will know what that number is already. If you know how to access the router to set it up you can also find the number as part of the WiFi setup screen.""" On the bottom of my router I've got a model no (WRT160Nv3), a s/n and a mac address, do I use the model no.? I wasn't the person who set up the WiFi router so not sure how to find it on my laptop. If it isn't one of these no. how do I find it? I've got windows 7 as my operating system. Many thanks[/quote]

You need to do THIS then THIS but do not ask it to generate another key simply write down the existing key number.

If you can't manage this, it is a bit techie after all, then speak to the person who set it up for you in the first place. Another alternative is why not, if the printer and router are in the same room, connect the printer to the router with an Ethernet cable, it might make life a bit easier for you. After that you just run the installation CD on each computer, it does not matter that they are wireless.

[mogs]

DONE IT AND VERY PLEASED WITH MYSELF!

I clicked on the lines in the bottom r.h. bar which then gave me the password to the router. This I then keyed into the printer and continued with the CD, and am pleased to say it has all worked well.

Thanks to all for your help.

[Quillan]

Well done you.

Now you won't have to do that bit again unless there is a major failure. You just pop the CD in to the other computer and it will find the printer straight away and install all the software.