Print to Airport Extreme shared printers from Win 95/98/ME

Jan 13, '04 07:38:00AM

Contributed by: robophilosopher

A previous hint tells us how to get a Windows XP or 2000 (and some versions of NT?) computer to print to a printer shared by an Airport Extreme base station. Unfortunately, Windows 95, 98, and ME don't have RAW LPR or JetDirect support built in.

There is a cure! Take your windows computer here (you can load the page without downloading the Japanese characters) and download the Fuji Xerox Direct Print Utility. Save the self-extracting .exe to its own folder, run it, and then run Setup.exe. This will install the LPR port drivers. Follow these steps to install the printer:

  1. Plug the printer directly into the Windows computer's USB port and install it following manufacturer instructions.
  2. Unplug the printer from the computer and connect it to the APE base station.
  3. Go to Control Panel -> Printers on the Windows computer. Right-click the printer, and click Properties
  4. Go to the Details tab, and click the "New Port" button.
  5. Select the "other" radio button, and choose the list item starting with "FX"
  6. Select the RAW protocol, and type your base station's IP address in the IP box. In the Port Name box, type something like "Airport" to help you remember it.
  7. Click "OK" as many times as you possibly can.

You should now be able to print just fine.

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