Jazmin Li
WPS, or Wi-Fi Protected Setup, is a service that allows for the automatic setup of devices such as printers with your Wi-Fi network. Apple's AirPort Extreme supports WPS, but Apple devices do not. To use WPS with AirPort Utility, you must first open the AirPort Extreme utility and ensure you are in manual configuration mode. Next, select the base station menu and choose Add Wireless Client. You can then select the First Attempt option and hit the WPS button on your wireless extender. This will allow you to connect a USB printer to the AirPort Base Station, enabling computers on the network to print.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is WPS? | A service that lets you automatically set up a device such as a printer with your WiFi network |
| How to use WPS with Airport Utility? | Click on the image of the Airport, then "Base Station" in the menu. Choose "Add WPS Printer" and select PIN to enter the eight-digit number for the printer or First Attempt to allow access to the first printer attempting to join the network |
| How to connect a printer to a WiFi network using Airport Utility? | Connect the printer to the AirPort Base Station with a USB or Ethernet cable. Open the AirPort Utility app on your Mac, located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder. Select your printer on the right or click "Add Printers, Scanners, or Fax" if it is not listed |
| Does Airport Extreme support WPS? | Yes, Airport Extreme supports WPS |
| Is there a WPS button on Airport Extreme? | No, there is no WPS button on the AirPort Extreme |
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What You'll Learn
Connecting a wireless printer
To connect a wireless printer using WPS and AirPort Utility, you will need to ensure that your printer supports WPS. Check the documentation that came with your printer to confirm this.
Once you have confirmed that your printer supports WPS, follow these steps:
- Open AirPort Utility on your Mac. It can be found in the Utilities folder within your Applications folder.
- Select your base station in AirPort Utility. You may be prompted to enter the base station password.
- From the menu bar, choose "Base Station" > "Add WPS Printer".
- Select the type of WPS connection you want to use: "First Attempt" or "PIN".
- If you choose "First Attempt", push the WPS button on your printer. Once the printer's MAC address appears in AirPort Utility, click "Done".
- If you choose "PIN", enter the eight-digit PIN number for your printer. This can typically be found in the printer's documentation. Then, click "Continue". Once the printer's MAC address appears, click "Done".
- You can now quit AirPort Utility.
If you are using a USB printer and want to connect it wirelessly, you can do so using AirPort Express or Extreme. First, ensure that your printer is connected to your computer via USB. Then, go to System Preferences > Print & Scan and click the "+" symbol to add the printer.
Alternatively, you can connect your wireless printer to your Wi-Fi network by following these general steps:
- Turn on your wireless printer and place it within range of your wireless network.
- Connect your printer directly to your wireless router using a USB or Ethernet cable if necessary.
- Follow the instructions provided with your printer to connect it to your Wi-Fi network. This may involve using the printer's built-in display or control panel to select or enter the name and password of your Wi-Fi network.
- Once connected, you can access your printer from the print options when printing a document.
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Using the PIN method
Using the WPS PIN method, you can connect your printer to a wireless network. This method is available on the printer's front panel Network menu, where you can select "use WPS PIN". It is worth noting that the printer will generate a different random PIN each time you set it up.
To use the WPS PIN method with Airport Utility, you can follow these steps:
- Open Airport Utility on your Mac.
- Click on the image of the Airport.
- Select "Base Station" from the menu.
- Choose the "Add WPS Printer" option.
- Follow the instructions on the printer's display, which may involve selecting LAN settings and then the PIN method.
- Enter the randomly generated PIN from your printer into the Airport Utility on your Mac.
It is important to note that Apple no longer supports the use of WPS PINs in its newer operating systems, such as 10.8. This is due to a major security flaw discovered in 2011 that affects wireless routers with the Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) feature. As a result, you may need to consult with your printer's support forum for alternative connection methods if you are unable to find the WPS PIN option in Airport Utility.
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Using the Push Button method
To use the Push Button method to connect a device to your Wi-Fi network using WPS and Airport Utility, first make sure your device supports WPS. You can check this by looking through the device's documentation.
Next, open the Airport Utility app on your Mac, which can be found in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder. Then, select the Base Station menu and choose 'Add Wireless Client'. You should now be able to select the 'First Attempt' option, which is the WPS button equivalent when using Airport Extreme. After this, hit the WPS button on your wireless extender.
Note that the 'First Attempt' option is not as simple as pressing a button, but it is still the easiest way to set up a WPS button-equipped device. Once you have completed these steps, you should be able to access two new wireless access points on your device. These will have the same password as your original access point.
It is worth noting that Apple devices do not support WPS, so you may need to contact HP Support to see if there is a manual method to set up the wireless connection.
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Connecting a USB printer
If you want to connect a USB printer to your Wi-Fi network using WPS and AirPort Utility, you'll first need to check that your printer supports WPS. You can do this by checking the printer's documentation.
Next, open the AirPort Utility app on your Mac. This can be found in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder. Once you've opened the app, select your base station in AirPort Utility, and enter the base station password if prompted.
From the menu bar, choose Base Station > Add WPS Printer. Then, select how you want to add the printer to the network. You can either select 'PIN' to enter the eight-digit number for the printer that is requesting network access, or select 'First attempt' to allow network access to the first printer attempting to join the network. If you selected 'First attempt', push the WPS button on the printer. If you selected 'PIN', enter the printer's PIN number, which can be found in the printer's documentation.
If your printer isn't listed, click the 'Add Printers, Scanners, or Fax' button, and then add your printer. After the printer is connected to the network, you can choose it in the 'Printers & Scanners' settings of System Settings.
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Troubleshooting
If you are facing issues with your WPS setup, you can try the following troubleshooting steps:
- Check Device Compatibility: Ensure that your device supports WPS. Refer to the device's documentation or manual to confirm if it is WPS-enabled.
- Update Firmware: Outdated firmware on your device or Airport Utility can cause issues. Check for any available updates and install them. For instance, the Airport Express with New Firmware 7.8 had some reported problems with connectivity and the Airport Utility.
- Try Different Connection Methods: If you are connecting a printer, try using a USB or Ethernet cable instead of a wireless connection. Plug one end of the cable into your printer and the other end into the base station's USB or Ethernet port.
- Add Printer Manually: If your printer is not listed in the AirPort Utility app, you can add it manually. Open the app and click on the "Add Printers, Scanners, or Fax" button. Then, follow the prompts to add your printer to the list of available devices.
- Check Network Access: When connecting a printer, ensure you have selected the correct network access method. Choose "Base Station > Add WPS Printer," and then select "PIN" to enter the eight-digit number for the printer requesting network access, or select "First Attempt" to allow access to the first printer trying to join the network.
- Restart Devices: If all else fails, try restarting your device, the Airport Utility, and your router. Power cycling can sometimes resolve minor glitches and connection issues.
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Frequently asked questions
WPS is a service that lets you set up a device such as a printer or a ProForm Le Tour de France exercise bike with your WiFi network.
Apple devices do not support WPS, but it may work for some folks. To use WPS with Apple AirPort Extreme, open the Airport Extreme utility and select the base station menu. Then, choose to add a wireless client and select the first attempt option. Hit the WPS button on your wireless extender and you should see two new wireless access points available for your wireless devices.
Connect a USB printer to the AirPort Base Station, and computers on the AirPort network can print to it. To add a wireless printer, select your printer on the right. If the printer isn’t listed, click the Add Printers, Scanners, or Fax button, then add your printer.
Click on the image of the Airport, then "Base Station" in the menu. You will see an option to add a WPS printer. You can select the PIN option to enter the eight-digit number for the printer that is requesting network access or the "First Attempt" option to allow network access to the first printer attempting to join the network.
Join your wireless network from the printer’s interface. For directions, see the documentation that came with your printer.
