MF632cdw wired with ethernet to router, computers are on WiFi—cannot connect

[Feldman345]

I know very little about networks, but here's the problem—my WiFi 2.4 signal is not strong enough to reach my printer. I connected the printer via ethernet to my router. My Macbook and my Surface Pro are both only connected to WiFi. They cannot see the printer to add it. Is there a way to for the printer to become visible to the computers that are on WiFi?

[diverhank]

I don't know much about Mac but it doesn't matter if a computer or device is on wifi or ethernet - it is assigned an IP address. They are all on the same network. I use the PC and most of the time the PC can see the printer just fine. The problem is that every time you turn on/off the printer, the router assigns a different IP address to it...this drives the computer crazy trying to print to the printer via TCP/IP. The solution is to assign the printer a permanent IP address. Then on the computer, create a printer with the right driver and same IP address. The printer should have instructions on how to assign a permanent IP address to the printer.

[Feldman345]

Thank you! I created a static IP address, but I'm not sure how to create a printer with the driver and the same IP address. Do you know how to do this on windows? Every time I try to add a printer by IP address, it still can't seem to find the printer.

[diverhank]

First you should find out what IP address the router has got because it is critical to get this right.  On the PC, I'd type in the search bar cmd then select the command prompt app.  Once there, I'd type in IPCONFIG and it will tell me which IP address my computer is...in my case:

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.22

In this example, I'd name my printer 192.168.0.200 - something big so the router doesn't dynamically assign a number to...for a typical household, the number of devices rarely exceeds 30 so 200 is safe.  Power the printer off then back on again.

Now to create a new printer, on the search bar, I'd type in "printer" then choose "Add a printer or scanner".  The computer will then search for all printers the computer is connected to.  It may or may not find your printer at this point.  If the computer doesn't find it, choose " the printer I want isn't listed".  Then choose "add a printer using TCP/IP address or host name".  Under hostname or IP address, enter the printer IP, which in this example is 192.168.0.200.  You can give it a port name like MF632, it doesn't matter.  Press next.  The computer will automatically choose a driver to use.  If it can't it will ask you to load one but most of the time, the computer will find a driver just fine.  Once you've created this printer, you should be able to print a test page.  This is when you will find out if it works...