connecting printer wirelessly

well at least you've got bluetooth up and running on that laptop now if ever you want to use it, sorry it never worked with the printer, even tho i can't think of a reason why it shouldn't, unless the printer just doesn't broadcast it's bluetooth connection and you just have to manually add it on the pc and send something to it for it to work. shrugs.

Can you do that then, add it manually and send something to it ? bar457

Glad the software helped, had a feeling it was a factor, but if the system wont see the printer with the dongle in it, thats almost certainly due to it not being discoverable, when pairing it has to be shown to all (visible), and if the printer doesn't have a menu option available to do this then I'm not sure what to say, my only guess is the dongle, ask\look around and see exactly what dongle has worked for others, it could be as simple as that, it's not uncommon to find one dongle is favoured above others in certain situations. As to sending a file, thats simple, right click on the file to send, then select Send To, go to bluetooth, then search for devices, "IF" the printer comes up great, but I fear it wont show, due to it not being discoverable, so do try and see if the printer has a menu option to make it shown to all, if it has such an option, select it then search for it on the PC, then pair it, and set it as authorised, that way you never have to do this again, not unless you reinstall, obviously it can't print a file unless it's a text document, but any file will do for testing, you only need to see the printer, if you can then there is hope.

Can you do that then, add it manually and send something to it ?

bar457

i've no idea, was theorising, only thing i ever used bluetooth(and that was once only) was a handsfree device for a phone i had.

8210GUY is the one to listen to here.

I wouldn't go that far lol, but been searching around for answers today, and found the following:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkEWycAFB0o (a video supporting my theory of needing to enable the device, this shows it being done from the printer screen)
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/super-mini-bl…ompatible-11866 (a dongle claimed to work fine, in vista at least)
My Printer utility for Windows (I wonder if this would help ?)

Now going through the manual here are things I have picked up, see if they fit in with what you are seeing, it may help confirm if you are doing it correctly, although it should be straight forward:-

Plug the dongle into the direct print port (bottom right as you look straight on), it also says "When the Bluetooth unit is properly attached to the printer, the Power lamp on the printer flashes twice" so check if this is so, it also warns to make sure the dongle is not lit when removing it.

Here is something that could be the weak point, BEFORE plugging in the dongle to the printer it says that "MP Drivers must be installed" while connected via its USB cable, if you did not do this it is most likely the missing step, and as a rule of thumb USB devices should have the software installed prior to attaching the device, the times when it needs the device it will tell, you to connect it.

Next you need to access the settings on the printers own LCD, navigate to the Bluetooth menu, and set the "Access refusal Screen" to OFF, now search for Bluetooth devices and initiate a pairing from the PC, prior to this change the pass code, you can set this on the printer, leaving it to the default (probably 0000) means others could access it, (also set the "Security Screen" to Enable, Mode 3 recommended) then on the PC enter the same code when prompted, needless to say do NOT forget this code, all being well you should be able to pair the printer, once paired make sure you set each device as authorised, that way you wont have to do this each time, theoretically once paired you should be able to turn the "Access refusal Screen" to ON.

With any luck this will get you started, as to printing from what I can see just print as you normally would from a document as though connected via cable, just check the printer is showing as the print device before processing, hope something here helps.

Thanks for that. Yes that is the dongle I am using as it happens. I have those instructions for setting up the printer and have all of those drivers installed from my installation CD. When plugging in the dongle it does not make the power light flash and the light in the dongle itself remains with a permanent light lit inside it and at no time does it flash at all. Also it does not cause the bluetooth settings to appear in the printer screen menu as the manual states. The Cannon dongle has the circuits which produces the bluetooth screen menu and no others will do that, which I always knew. This would allow the pairing from both the printer and the computer ends. However I read that data can be sent to the printer with a generic dongle fitted to receive it by just sending it from the computer directed to that printer. This is I assumed what the others that I have read in reports have done where they say they have suceeded with the generic dongle and is what I have been trying to replicate. We have not been able to figure out how they have done it as neither of my computers have been able to see the printer or to be able to just send the data there. It's a little strange that the computer sees the dongle in the other computer but not in the printer. I think I will just have to give up with this one!

Well it's a weird one, but the base fact is if the dongle is not visible, it can't be paired, AFAIK anyway, and without this other devices can not see it, therefore can't send a document to something that it can't see, this is the battle you are facing, and without the system knowing the printer is there it can't do anything. The fact the power light does not do what is expected is probably the route cause, it just wont play nice with that dongle, another dongle could be a different story, and there can be firmware revisions within these that could be a factor as well, it's just pure experimentation and getting lucky I guess. But the only thing I can add is about the cable, when you installed the software mentioned above you did have the printer connected via cable at that time didn't you ? Just thought it worth the asking, apart from that it may be worth trying the software direct from the site, it's probably more recent than on the disk, apart from this, and trying x number of dongles, I just don't know what else to suggest, obviously don't be buying loads of dongles, but if mates have some ask to try they're ones in you're printer, hope you get lucky.

Yes I did everything right, so it just doesn't see the dongle. I will move on at the moment and see if I pick up anything new to add to where I am for this. Many, many thanks for your persistance in trying to help me solve this one, it is much appreciated. kind regards Barry

I have a Canon MP470 printer which can also support bluetooth but requires an external adapter. I had purchased a cheap ($2 US) generic bluetooth dongle on ebay and was able to get it to work on my MP470. One thing I noticed in your thread is that you said the dongle on the printer never flashes - it is a constant light. The dongle I have must be flashing for it to work, however, when I first plug it in or if I have to power my printer off and back on, it comes back on with a solid light. I usually have to pull it out of the USB port and set it back in several times for it to start flashing. Once it does, I am able to print wirelessly from each of the laptops in my house (several of which are also using a generic $2 bluetooth dongle). I am not sure why the dongle doesn't flash until its been reseated several times, but I cannot print until it is flashing.

AFAIK the light is usually dongle related, the way one dongle does it not always the same as what another dongle may do, but in general terms, the light steady on is simply saying it is switched on, just like putting the TV into standby, when it starts flashing it means it is actually working, why you have to mess about like that I am unsure, maybe it's simply the print job being created and awaiting the dongle to respond, but unless the correct dongle is used there are no guarantees about what will happen, it's a simple case of getting lucky, and numerous people do seen to have gotten lucky with this, but this is what the lights usually mean so you know.