Printing from an iPad or iPhone

[Twotoes]

My Mac Book Pro got wet and now doesn’t work anymore. I had a old printer that also stopped working. I am full time and do not have WiFi in my motorhome, just use my phone as a hot spot. Is there a printer out there that I can print to directly from my phone and tablet without WiFi and a router?  I think there are some that use Bluetooth. Or can I use my phone as a hot spot for the wireless printer?

[Barbaraok]

Use your phone as a hot spot would be my recommendation.  Any WiFi printer should be able to recognize your hotspot.

[FL-JOE]

The last few years WiFi/Bluetooth printers have gotten very cheap.  I think the last one we bought was around $60 on sale at either Target or Walmart.  Ink for it costs about $38 when it runs out.  We try only to use it when absolutely necessary.  

[RV_]

The new breed of wireless printers from Epson seem to have the best system called WiFi direct. On these printers you disconnect from the router, and then go back through setup and using your phone's WiFi you connect directly to the printer. The best way to show you  it does what you want is this video on YouTube which shows connecting directly to an iPad or iPhone is as easy as connecting to a router:

On this page are other videos that show you different ways for different printers. If you need to go to a WiFi hotspot to see them, I would advise doing so because the descriptions on Amazon, including the reviews, had no one connecting directly, or described connecting via the cell phone's WiFi directly. They all have Internet so describe using it. That is not what you want and fortunately I found an Epson all in one printer that does all you need. to a router and then on the Internet and then to your phone  which is not what you are looking for. Today's Technology makes these printers inexpensive. IT is an Epson that has their WiFi direct like the animation above. See it on sale here for $59.99. https://www.staples.com/Epson-WorkForce-WF-2750-Inkjet-All-in-One/product_2256799?cid=PS:BingPLAs:2256799&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=2256799&KPID=2256799&cvosrc=PLA.bing-COOP.Printers %26 Scanners&cvosrc=PLA.bing-COOP.{product_type1}&cvo_crid=2256799&cvo_campaign=284103179&msclkid=7c4fc817a6771f8af2ba928be5756d2a&gclid=CPL6kuyt09kCFXSxZQodxlwNlQ&gclsrc=ds

Caveat Emptor. I do not use Apple products so can't personally test this, I have not used this printer, and you need to judge if it fits you and your needs.

I do know that five years ago all the first wave of wireless printers were finicky when they first came out. But these newer Epson printers look pretty good. However, I use a Brother non-WiFi all in one DCP7065DN Ethernet networking printer connected to my WiFi router via an Ethernet cable to the router, and all devices here that can connect to the router on our network or the guest network can print on it too, cell phones, tablets, etc.,regardless of if the router had Internet connectivity or not. But they have to have the Brother software downloaded to each device, and installed. I unplugged my modem and it worked too as long as the router stayed on and was in working order. Since you need to buy the printer, anyway, the Epson printers look to be your best bet. Read the reviews and make sure more folks folks loved it and found it easy to set up, than did not. If this one is too cheap they have others so look for the one with the reviews that all point to reliability. Make sure you set it up immediately, so in case it needs to be returned, you are within the refund or exchange time period which varies by store.

If you do get it and it works as expected post here and let me and others know.

If you do not need color than by all means look for a laser with direct printing from cell phones. We have no kids at home, no grandkids nearby to use our printer, and all photos are shared online phone to phone or computer to computer these days anyway. So we used a Brother Laser set to just readable resolution and a toner cartridge lasts a year or more. Toner does not dry out as I have had inkjet color printers do many times in the last 15-20 years or so.

Few folks I know keep pictures on display except maybe a digital picture frame viewer. I can do color slideshows of my pictures on my tablets if I wanted that. I believe that will solve your problem.

Safe Travels!

[RV_]

Well, what did you come up with Twotoes?

[Pappy Yokum]

He's still "digesting" your reply, ROTFL.

.

[Twotoes]

Well here is what I came up with. I bought a Canon wireless printer that is also Bluetooth. However the Bluetooth only works on windows, won’t work on Apple. Nothing on the box telling you this, found out by calling Canon customer service.  My son said just power up my old router from home that I luckily had in the RV and it would provide a WiFi signal just no internet. I connected my iPad and the Canon printer to the router WiFi and it worked. The only problem is that I can’t go online on the iPad without turned on the cellular data and then I don’t have a WiFi connection. So then I turned on my hot spot on my phone connected the iPad to the hot spot and connected the printer to the hot spot and wow now I can do everything but the connection is real slow. So unless I need to connect to the internet I will just print via the WiFi router connection. 

[BFT]

I use a brother MFC-J4800DW to print from my iPhone. I do not have a router or wifi setup in my house. Do not even have an Internet connection at the house. Cell phone does all. This printer will print directly from my iPhone.  

 

Sorry just realized this was an old post...