How to Set Up a Computer to Printer Wirelessly

1. Install software included with wireless printer on your desktop PC, laptop or Apple computer. Agree to licensing and user requirements and complete the setup process. If you have a wireless Internet connection in your home, you can configure your computer to send files to your printer from anywhere in your home. Dell, Epson, Cannon and HP all make acceptable wireless printers that cost between $90 and $130, as of 2010.
2. Add your printer to your wireless network. Open your printer's setup assistant by inserting the Setup disk for the printer into your computer's CD drive. Before you can use the printer wirelessly, you must first establish the connection through a USB cable. Attach your printer to your computer with a USB cable which is usually included with the printer. Otherwise, a standard USB cable will work. Click 'continue' on the setup assistant to continue configuring your computer to print wirelessly.
3. Select your printer and click 'continue.' Your setup assistant will complete the configuration process, ask you to align the pages to print properly and then will ask you to restart your computer and eject the setup disk. After restarting your computer, make sure your printer is turned on and you should be able to begin printing wirelessly.
How to Set up a Computer to a Wired Printer Wirelessly
1. Connect your printer to your wireless network. Turn on both your computer and your printer. Look on your printer's screen to see if it can detect your wireless network. If your printer does not have a screen, connect your printer to your computer with a USB cable and establish a connection to your network through your computer.
2. Tell your printer what the security settings of your router are. Some printers will do this automatically. If yours doesn't, tell it whether your router is running a WEP, WPA or WPA2 security setting. Verify what security setting your router runs by opening the router utility from your 'start,' then 'computer settings' and then 'network' option (or 'system preferences,' then 'network' on a Mac).
3. Confirm that your printer is now connected to your wireless network viewing 'network devices' from your 'network' option from your start menu on your computer and looking for the printer name. Print a test page to confirm everything is working properly.