HP Deskjet 2540 - connect to pc via USB, can I print from android tablet as well?

[Lesley54R]

Hi,

I've just bought a HP Deskjet 2540 all in one printer.

I have set it up via USB connection to my windows 7 pc, and it is printing fine.

I also have an android tablet.  Can I also print from this whilst using the printer via USB on my pc.

Any help on if this is possible and what steps I need to do if it is would be appreciated (I have been reaeding the help section on the website but I am just getting more confused).

 Lesley

[happytohelp01]

Hi @Lesley54R,

Welcome to the HP Support Forums. I see that you would like to setup your Deskjet 250 printer so you can have your computer connected to it by a USB cable but also connected to your wireless network so you can print from your Android tablet.

Yes it is possible. I have included the Deskjet 2540 User Guide. On page 49 it has the steps for connecting the printer to your wireless network. After testing the wireless network, on page 52 it has the steps for changing from a USB cable connection to a wireless connection. Please follow those steps to switch back to a USB cable connection.

If you don’t have a wireless network available, then please follow the steps on page 53 titled “Connect wirelessly to the printer without a router”. This will allow you to print from the Android tablet.

Please let me know how it goes.

[Lesley54R]

Thanks for the reply.  I'm slightly confused (only ever had a USB printer before).

So I set printer up to use wireless network via my pc, and then switch it back to using USB connection?  Will I then still be able to use it from tablet or do I need to switch it to wireless again?

I tried connecting wirelessly without router from my tablet.  I managed to print a screen shot that I had taken with the camera, but not a web page.  Is it possible to print web pages with this method (as I think I cannot be connected to internet and printer at the same time as the printer becomes the wireless network).  I had the web page already loaded in chrome and tried printing but it would not work (sorry I can't remember the exact error).

Thanks,

Lesley

[happytohelp01]

Hi Lesley,

Thanks for responding.

The steps I gave you would connect the printer to your wireless network so you can print from your tablet. Once you had the printer connected to the network, you could then switch your laptop connection back to the USB connection. This would still allow the printer to be connected to your wireless network so you could print from the tablet. You shouldn’t need to switch the computer’s connection again from the USB connection.

For your tablet, this would allow you to stay connected to the internet to print web pages. And yes, you are correct in that you would be unable to print web pages when you are connected to the network the printer broadcasts.

I hope I helps in clearing this up for you. Please feel free to ask more questions if I haven’t explained it clearly.

[Lesley54R]

Hi Again,

I've connected the printer to my network, but still cannot print web pages from my tablet.  In chrome I select share, then HP eprint.  I then get a message saying 'oops! We cannot open this file from this app.  Please download the file and then open it.'

I am also now showing as having 2 printers connected to my pc. One via USB (set to default) and one via network.  Is that correct?

Lesley

[happytohelp01]

Hi @Lesley54R,

You don’t need to have the printer listed with the two different connections unless you’ll be switching back and forth from being connected by USB cable and wireless.  You can delete the one you don't think you'll be using.

To print the web page, please use the browser found within the app. I’ve included the ePrint Mobile App FAQs document for your reference.

In addition I’ve also included the ePrint Product Specifications document. This document has the list of supported email programs, file types and print limitations.

Hope this helps!

[Lesley54R]

Not had much chance to look at this properly.

So I can't print from chrome or any other browser on android device?  Surely this would be an extremely popular feature considering how popular android is now (more so than apple products I believe). Not sure how useful using browser in print app would be, as normally I would want to print an order confirmation or similar and I don't know how I would get that webpage from chrome to browser in print app after making an order on website in chrome.

The list of email programs doesn't say which operating system they apply to.  It lists Gmail, but not whether this includes the android app. I can't see any option within the android gmail app to print.