topic Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth. in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Minivanman — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 16:50:11 GMT

Due to move home soon so I'll be without my internet connection for a while, so is it possible (and it seems it might be but I don't know how) to connect my Android smartphone to my bog standard Canon TS3150 printer via Bluetooth.

Maybe I need to download an app to my smartphone first?

Cheers guys.

Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Baldrick1 — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 17:31:57 GMT

@Minivanman

If it’s all working at present then the same set up should work without an Internet connection. Test it by removing the DSL cable.

Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Minivanman — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 18:04:01 GMT

@Baldrick1

I've tried that but the smartphone is not 'seeing the printer' which made me wonder if my particular model had that facility. Checked the printer manual but can see nothing about Bluetooth.

The printer is supposed to work with wifi but I have never been able to connect. Not a problem though as it lives next to my laptop so gets plugged in as and when needed.

Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Smith7 — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 18:17:56 GMT

I would just connect your Chromebook laptop to you mobile using Hotspot and use your printer as you do now

When you have broadband installed at the new house you just use that no changing required to the printer

🤔🤔🤔

Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Dan_the_Van — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 18:35:57 GMT

"I've tried that but the smartphone is not 'seeing the printer' which made me wonder if my particular model had that facility"

Bluetooth is not used for prints, the phone uses a wifi signal to send prints to the printer, unless the printer is on the same network the phone app won't see it (the printer), as you appear to be using USB then this would explain your situation

Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Minivanman — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 19:39:33 GMT

@Dan_the_Van

It would seem so Dan, which is why I was trying to figure out if my printer had Bluetooth - as some printers do.... but not mine it would seem.

There again, is not bluetooth just a version of wifi?

You are right I think about the printer "being on the same network" so fully agree about the wifi bit but as said, I have never been able to get the damn thing to work even then using that method!

*Minivanman rummages around, finds, and dusts off his old typewriter. 😀

Re: Printers, Smartphone... and Bluetooth.

Baldrick1 — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 10:08:55 GMT

@Minivanman wrote:

@Dan_the_Van

There again, is not bluetooth just a version of wifi?😀

It is as far as it uses the 2.4GHz band but the communication protocols are different.

My advice would be to try and either sort out the printer and attach it wirelessly to your network. Alternatively see if you can attach the printer to your computer via USB and use the connection of both the computer and phone to your hub to route your mobile data through the computer to the printer. I think that this should be possible. The only downside being that the computer would need to be switched on to print from your phone.

You could of course not fight it, copy all your phone stuff, attach it to an email and send it to yourself to pick up on your computer.