As more and more companies begin innovating the mobile marketplace with tablets, means to connect your every day life to your tablet become necessary. While most advertisements you see tout the WiFi and 3G connectivity of these devices, you rarely see mention of whether or not you can use a tablet to print documents. Thankfully you’re not left out in the cold as there are several ways you can employ to make sure you can get those web pages from your Tab’s screen to your printer wirelessly.
1. Using The Stock Application
By default, one of the reasons the Galaxy Tab trumps the iPad is its ability to wireless print natively. Your Tab should instantly recognize any printer you have set up on your network and then print the documents that you’ve specified, but some people have trouble printing certain documents, or the documents come out wrong. This is why there are many printing apps available on the Android Market, since they contain document renderers that allow you to rearrange the document before you print it. This is especially useful when printing pages of a web page.
2. Printing Wirelessly
If you have a wireless printer available in your home that is already incorporated into your wireless network, then you need the PrinterShare app by Mobile Dynamix. The app itself is free to download, but to use the features of the app; you’ll need to pay $12.95. While this may seem expensive, it grants you unlimited wireless printing from any device it is installed on, including any smartphones you may have.
PrinterShare makes it easy to print documents from Gmail and Google Docs, but it can also handle printing random webpages that are printer friendly. Since you most likely don’t want any wires holding you down while you’re using your Galaxy Tab, this is the best option available. Mobile Dynamix recommends that you download the app and attempt to print a test page before you buy the premium key, since the free app does include a few prints so you can determine whether or not your printer is compatible with the device.
There are other apps on the market designed to do the same thing that PrinterShare does, but none of them are as widely rated and have as many printer compatibility options available as PrinterShare.
3. Configuring Your Network & Printing Advice
If you don’t have your printer set up wirelessly already, you’ll need to put it on your network. This usually involves associating the printer with a computer on the network so that it can piggyback Internet access, but if you purchased a printer with a WiFi modem, this step won’t be necessary.
If your printer is set up but you don’t see it among the list of devices available within the PrinterShare app, then it may not be compatible with the Galaxy Tab. In this case, you’ll either need to try a different app in order to print, or possibly purchase one of the printers that is compatible with the PrinterShare application.
If you’re having problems with the documents you’re printing not coming out the right size, or they look distorted, then you’ll need to use a document renderer in order to get the pages exactly as you want them. Most printing apps include this feature, since the stock interface for printing with the Galaxy Tabdoesn’t. Rendering the document differently than it appears on the web is great for web pages that don’t have a printer friendly version and print differently than how you expect according to the layout.
If all else fails and you can’t get a web page to print, try copying the text you want and pasting it into a document, arranged the way you want it. Since web pages sometimes have trouble rendering if all you’re wanting is the text, this can be the quickest solution to getting the pages you want without the hassle of re-rendering the entire document.
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Thanks James for this information you just shared here. I don’t even know about this before that this phone can be useful when it comes to tasks like this and some others that I have read online lately.
I have samsung galaxy tab.:D very useful information to me
Great information about Print Share from new Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1. Connected immediately with my wifi printer.
Hello Bell
I want to buy a compatible printer for my Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1. Which one do you have and what else must I do to ensure compatibility andd that the tab picks up the printer?
I use the HP 3052A ptinter and their eprint application. Works well.
I have a galaxy tab 10.1 and it automatically recognized my samsung network printer, but the problem is that I can’t print more than a page at a time… any advices?
i have used printershare for while on my evo and 10.1, BUT printershare never works on the galaxy tab for things i want it most for such as boarding passes, and to print out reservation confirmations of hotels, flights, cars etc…. This is so irritating and causes me to have to “screen capture” then print from my gallery like a picture. samsung needs to make it just print to my hp new printer like the ipad2 does
To use full feature of Printershare you have to buy it.
James,
Thanks for sharing this piece of advise. This is exactly what I needed to know as I have been looking into getting the Samsung Galaxy Tab!
I have a usb printer which i plugged up to my wireless router. It wont print or it wont find the printer. My galaxy tab and the printer are on the same network. Please help…??????
Did you tried with printshare app or with any other printing application.
how to connect samsung note to samsung printer using wifi
you can install prinshare app from android market or Google play and the connect with your printer using it.
I want to set up a laser printer in my truck. can the galaxy print to a stand alone printer by wire or wire less without a network?
I have the paid version of PrinterShare but still cannot print e-mails. On the one hand, the e-mail app does give a printer button, but then states that it can only be used with a Samsung printer. On the other hand, I cannot find where e-mails I send or receive are stored, and I cannot find them from within PrinterShare or by other means.
how to connect my galaxy tab to my printer which is connectable wirelessly.can you tell me detailed procedure
Hi,
You say “By default, one of the reasons the Galaxy Tab trumps the iPad is its ability to wireless print natively. Your Tab should instantly recognize any printer you have set up on your network and then print the documents that you’ve specified…”
then you say “If you have a wireless printer available in your home that is already incorporated into your wireless network, then you need the PrinterShare app by Mobile Dynamix.”
I’m a bit confused.
When we tried to print directly to my printer the tablet said “will only print to Samsung printers…”
Can you clarify?
Hi, you seem to have a bit of knowledge regarding the galaxy TAB 10.1. I HAVE AN HP PHOTOSMART 5524. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHY CAN MY HUSBANDS IPHONE AND IPAD 2 simply print on demand but I have to go into the orint app then select the item ie. Email or photo etc. Before I can print them, surely itmust be simpler than that. Am I missin something
Carol.
I have a samsung 10.1 tablet and I want to be able to print yahoo emails wirelessly.What app is going to allow me to do this.
…….cliff
I Have printer share…paid version but there are a lot of character errors when trying to print from a galaxy tab s to a brother laser printer using the generic driver.
I contacted printershare only to be told it was unlikely they would ever have the driver for the Brother 3140 laser so that’s money down the drain as far as I am concerned.
Exactly same problem as fred.
Prints but much of the output is distorted.
makers of this app need to do more for those that own brother printers
I want to Print to my Hp Printer networked via cable to my Router which has WIFI. I have a Galaxy Tab A. I want to print from my Galaxy Tab A directly through the router to the Printer. Via IP address if it will. How do I do this?
Thanks for any assistance. Robert
Thanks For Sharing This !! I Have Samsung Galaxy tab ..Very Useful Information For Me..And Also Samsung users.
Is my Samsung Galaxy tab 4 10.1 compatible with an HP 2510 All-in-One wireless printer?
I’d be grateful for your help.
If I buy the version that cost approxmately $13 will I have the option of printing yahoo email?