ReadySHARE Printer - Print Server NETGEAR - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Print Server
Brand	NETGEAR
Model	ReadySHARE Printer
Dimensions (approx.)	150 x 100 x 30 mm
Weight (approx.)	200 g
Power Supply	5V DC via USB or AC adapter
Network Interface	Ethernet 10/100, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
USB Ports	1 USB 2.0 for printer connection
Supported Printers	Most USB printers (check compatibility list)
Supported Protocols	TCP/IP, IPP, SMB, LPR
Operating Systems	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Main Functions	Network printer sharing, mobile printing via app, automatic printer detection
Maintenance	Regular firmware updates, keep vents clean, avoid direct sunlight
Safety Precautions	Use only supplied power adapter, avoid liquids and heat sources
Spare Parts & Repairability	No user-serviceable parts; contact NETGEAR support
General Information	Warranty: 1 year; made in China; compliant with FCC, CE, RoHS

Frequently Asked Questions - ReadySHARE Printer NETGEAR

How do I set up the NETGEAR ReadySHARE Printer?

Connect the print server to your network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, then plug your USB printer into the server. Follow the setup wizard in the NETGEAR Genie app or web interface.

Can I use any USB printer with this device?

Most standard USB printers are supported. Check the compatibility list on NETGEAR's support site for confirmed models.

Does it support wireless printing?

Yes, the ReadySHARE Printer supports Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n connection, allowing wireless printing from your devices.

How do I print from my smartphone?

Use the NETGEAR ReadySHARE app (iOS/Android) to connect and print directly from your mobile device.

What if I forget the Wi-Fi password?

Reset the print server to factory defaults by pressing the reset button for 10 seconds. Reconfigure via the web interface.

Can I share the printer with multiple computers?

Yes, the print server allows multiple users on the same network to print to the connected printer simultaneously.

How do I update the firmware?

Visit NETGEAR's support page, download the latest firmware, and upload it through the administration panel in your browser.

The printer is not detected. What should I do?

Ensure the printer is powered on and USB cable is secure. Restart the print server and printer, then check network connections.

Is it compatible with macOS?

Yes, it supports macOS. Install the NETGEAR Print Server driver or use Apple's built-in IPP printing.

What security features does it have?

It supports WPA2 wireless encryption, SSID broadcast disable, and MAC address filtering for network security.

USER MANUAL ReadySHARE Printer NETGEAR

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ReadySHARE Printer

Support

Thank you for purchasing this NETGEAR product. You can visit www.netgear.com/support to register your product, get help, access the latest downloads and user manuals, and join our community. We recommend that you use only official NETGEAR support resources.

Conformity

For the current EU Declaration of Conformity, visit http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/11621.

Compliance

For regulatory compliance information, visit http://www.netgear.com/about/regulatory.

See the regulatory compliance document before connecting the power supply.

Trademarks

© NETGEAR, Inc., NETGEAR and the NETGEAR Logo are trademarks of NETGEAR, Inc. Any non-NETGEAR trademarks are used for reference purposes only.

Contents

Chapter 1 Set Up ReadSHARE Printer

Supported NETGEAR Routers 5

Install the Printer Driver and Set Up the Printer.... 5

Download and Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility 5

Chapter 2 Use NETGEAR USB Control Center

Print Using the NETGEAR USB Control Center 9

View or Change the Status of a Printer 10

Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer 11

Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings 12

Turn Off Automatic Startup for NETGEAR USB Control Center.....13

Change the Language in NETGEAR USB Control Center 14

Specify the Time-Out for NETGEAR USB Control Center....15

Set Up ReadSHARE Printer

1

The ReadySHARE Printer utility lets you share a USB printer that is connected to a USB port on your router. You can share this USB printer among the Windows and Mac computers on your network.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Supported NETGEAR Routers
• Install the Printer Driver and Set Up the Printer
- Download and Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility

For more information about the topics covered in this manual, visit the support website at http://support.netgear.com. For more information about ReadySHARE features, visit www.netgear.com/readyshare.

Supported NETGEAR Routers

To determine if your NETGEAR router supports ReadySHARE Printer, see your router's user manual, which is available at http://downloadcenter.netgear.com.

Install the Printer Driver and Set Up the Printer

Some USB printer manufacturers (for example, HP and Lexmark) request that you do not connect the USB cable until the installation software prompts you to do so.

To install the printer driver and set up the printer:

1. Connect your computer to the router's network.
2. Install the USB printer driver software on each computer on your network that shares the USB printer.
   If you cannot find the printer driver, contact the printer manufacturer to find and download the most recent printer driver software.
3. Make sure that your computer can connect to the USB printer and print.
4. Connect the USB printer to a USB port on the router using the USB printer cable.

Download and Install the ReadySHARE Printer Utility

You must install the ReadySHARE Printer utility on each computer that will share the printer. After you install it, the utility displays as NETGEAR USB Control Center on your computer.

To download and install the ReadySHARE Printer utility:

1. Visit http://support.netgear.com/product/ReadySHARE%2bUSB%2bPrinter.
2. In the Downloads section, download the ReadySHARE Printer utility for either Windows or Mac computers.
   The file downloads to your computer.

3. If necessary, unzip the ReadySHARE Printer utility setup file you downloaded.

4. Double-click the ReadySHARE Printer utility setup file that you downloaded.

1. Follow the wizard instructions to install NETGEAR USB Control Center.

After the InstallShield Wizard completes the installation, the NETGEAR USB Control Center prompts you to select a language:

1. Select a language from the menu and click the OK button.

The USB printer connected to the router displays in the NETGEAR USB Control Center window.

Note: Some firewall software, such as Comodo or Norton, blocks NETGEAR USB Control Center from accessing the USB printer. If you do not see the USB printer displayed in the utility, you can disable the firewall temporarily to allow the utility to work.

Use NETGEAR USB Control Center

2

After you install the ReadySHARE Printer utility, the utility displays as NETGEAR USB Control Center on your computer.

This chapter contains the following sections:

• Print Using the NETGEAR USB Control Center
• View or Change the Status of a Printer
- Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer
- Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings

Print Using the NETGEAR USB Control Center

For each computer, after you click the Connect and Disconnect buttons once, the utility automatically manages the printing queue and handling. By default, the utility starts automatically whenever you log on to Windows and runs in the background.

To print a document using the NETGEAR USB Control Center:

1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon

1. Select a printer and click the Connect button.

The printer status changes to Manually connected by Mycomputer. Now only the computer you are using can use this printer.

1. Use the print feature in your application to print your document.

The NETGEAR USB Control Center automatically connects your computer to the USB printer and prints the document. If another computer is already connected to the printer, your print job goes into a queue to wait to be printed.

1. If your document does not print, use the NETGEAR USB Control Center to check the printer status.

For more information, see View or Change the Status of a Printer on page 10.

1. To release the printer so that all computers on the network can use it, click the Disconnect button.

The status changes to Available. Now any computers on the network can use the printer.

1. To exit the utility, select System > Exit.

View or Change the Status of a Printer

To view or change the status:

1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon

The Status column shows the status for each device:

• A vailable. No print jobs are in progress. You can use the USB printer from any computer in the network.
• Connected. Your computer is connected to the printer and will be released when your print job is done.
  • Manually Connected by. Only the connected computer can use the printer.
• W aiting to Connect. Your computer is not connected to the shared printer yet.

2. To print from your computer when the printer status shows Manually connected by another computer, do the following:

a. Click the Connect button on your computer.

On the other user's computer, a message displays that another user wants to connect to the printer.

ReadySHARE Printer

b. On the other user's computer, click the Accept button.

The printer is released from the connection and the printer status on your computer changes to Available.

1. To print from your computer when the status shows Waiting to Connect, do the following:

a. Click the Connect button.

The printer status changes to Manually connected by Mycomputer. Now only your computer can use the printer.

b. To allow the printer to be shared, click the Disconnect button.

The printer is released from the connection and the status changes to Available.

Use the Scan Feature of a Multifunction USB Printer

If your USB printer supports scanning, you can also use the USB printer for scanning.

To use the scan feature of a multifunction USB printer:

1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon

1. Make sure that the printer status shows as Available.

2. C lick the Network Scanner button.

3. If a Select a Device window displays, select the scanner and click the OK button.

The scanner widow displays so that you can use the USB printer for scanning.

Change NETGEAR USB Control Center Settings

You can stop the NETGEAR USB Control Center from starting automatically when you log in to Windows. You can also change the language and specify the time-out to release the printer connection.

Turn Off Automatic Startup for NETGEAR USB Control Center

You can stop the NETGEAR USB Control Center from starting automatically when you log in to Windows.

To turn off automatic NETGEAR USB Control Center startup:

1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon

2. Select Tools > Configuration.

1. Clear the Automatically execute when logging on Windows check box.
2. Click the OK button.

Your settings are saved.

Change the Language in NETGEAR USB Control Center

To change the language:

1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon

2. Select Tools > Configuration.

1. In the Language menu, select a language.
2. Click the OK button.

The next time NETGEAR USB Control Center starts, the language changes.

Specify the Time-Out for NETGEAR USB Control Center

Specify the time-out to release the printer connection.

To specify the time-out:

1. Click the NETGEAR USB Control Center icon

2. Select Tools > Configuration.

3. In the Timeout field, type the number of minutes.

ReadySHARE Printer

The time-out is the number of minutes that a computer holds its connection to the printer when the connection isn't being used.

1. Click the OK button.

Your settings are saved.