Connecting your HP printer to your computer is not a daunting task if spoken in the wise and geek terms. However for many users it is as they cannot afford to practice geekery all the time and need some quick help which get them right on the track without much ado. So here are those magical step-by-step instructions for you to help connect your HP printer to your computer and start printing beautiful banners, presentations, photos, and lots more.

Unpack your HP printer and look up the USB cable supplied with it. While having your HP printer powered off, connect it directly to your computer using the USB cable. The USB cable should go in the USB port at the back of your HP printer and its other end should run into the USB port of the computer. If you are using a laptop, look for the USB port on it and plug the cable into it. Now that the cable is firmly connected, power on the HP printer. Your computer and HP printer should detect each other now.

Now that your printer is connected to your computer, it should be listed under “Devices and Printers” (Windows 7/Vista) or “Printers and Faxes” (Windows XP). Your HP printer should be listed there. If you want to change its properties, right click it and select “Properties”. If you don’t find the HP printer listed under there, then you can add it manually by clicking the “Add a printer” button. Follow rest of the on-screen prompts to add your HP printer and start printing.

If you are using a Mac, simply open any document which you want to print and give a print command to be able to know that whether your HP printer is working or not. If you are unable to print, it means that the HP printer is not added to your Mac. Add the printer by clicking the “Apple” icon, “System Preferences”, “Print & Fax”, “View”, “+”. Follow rest of the on-screen instructions and add your printer.

You can connect and set up your HP printer using the HP software installation disk also provided that you have it. You simply need to pop the HP printer setup disk in to drive of your laptop or desktop and then start off with the HP printer setup wizard. When the wizard prompts to connect your HP printer to your computer then do so using the USB cable. Configure other printer properties including the Wi-Fi connectivity also if desirable and then exit the wizard. This procedure is also simple but at the same time it is time-consuming.

If you want to be able to print wirelessly from your HP printer, you should hook up it to your already setup wireless network. Going wireless will give you more freedom in your home office and help you stay wire-free and organized. To hook up your HP printer to your Wi-Fi network, press the right-arrow key () on your touch-screen printer (if it’s not touch-screen, look up Control Panel settings on it), select “Network”, click “Wireless”, click “Wireless Setup Wizard”. Your HP printer will now scan for the available SSIDs (wireless networks) and let you connect to yours. Click your SSID name and if it is password protected, enter the wireless security key and click “Done”. Click the Print button to print a test page.