Wellesley College Information Services documentation logo

Printing
OS X
Macintosh

Configuring a network printer in OS X

Configuring a network printer allows you to print to any printer in the Wellesley College network. If you are running a version of OS X earlier than 10.2, you will need to configure your network printer twice: once for applications that run in Mac OS X, and once for applications that run in Classic mode.

Return to Welcome to OS X

Getting Started

  • Find the printer queue name and model number. Usually this information is on the printer. If you cannot find the queue name, please contact the Faculty/Staff Computing Helpdesk (x3333) for assistance.
  • Check what version of OS X you have. To do so:
    1. Click on the Finder icon in the Dock
    2. Go to the Apple menu
    3. Select About this Mac. The version should be listed in the window that appears.

Configuring your network printer for an OS X application

Print center icon

Click on the Print Center icon in the Dock.

If the Print Center icon is NOT in the Dock:

  1. Click on the Finder icon in the Dock.
  2. From the Go menu select Applications and the Applications folder will open.
  3. Open the Utilities folder by double-clicking on it.
  4. Double-click on Print Center.

Once you have located and opened the Print Center:

  1. In the Printer List window that opens, click on the Add Printer button.
  2. A new window shade will appear:

    Printer list window

  3. Make sure IP Printing is selected in the pull-down menu at the top of the shade.
  4. In the Printer's Address field, type queuename.wellesley.edu (e.g., pgrn2a.wellesley.edu). When you have finished typing the queuename.wellesley.edu, the message "Incomplete or invalid address" will disappear or may be replaced by "Complete and valid address."
  5. Make sure Use Default Queue on Server is checked.
  6. From the Printer Model pull-down menu, select the printer manufacturer. A new area with a list of possible models will appear. Select your printer model. If the printer's model is not listed, select Generic in the Printer Model field.
  7. Click Add.
  8. The window shade will disappear, and the new printer will appear in the list of printers in the Printer List window.
  9. The new printer is listed by its queue name. This can be cryptic especially if you have many printers listed. You can change the name of the printer by:
    1. In the Printer List window, click once on the printer to select it.
    2. Under the Printers menu, select Show Info.
    3. A Printer Info window will appear. Change the name of the Printer in the Printer Name field.
    4. Click the Apply Changes button.
    5. Close the Printer Info window.
  10. From the Print Center menu, select Quit Print Center.

How do I print duplex?

Setting up the duplex option for a printer:

    1. Click on the Print Center icon in the Dock.
    2. In the Printer List window that opens, click once on the printer you want to set up to select it.
    3. From the Printers menu choose Show info
    4. Click on the Installed Options tab, choose Duplex Unit and click Apply Changes.
    5. From the Print Center menu, select Quit Print Center.

Printing a double-sided document:

    1. Select File > Print to print a document.
    2. In the dialog box that appears, click on the Copies & Pages menu and select Duplex.
    3. Check the box for Print on Both Sides.
    4. Select the direction you would like the double-sided pages to print.
    5. When you are finished selecting your print settings click Print.

Configure your network printer for Classic (Mac OS 9) applications
(only needed for OS 10.1.5 and earlier)

Faculty and staff computers at Wellesley College will not need to do this step.

To configure OS 10.1.5 and earlier operating systems to print in Classic

  1. Double-click on the Macintosh HD icon on your desktop.
  2. Open the Applications (Mac OS 9) folder.
  3. In the Applications (Mac OS 9) window, open the Utilities folder.
  4. Double-click on Desktop Printer Utility.
  5. In the New Desktop Printer window, make sure LaserWriter 8 is selected. Click on Printer (LPR) to highlight it. Click OK.
  6. In the LPR Printer Selection box, click Change.
  7. In the Printer Address: field, type queuename.wellesley.edu (e.g. pgrn2a.wellesley.edu).
  8. Click Verify to make sure your computer can locate the printer. A message that the printer has been located should appear above the Verify button.
  9. In the Queue field, type BINPS.
  10. Click OK.
  11. Click Create.
  12. When you are prompted to save your desktop printer, make sure the desktop printer's name matches your printer's queue name, and that the desktop printer will be saved to the desktop. Click Save.
  13. From the File menu, select Quit.

Computing at Wellesley

Macintosh Documentation

PC Documentation

  • Rebecca Levine Darling
  • Information Services
  • Date Created: November 25, 2002
  • Last Modified: September 20, 2006
  • Page Expires: July 1, 2004