Protect Your Wireless Printer: Tips, Tricks, and Tools You Need to Know in 2023!

Wireless printers have simplified printing, but they are still susceptible to hackers. According to reports, attackers can easily enter your local network through printers.

Anyone could alter the printer configuration if suitable security precautions are not performed.

In the worst-case scenario, you could not be allowed to use your own printer and have to deal with haphazard print requests to the printer.

Use Wi-Fi Direct

Without the need for an intermediary device like a router, Wi-Fi Direct enables you to connect your phone and computer directly to the printer.

Users must be aware of the Wi-Fi Direct SSID and password in order to connect their printer using Wi-Fi Direct.

Depending on the manufacturer, different actions may be required to enable Wi-Fi Direct on your printer.

The majority of them feature a specific Wi-Fi Direct button on their button panel, and you may print a network configuration page to discover the password on it. To obtain the password, you can also go to your printer’s user manual.

Here, I’ll show you how to retrieve an HP printer’s Wi-Fi Direct SSID and password.

1. Launch HP Smart.
   
2. Click Advanced Settings.
3. Click the Wi-Fi Direct menu.
4. You will see the default Wi-Fi Direct SSID and password of your printer there. Click Edit Settings to change it.
   Choose Manual in the Connection Method drop-down.
5. Give a new Wi-Fi Direct name and password to the printer and click Appl

Create a Guest Network

If you need to print from numerous devices in a business setting, Wi-Fi Direct might not be the ideal option. Only a few devices can be connected to the printer simultaneously using Wi-Fi Direct, and there may be a problem with the network’s coverage area.

It would be better under these circumstances if you set up a guest network on your router. You will have two Wi-Fi SSIDs broadcasting from the router when the guest network is enabled: the main SSID and the guest SSID.

The printer must first be connected to the guest’s SSID. By doing this, you will separate your printer from all other SSID-connected devices. To begin printing, next join your phone or computer to the same guest SSID.

Check out the steps for setting up a guest network on a TP-Link router.

1. Log in to the router and access its configuration page.
2. Go to Guest Network settings.
3. Uncheck this option if it is available on your router.
4. Configure the guest network settings and save the changes.Log into the router and access its configuration page.
5. Go to Guest Network settings.
6. Uncheck this option if it is available on your router.
7. Configure the guest network settings and save the changes.
   

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Enable Password Protected Sharing

If you want to require a password before someone else can link your printer to their computer, you can set password-protected local sharing on your PC. It will add an additional degree of security to prevent unauthorized access to your printer.

1. Open Control Panel on your computer and go to View network status and tasks.
2. Choose Change advanced sharing settings.
3. Turn on password protection and click Save Changes.

Set the Printer Admin Password

Setting an admin password on the printer is another way to stop unauthorized access. Once password protection is activated, only you have access to your printer’s embedded web server (EWS) and are able to make modifications.

You must first know your printer’s IP address in order to enable a password on it. Next, enable password protection in the administrator settings. If you have an HP printer, follow these instructions to enable the printer password.

1. Open HP Smart.
2. Tap Printer Settings.
3. Click Advanced Settings.
4. See the IP address of the printer.
5. Load the address in your browser.
6. Go to Settings >Security > Password Settings.
7. Enter the password, confirm it, and click Apply.

Enable MAC Filtering

To prevent certain devices from using the printer, you can also enable MAC filtering on your router. However, before you can block a device, you must first know its MAC address. Also, keep in mind that MAC filtering prevents that specific device from accessing the Internet in addition to the printer.

Here’s how TP-LINK routers may enable MAC filtering.

1. Open the configuration page of the router.
2. First, check the clients that are connected to the router using the DHCP Client List.
3. Note the MAC address of the device you want to block.
4. Then go to Wireless > Wireless MAC Filtering.
5. Configure the new entry.

Update Printer Firmware

You should routinely check and update the firmware to protect the printer from any form of vulnerability because firmware updates include the most recent security patches for your printer.

Using the printer’s embedded web server (EWS), you may quickly upgrade the firmware.

Let’s look at how HP printers can have their firmware updated.

1. Load the IP address of your printer on a web browser.
2. Go to Tools > Printer Updates > Firmware Updates.
3. Click Check Now.
4. Download and install if any updates are available.

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Other Ways to Secure Wireless Printers

Here are some tips for securing wireless printers that have proven effective for many users.