Compatible Printers

[BruceBanner]

I'm having issues getting my Canon MP610 that is connected to my Win 8 Desktop machine to print from the Surface 2 over network etc. I won't bore you with all the details as that's not quite the point of this thread, but I'm in the market to buying a new printer anyway. I'm wondering if there is a list of compatible printers that will work for the Surface 2 (if directly connected) or at the very least over Network (tho I'm not 100% convinced that Surface 2> Print over wifi home network will lead to success, even if it should in theory).

Ta,

Bruce

 

[geisslingen]

I am having the same problem printing from my Surface 2 to my wireless printer (Lexmark X7675). I tried printing through the wireless homegroup network and I get an error message that the printer does not work with this version of Windows RT.

 

[BruceBanner]

Yeh I get a few different error messages, when googling the errors and reading the threads of suggested courses of action, none seem to work... :S

Which is why I'm kinda thinking to bypass this problem and just go new printer anyhow (as it's on my to do list). I just wondered if MS has released a very definitive safe printer list (for Surface 2)...

 

[geisslingen]

There is actually a Microsoft WHQL List to check if a device is compatible with Windows 8.1 and RT or not:

Windows Compatibility Center

On other threads on this forum some memebrs mentioned Epson NX330 and Brother HL-2270 DW will work with Surface 2

 

[hotphil]

HP LaserJet CP2025 works from Surface RT over WiFi/shared from another machine running as a print server.
Another thing to look for might be a printer that has the email-to-print function (whereby your printer has a unique email address, you email your file to that, it gets printed). That removes the driver headaches.

 

[kristalsoldier]

HP LaserJet CP2025 works from Surface RT over WiFi/shared from another machine running as a print server.
Another thing to look for might be a printer that has the email-to-print function (whereby your printer has a unique email address, you email your file to that, it gets printed). That removes the driver headaches.

That email to print while circumventing the driver issue is a complex way to do a relatively simple thing in my opinion. Recently, I bought a HP e-Print WiFi enabled printer. On the list of printers on the Windows site, it is listed as being only partly compatible with Windows RT. Sure enough, if I hook up the Surface 2 to the printer via USB, it works perfectly. OTOH, I simply can't seem to get to print documents over wireless. I have reset the printer to its defaults. I hope it is just a case of a configuration issue that I am missing.

 

[ctitanic]

HP Deskjet 6940 WiFi works.

Mostly any WiFi printer should work. Once the printer is detected it will try to look for the drivers and if the drivers are not found it will give you the option to install one from the list of available drivers foe Windows RT, so there you need to pick the driver closer to your printer, that means pick the company and type of printer close to the model no from the one you have. If you have any doubt, take the one that you believe is the closer from the list and Google it. If the picture from the Google search looks alike then pick it. Your Surface should be ready to print, it may be losing some features but the main one will be there.

 

[ctitanic]

Here is an example


These two are the same printer
1- being shared by my Lenovo Desktop
2- Found by my Surface 2.

The driver was not found in the Surface and the closest one is this one



Which in Google search looks like the actual printer I have



So, picked that one



The drivers were installed, the test page printed ok

And here is the proof:

 

[geisslingen]

Thank you Frank for the detailed illustration. I will try your method to add my Lexmark X7675 to my Surafce 2 devices, Windows 8.1 RT does currently have the driver for this printer model so I will try to use something close to it.

 

[NGC]

Now if we can figure out how to print from the Surface 2 through a network to a printer.

 

[ctitanic]

Now if we can figure out how to print from the Surface 2 through a network to a printer.

The same way. In my case the example that I was using in my screenshots it's a WiFi network printer.

 

[geisslingen]

Tried several Lexmark drivers that would work with my Lexmark X7675 WiFi printer with no success. I can see the printer on the home network through Surface 2 but when I try to add it I get a message that the printer driver cannot run on the current Windows version (8.1 RT). It seems it is time to get a new Wireless printer.