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Is it possible to print from an Android device (specifically an Asus eeePad Transformer) without going via the cloud? The ideal is to do it without going via a PC as well, as I'd rather not have to keep switching a machine on just to print.

My only idea at the moment is something like ePrint or PrinterShare on the eeePad and then print via a print server. Using a PC is one option - do any of the apps work with a Samba print share or something Linux-based? The other alternative is an Edimax print server to make the printer available on the network (either wired or wireless). Will it work? Will any Android apps be able to print like that? Are there any better ways to do it with a USB laser printer?

Thanks.

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  • I know you can do this on certain wifi printers (Epson has an app for mine). Do you have a specific model you're trying to use? – eldarerathis Dec 21 '11 at 21:37
  • Sorry, I knew I'd forget something. I'm trying to print to a Samsung ML-1665. It isn't wireless, hence the thoughts on the Edimax print servers. I'm trying to use a Linux laptop as a print server, but without much luck so far. ePrint and PrinterShare aren't seeing the device, but that could just be because I've not done it right. – IBBoard Dec 22 '11 at 9:08
  • I've done more poking. I can print from a Linux laptop to the printer via the second laptop that it is hooked up to without a problem. ePrint on the tablet won't find the print server. Neither does Samsung app (probably wants Samsung wireless printers). PrintBot lets me specify the details for IPP, but the best I get is an off-centre/misprinted image using the generic Postscript drivers - other drivers don't print or just feed a blank page. It only seems to do text/PDF/images, though. PrinterShare wants horrendous permissions. Eurosmartz Print prints a test page but has poor quality. – IBBoard Dec 22 '11 at 10:22
  • See also a more specific question: How to print to CUPS (running on another computer in the LAN)? – imz -- Ivan Zakharyaschev Apr 16 '13 at 21:47
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There's a paid app called ePrint, which I believe works locally to printers attached to a wireless network (printers themselves don't need to be wireless) and doesn't appear to use a cloud service or need a PC in most cases. They have a free ePrint version that you can use to test the functionality before you pay for the full ePrint version.

Next there's PrintBot, this "Network printer driver" supports 1,000s of printer types connected to a local network. The free version lets you print a few pages to test, the full paid PrintBot Pro licensed version is unlimited.

Try both of those out and see which one works with your printer and apps.

There are also some free proprietary apps that work with specific hardware, HP ePrint should work, but only to HP printers (both older network enabled ones and newer ePrint enabled networked ones), Samsung MobilePrint should work (but only for Samsung printers).

MotoPrint lets you print to a lot of different printer types as long as they're connected to a wireless network (don't have to be wireless printers), annoyingly you can only install it on Motorola devices, so not putting down as an answer for you but someone else might find it useful.

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  • None of the options seemed to work in exactly the way I wanted, but I think that is just an issue of the constraints I imposed. Your answers are probably great for others. – IBBoard Oct 19 '12 at 10:39
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Let's Print Droid will print directly to Wifi addressable PCL/Postscript printers. It does not contain drivers for Ink Jets howoever.

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