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Using a printer in the FRITZ! home network

You want to set up a printer connected to the FRITZ!Box? ✔ Here you'll find the step-by-step instructions.

If your printer is equipped with a network port or Wi-Fi, you can easily connect it to the FRITZ!Box home network and use it as a network printer on all devices in the home network. Since the printer itself accepts and processes all of the print jobs, you do not need to configure any specific settings for the printer in the FRITZ!Box.

Requirements / Restrictions

  • The printer must be equipped with a LAN port or Wi-Fi. Printers that only have a USB port cannot be used with the FRITZ!Box.
  • Apple iOS devices (iPhone, iPad) can only use printers that use Apple's AirPrint technology.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Configuring the FRITZ!Box

Enabling the FRITZ!Box's DHCP server

In the factory settings, the FRITZ!Box automatically assigns the correct IP settings to all devices via DHCP. If you disabled the FRITZ!Box's DHCP server, re-enable it:

  1. Click "Home Network" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Network" in the "Home Network" menu.
  3. Click on the "Network Settings" tab.
  4. Click "Additional Settings" in the section "LAN Settings" to display all of the settings.
  5. Click the "IPv4 Settings" button.
  6. Enable the DHCP server and define the range from which the FRITZ!Box assigns IP addresses.

    Note:The FRITZ!Box has the IP address 192.168.178.1 (subnet mask 255.255.255.0) and assigns IP addresses from xxx.20 to xxx.200 in the factory settings.

  7. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

Allowing wireless devices to communicate

The following step is only necessary if you want to connect the printer to the FRITZ!Box via Wi-Fi:

  1. Click "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Security" in the "Wi-Fi" ("Wireless") menu.
  3. Enable the option "Active wireless devices may communicate with each other" in the section "Additional Security Settings".
  4. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

2 Setting up the printer

Make sure that the printer obtains its IP settings from the FRITZ!Box:

  1. Configure the printer to automatically obtain IP settings via DHCP (this is the default setting for most printers). Refer to the manufacturer for information on how to set it up, for example consult the manual.

3 Connecting the printer to the home network

  1. Use either Wi-Fi or a network cable to connect the printer to the home network.

Now the printer is connected to the FRITZ!Box and can be used as a network printer in the entire home network.

Refer to the manufacturer for information on how to set up the printer on all of the devices, for example consult the manual.

4 Setting up the printer as a fax / telephone

If it is an all-in-one printer with an integrated fax machine or a telephone, perform the following steps:

  1. Connect the all-in-one printer to the analog extension on your FRITZ!Box.
  2. Configure the all-in-one printer as a fax machine in the FRITZ!Box. If the printer has an integrated telephone, configure it as a combined telephone/fax machine.
  3. If the manufacturer of the all-in-one printer provides software or an app for faxing, configure it according to the manufacturer's instructions.