Finally, an iOS 5 AirPrint Activator for Windows and Mac
The quick fix is the mobile printing software called FingerPrint from developer Collobos Software. Available for less than $10, you can have this software running on your PC in no time so that your non-AirPrint enabled wireless printer will once again show up over AirPrint. Here’s a quick look of the features of this AirPrint activator for iOS5 devices:
Works over Windows and Mac Operating Systems. FingerPrint is compatible with OS X 10.5 and 10.6 for Mac and Windows XP (SP3), Vista and 7 for Windows. It is also designed with an uncomplicated UI and runs discreetly on the background.
Operates on Bonjour technology. Bonjour is proprietary software from Apple that is designed to locate devices such as printers. With complementary software, you can be assured that your printer will show up among the printer selections when you tap print on your iOS 5 device.
Easy to install. You got that right! It won’t take that long to install FingerPrint on your PC or Mac. Plus, it comes with an installation wizard so you won’t have to bother much with getting it all set up. You won’t even have to jailbreak the iOS device to make this work.
All you need to do is to download and then install FingerPrint. Upon launch, select the wireless printers you want to AirPrint enable and these will show up when you select the printer on your iOS 5 device. It’s that simple! Start with the free trial to check if this would work with your wireless printer.
Perhaps the only drawback is that the FingerPrint is not a Windows service so that users need to manually start it during boot up. But then again, that is a small price to pay for using this sort of AirPrint activator for iOS5 versus buying an AirPrint enabled printer.
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“Perhaps the only drawback is that the FingerPrint is not a Windows service so that users need to manually start it during boot up.”
Just create a shortcut for the program in the Autostart folder of the Start menu and you’re set.
@Daniel,
Windows services don’t require a user to log into Windows to start. Autostart does require such a login, so this program wouldn’t start after, say, a power failure. I’m going to try SrvStart to install FingerPrint as a service.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_service
http://www.howtogeek.com/50786/using-srvstart-to-run-any-application-as-a-windows-service/
Don’t waste your money – it’s not even close to AirPrint. No printing from email or Safari – so it’s useless.
This IS AirPrint!!!!!
It enables the iOS print command to work with all printers!!!!
Pretty nice post. I hope you write again soon.
@Jeb,
Any luck with SrvStart?
I was able to make Airprint work with IOS 5 !!! Here is what you need to do :
First , if you had installed Airprint before and if the Airprint Service is still in your Service list ( you can check by running the command: services.msc ) you need to unregister it .
to do so type at the command Prompt ( Make sure your run the command line as an administrator ) :
sc.exe delete Airprint
Now we are going to re-register the Airprint service but with a slight different Command option:
At the command line type the following 2 commands:
sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
sc.exe start Airprint
at this point , you should now be able to see a list of your shared printers from your IOS 5 Device !
If you don’t see any lock icon next to your printer name, then you’re good to go !
If you see a lock icon next to the printer name, make sure you enable the guest account in windows
Once you enable the guest account , restart the Airprint service and Voila ! you now can print from your IOS 5 Device !
Want to thank Takelei for finding the solution to this issue !
Guimon
This worked, thanks!
This looks like the only fix on the Internet, but it isn’t working for me. When I type in the 2nd cmd of sc.exe start Airprint it results in “startservice failed 2: The system cannot find the file specified.”. I had success as a result on both deleting the AirPrint service in cmd initial input and re-registering with different input, but the last step has me held up… Any suggestions?
Are you on a 64-bit system? You might have put the file in the x86 folder so you’ll need to modify the command to this:
sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files (x86)\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
Hope that helps,
~DJ
There are a few possible issues (I ran into all three):
1. Make sure the path to airprint.exe is correct. If you’re running 32-bit Windows it will be in “C:\Program Files” and if you’re running 64-bit it will be in “C:\Program Files (x86)”.
2. Make sure the four double quotes are the kind you can type on the keyboard, and not the “fancy quotes” the web page is using. To fix, copy and paste into a text editor like Notepad and type over them.
3. If you get an error attempting to install the service, it may require a reboot after you run the delete command for it to actually be deleted before the create command will succeed.
Can you actually imagine, buying an ipad after using a computer, and then looking at this rubbish just to print
a damn letter. I think apple need a court appearance, this is selling an item not fit for purpose. Its like buying a car, it is a car, it looks like a car, and then you lift the bonnet and it has no engine, is it a car now , or just a damn iPad?
Yeah. I heard a lot of stories about iPad being very proprietary but this is ridiculous! One must have an AirPrint compatible printer to be able to print. I thought Apple is the paragon of plug-and-play.
Remember the days when they were bashing Microsoft…
I’m very disappointed.
Guimon, you are awesome! This fix totally worked for me, but I do want to mention an additional fix for those running 64-bit systems. The file should be in your Program Files (x86) folder, so modify the fix like so:
sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files (x86)\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
It still doesn’t work with the Mail and Safari apps, but just get a different browser and it works fine – like iCabMobile.
~DJ
Oh wait! Spoke too soon! It required a few restarts of both the computer, the printer, and the AirPrint service, but I now have the printer working even with the Mail and Safari apps. HURRAH!
Useful information. I am glad you shared this with us.
Thanks Guimon, great tip! It took me quite some google-efforts to find this post. But it solved my airprint woes with iOS 5.
I cant get it to work.. I’m getting Creative Service failed in cmd prompt… HELP!
Thanks! I now have my USB-connected Canon MX330 connected to my iOS 5.0.1 iPad!
Glad I could help.
Thanks for sharing this – works great.
@paul: check your path to Airprint.exe and insert right path. Maybe you find it in “c:\Program Files (x86)\…”. and delete/create service again
@bdup: run cmd with admin-rights (right click on cmd icon: run as administrator) and try all steps again.
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint
.exe -R_ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour @Service” start=auto
[SC] OpenSCManager FAILED 5:
Access is denied.
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe start Airprint
[SC] StartService: OpenService FAILED 1060:
The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
C:\Users\GAT>”C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s”
depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe start Airprint
[SC] StartService: OpenService FAILED 1060:
The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>
Guys,this command prompt did not work – this is what I get (below) Can you help further?
C:\Users\GAT> “C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s
” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
C:\Users\GAT>”C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s”
depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe start Airprint
[SC] StartService: OpenService FAILED 1060:
The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint
.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
[SC] OpenSCManager FAILED 5:
Access is denied.
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files\AirPrint\airprint
.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
[SC] OpenSCManager FAILED 5:
Access is denied.
C:\Users\GAT>
C:\Users\GAT>sc.exe start Airprint
[SC] StartService: OpenService FAILED 1060:
The specified service does not exist as an installed service.
C:\Users\GAT>
All fine until the last part, I get StartService FAILED 1053:
The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.
Please help?
I have this kind of problem. I can see my printers, but when I print to them, it does not print or even show up in printer que, I have rebooted all devices, started and stopped the service, tried with user and password, and with out, can someone please assist me?
Not sure why, but I had to change the SC CREATE step slightly to get it work on my Windows 7 PC. I had to use:
C:\Windows\system32\sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files (x86)\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto DisplayName= “Apple AirPrint for Windows”
…instead of…
sc.exe create AirPrint binPath= “C:\Program Files (x86)\AirPrint\airprint.exe -R _ipp._tcp,_universal -s” depend= “Bonjour Service” start= auto
Just created the service, and restarted the service, and voila! It works! My iPad2 and my iPhone 4S can both see my Canon MX882 through my PC again!
Thanks!
Guimon, you’re a genius for figuring this out!!
I agree! It works again – thanks so much!
I enabled the guest account and restarted the service and it still shows the locks next to the printers. What am I missing?
The Locks will be there, tap on the printer, it will ask for a username and password. Username: Guest and no password. You only have to do this the first time you print from this device.
I have the same issue as Dean. I can see my printer but with a lock next to it. restarted the service many times, enabled guest account on my win7 pc but no luck so far…
I am having the same problem. ERROR 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion. How can i resolve??
There’s an easier fix. Try this web site. It has a fix for IOS5 for both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows machines. Read the “readme” file for instructions. I struggled for a little with IOS5, after trying this everything worked perfectly.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1293865
Thanks Guimon, DJ & Ron for figuring this out & posting. You guys are awesome. Works like a charm now.
I wish I could write as well as you do in your blog.
Your webpage says “Start with the free trial to check if this would work with your wireless printer.” I could find no way to actually do this. The installation asks for money.
This is the right web site for anybody who would like to find out about this topic.
You know a whole lot its almost hard to argue with you (not
that I personally will need to…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic that
has been discussed for ages. Excellent stuff, just excellent!
Thanks. I appreciate it.