How to Hook Up a Dot Matrix Printer to an Apple Computer

by Dave Wilson
Confirming printer compatibility with your Apple computer ensures connectivity and minimizes issues.

Confirming printer compatibility with your Apple computer ensures connectivity and minimizes issues.

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Dot matrix printers are an older technology that still provides superior performance in the areas of maintenance requirements as well as print speed. If you use an Apple computer for point of sale transactions or printing large numbers of financial documents, a dot matrix printer is appropriate for the job. Connect a dot matrix printer to an Apple computer when you require low maintenance, high-speed printing.

Step 1

Open a web browser on your computer and connect to the "Included Printer Drivers and PostScript PPD Files" web page (see "Resources"). Locate the brand of dot matrix printer you have available in the list of printer manufacturers displayed in the web page. Click on the "Included drivers" link below the brand name, and confirm that the driver for your printer is listed on the web page that displays. If your printer is not listed, then obtain a dot matrix printer that is supported and proceed to the next step.

Step 2

Plug the printer USB cable into one of the USB ports on the Mac computer. Open a document and click the "File" menu, then click "Print." Click the "Printer" menu, click to select your printer if listed, then click "Print." If your printer is not listed, proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Click the "Printer" menu and choose "Add Printer" from the list displayed. Click the "Add" button in the window that opens. Scroll through the list of printers, and click on the name of your printer in the list. Click the "Add" button.

Step 4

Open a document, then click the "File" menu in the document window and choose "Print." Click the "Printer" menu. Click to select the printer just installed from the list of printers displayed. Click "Print" to test and confirm that the printer is working correctly.

About the Author

Dave Wilson has been writing technical articles since 1993, including manuals, instructional "how-to" tips and online publications with various websites. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles and has Microsoft, Cisco, and ISC2 (CISSP) technical certifications. He also has experience with a broad range of computer platforms, embedded systems, network appliances and Linux.

Photo Credits

  • Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images