The Dymo LabelWriter series consists of a line of dedicated labelers that, by convention, rely on direct thermal printing technology. Their default resolution is 300 dpi, so they produce crisp images that you can brandish on your Amazon FBA labels, barcode tags and shipping labels. They use only Dymo labels, which have unique markings needed for printer function.
In our article, The Best Dymo Label Printers for Small Businesses, we compared the most reliable units currently offered by the Dymo LabelWriter product line. This time, we show you how you can work these gadgets like a pro.
The Dymo LabelWriter units are direct thermal printers. Their heated print heads create images on heat-sensitive paper once they come in contact. Like other machines of their kind, they do not need ink, toner or ribbon to print.
Dymo labels are thermal tags specially created for the Dymo LabelWriter series. They have unique markings that allow the devices to detect their positions. Dymo printers will not function properly without these indicators, so they will not work using other kinds of thermal labels.
Most LabelWriter units have only one kind of thermal print head. However, one model, the LabelWriter Duo, has two different print head types. The top print head uses regular thermal labels, while the bottom one relies on tape labels. The tape print head also uses thermal technology but works with coated paper instead. Keep that in mind when you shop for Dymo labels.
How Do You Set Up a Dymo Label Printer?
Many LabelWriter users find their units to be easy to set up. Fresh-out-of-the-box Dymo printers have everything that a thermal printing neophyte needs to get started:
- The Dymo LabelWriter unit
- The power cord and adapter
- A USB cable
- A packet containing the corresponding software CD, quick start guide and warranty
- Some Dymo label rolls
By default, Dymo label printers connect to computers by USB cable, even the wireless-capable LabelWriter Wireless. Without special interfacing software or hardware, the printers in this product line are compatible only with Windows and Mac.
Here’s how to get set up and start using a Dymo label printer:
- Use the USB cable to hook the printer to your computer.
- Turn the gadget on.
- Insert the software CD and follow the prompts. The CD contains the printer’s driver and the Dymo Label™ software. You need both to print professional-looking Dymo labels.
- Put in a label roll with the facestock facing down. This lets you position the Dymo labels’ special markings properly.
- Feed a label into the unit’s print head and guide.
- Calibrate the device according to your label size.
If you bought a Dymo printer without its software CD, you can visit the company’s website and download the latest version from there. Basically, this is what you do:
- Go to the Dymo website.
- At the top panel, click “Label Markers & Printers.”
- A drop-down menu will appear, asking you what category your printer belongs to. You may click “View All” if you’re not sure.
- Find your unit among the choices and click it.
- Next, you will see the page featuring your unit. Click “Support” on the right side of the screen.
- A list of OS-specific applications and manuals will appear. Choose the items compatible with your PC.
These steps allow you to use the most basic features of a Dymo label printer, which are enough for many small businesses. However, you can enhance your unit’s potential with some creative tech adjustments.
How Can You Make Your Dymo Printer Wireless?
Most Dymo label printers cannot print wirelessly unless you use hardware and software that will enable them. Remote printing can become an asset when you’re growing your business.
Learn More:
- See all direct thermal labels in our store.
- Buy Cheap Dymo Shipping Labels at enKo Products!
- View all available sizes for fanfold labels in our store.
We already discussed the subject of making Dymo printers wireless in the article “5 Amazing Hacks to Get Your Rollo and Dymo 4XL to Print Wirelessly.” Those methods work for most USB printers, even inkjet, laser and thermal transfer printers. Here, we highlight the most important steps you can take to make your Dymo device wireless.
1.
Share Your Dymo Printer over a Wireless Network
The first and simplest thing you can do to make your Dymo printer wireless is to share it on your Wi-Fi network. Before you try this, you must designate a “central computer” with which the printer and other users will interface. Also, you must already have the Dymo Label™ software installed and make sure that your entire system is powered up.
(a) If your central computer uses Windows XP:
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- Go to “Start” and click “Printers and Faxes.”
- Right-click on the Dymo printer you want to share and click “Sharing.”
- When the Dymo LabelWriter Properties dialog box appears, find the “Sharing” tab” and click “Share this printer.” You may change the name of your Dymo unit under “Share name” before clicking this button.
- Click “OK.”
(b) If your central computer uses Windows Vista:
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- Go to “Start,” click “Control Panel,” then double-click “Printers.”
- In the next window, right-click on your Dymo printer and choose “Sharing.”
- The Dymo LabelWriter Properties dialog box will appear. Click the “Sharing” tab.
- You may change your printer’s name in the “Share name” box of the “Sharing” tab.
- Click “Share this printer.”
- Click “OK.”
(c) If your central computer uses Windows 7:
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- Click “Start” then “Devices and Printers.”
- Find your Dymo printer in the next window, right-click, then choose “Printer properties.”
- The Dymo LabelWriter Properties dialog box will pop up. Find the “Sharing” tab and click it.
- While you’re in the “Sharing” tab, you may change your gadget’s name under “Share name.”
- Click “Share this printer” then “OK.”
(d) If your central computer is a Mac:
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- Go to the Apple menu and click “System Preferences.”
- Double-click “Print & Fax.”
- Find your Dymo label printer, then click “Sharing.”
- In the “Sharing” panel, click “Share these printers with other computers.”
- Close the dialog box.
Once you have shared your Dymo printer, other users can add it to their hardware so they can start printing:
If they use a Windows PC:
-
- Go to “Start,” and click “Settings,” then “Devices,” then “Printers and Scanners.”
- A dialog box will open. Look for “Add printers and scanners,” then choose “Add a printer or scanner.”
- Next, find the shared Dymo label printer and click “Add Device.”
If they use a Mac:
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- Install the Dymo Label™ app.
- When you see the Finder, click “Applications,” then “Utilities,” then “Printer Setup Utility.”
- In the Printer List dialog box, click “Add.” This will display the Printer Browser menu.
- Find the Dymo label printer you want to share, then click “Add.”
- Close the dialog box.
If you’re using a Dymo LabelWriter Duo, you must do these steps for both of its print heads. You can click them both if they appear together on the same menu.
The upside to this method is that it is simple and does not require extra hardware or software. However, the main downside is that your central PC needs to be turned on always. This method may not work for all computers, but turning the Sharing function on is usually the first step in making your Dymo label printer wireless.
2.
Use a Dymo LabelWriter Print Server™
Dymo has developed its own brand of print servers to allow remote printing using its USB units. A print server is a piece of hardware that connects your Dymo printer to a wired or wireless computer network. It takes the place of the central PC in the simple printer-sharing method.
The Dymo LabelWriter Print Server™ is compatible with Windows and Mac. Here are the steps in connecting it to your Dymo label printer:
- Use the USB cable to connect the print server and the printer.
- Hook up the print server to your network.
- Power up the printer and print server.
- Install the print server on your network. The Dymo LabelWriter Print Server™ software CD comes with the unit.
- Print a test page from the computer you just used to install the print server. This confirms that the new hardware has been successfully installed.
- Other computers in the network can now find your Dymo printer.
The main advantage of using the Dymo LabelWriter Print Server™ is that it can connect both printers of the LabelWriter Duo to a network. Many other print servers do not support the tape print head. The prices of Dymo print servers start at $130.
3.
Get a Third-Party Wireless Print Server Adapter
Third-party wireless print server adapters are similar to the Dymo LabelWriter Print Server™. Not all may work with the LabelWriter Duo tape printer. However, with the right gadget, you can use your Dymo printer to print wirelessly, even on computers that use neither Windows nor Mac. Prices start at $60 for these devices. The installation procedures differ for every model.
4.
If You Still Got Your Old Apple AirPort, Use It
AirPort devices are Apple’s brand of routers. They work on both Windows and Mac PCs. Making your Dymo label printer wireless using an AirPort Base Station is easy, and we have also explained it in our previous article. The main disadvantage of using these gadgets is that Apple already stopped manufacturing them. It may not take long before these routers and their apps become obsolete.
5.
If You Know How to Maneuver a Raspberry Pi, Do It
Raspberry Pis are mini-computers that you can program to do a wide variety of tasks. One of them is converting a USB Dymo label printer into a wireless gadget. However, this is easier said than done unless you are already familiar with these gizmos or know someone who does. Raspberry Pis are popular in the UK, where they are used in beginners’ programming classes, but not in the US.
Raspberry Pi prices start at $35 when you get the 1-GB unit. However, the 4-GB variant, which costs $55, can get your Dymo printer to work faster.
6.
Pay for a Cloud Printing Service
Another way for you to print wirelessly using your USB Dymo printer is by signing up for a cloud printing service. Their apps let you save labels onsite and print them on any printer connected online. Google is the first to offer this service through Google Cloud Print, which was free. However, the website is now defunct and has been replaced by pricey alternatives.
7.
Try the Dymo LabelWriter Wireless
If you want to avoid the humps and just print wirelessly using a Dymo, get the LabelWriter Wireless. Just like other Dymo printers, this unit is compatible only with Mac and Windows. However, with a little fine-tuning here and there, you can also get it to interface with other operating systems.
You have two ways of connecting it to your wireless network.
(i) Through the Wireless Protected Setup (WPS) button.
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- Find the WPS button at the back of your printer and press it. This will make its wireless status light blink.
- Find the WPS button on your router and press it. You have only two minutes to do this.
- A successful connection will make the blinking stop and keep the wireless status light continuously lit.
(ii) Through the Quick Setup wizard in the LabelWriter Web Configuration utility.
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- Connect your Dymo printer to your PC and turn it on.
- Find the SSID at the bottom of your unit. It shows the name of your printer’s wireless network name. Connect to this wireless network.
- Open a web browser and enter the URL: http://192.168.58.1. This will take you to the Web Configuration utility login page.
- Log in using the following default credentials:
- Username: admin
- Password: admin
- Follow the prompts.
- You will be asked to change your printer’s name. You may keep or change the original.
- When you’re asked for the connection method, choose DHCP.
- In the next window, find your wireless network and click the “Connect” button next to it.
- The wireless status light on the side of your Dymo printer will turn on without blinking.
- Your printer will be assigned its own IP address during setup. Take note of it as it will help you access the Web Configuration utility easily when you need to. You may use it to get a PIN for PIN-requiring wireless networks.
The main disadvantage of using the Dymo LabelWriter Wireless is that you cannot use it entirely as a portable printer. It does not have a battery, so you still have to connect it to an external power source.
All these options let you print remotely from another PC, a setup that usually suffices for small businesses.
How Do You Connect Your Phone to Your Dymo Printer?
You can take remote printing a notch higher by connecting your printer’s network to your mobile gadget. You can start with any of the hacks that we just talked about in the previous section. Android devices will connect automatically. However, iOS gadgets need AirPrint-activating software like Printopia installed on your PC.
On the other hand, if you have the LabelWriter Wireless, all you need to do after the printer setup is download the Dymo Connect app on your mobile device. This software is compatible with iOS and Android devices. Aside from its convenience, users also love its added spellcheck function.
Shop for Dymo Compatible Labels and Start Printing Using Your Phone.
How Do You Load Labels into a Dymo Printer?
Loading your Dymo printer properly helps you avoid problems. Before loading your unit, make sure that you have the right labels. Dymo labels have unique markings that you can find on the liner placed between the labels. Also, make sure they have the right size. Check your unit’s maximum printing width on the manual. Your Dymo label’s width must not exceed this value.
Here are the steps in loading a new Dymo label printer:
- Plug the device.
- Eject the protective labels in the print head by pressing the form-feed button.
- Lift the top cover and remove the packing material inside your unit.
- Check the label spool under the cover. Remove the spindle inside.
- Place a label roll on the spindle in such a way that the labels are fed into the print head face-down.
- Attach the spindle and label roll to the spool guide. Make sure that the roll fits snugly inside the spool.
- Insert the spool into its slot underneath the printer cover.
- Align the first label’s left edge with the left edge of the label feed slot. Insert the first label into the slot. Once the printer senses the label, it feeds automatically. If it does not, push the first label further into the label feed slot and press the form-feed button. You may press this button again until you get to the beginning of a full label.
- Secure the label roll on its right side by sliding the right label guide toward it.
- Lower the printer’s top cover.
- If you have the LabelWriter Twin Turbo unit, keep in mind that both label rolls are loaded the same way.
- If you have the LabelWriter Duo, the tape printer at the bottom is loaded separately. Instead of bare labels, it needs a label cassette. Make sure that the ribbon and label are taut. Rewind the spool clockwise if you need to. Open the front of your unit and insert the cassette securely in its slot. You will hear a click when it is properly positioned. Close the label cassette tray by pressing the button in front of the printer.
You may check our Dymo LabelWriter 450 troubleshooting guide if you have problems printing on your Dymo labels. The suggestions in the guide apply to most Dymo label printers.
How Do You Make Multiple Labels Using a Dymo LabelWriter?
The Dymo Label™ software has several automation functions that you can use to print multiple labels. The details are in the Dymo Label™ user guide, although we explain the basics here.
1
Print Multiple Copies
After creating your label, enter a value from 1 to 999 in the “Print copies” box at the bottom of your screen. Click the big “Print” button at the bottom to your right.
2
Create Multiple Labels from the Address Book
- Create a new label or choose a saved file.
- From the “Address Book” tab, tick the addresses you want to print. The edit area will display the last entry you pick.
- Click “Print all addresses selected in the address book.”
- Type the number of copies you want to make for each address in the “Print copies” box below the screen.
- Click the “Print” button.
3
Use Smart Paste
The Smart Paste function uses the label layout displayed on the edit area. There are two basic approaches:
- You may use the clipboard feature. Highlight the text you want to print, right-click, then choose “Copy.” From the “Edit” menu, click “Smart Paste from Clipboard.” Enter the number of labels you want in the next menu. Click “OK” then “Print.”
- You may also use Smart Paste to import a file. From the “Edit” menu, click “Smart Paste from File. A dialog box will appear. Open the file that has the data you want to print. Click “OK” then “Print.
4
Use the Merge Print Feature
Through this option, you can print multiple labels from databases. However, it only works on Windows PCs.
- Create your label design or choose from a saved file.
- From the “File” menu, click “Merge Print from Database.”
- Follow the prompts and choose the data source for your labels.
- Click “Close” when you finish.
You can make your labeling tasks efficient by doing the automation steps above.
A Final Word on Working a Dymo LabelWriter
Dymo label printers are direct thermal printers using uniquely marked Dymo labels. They connect to your computer by a USB cable by default, but there are ways to make them print wirelessly.
You can share your Dymo printer on your wireless network or use extra hardware like print servers, routers and Raspberry Pis. You may also try the easy but pricey alternatives—subscribing to a cloud print server or buying a LabelWriter Wireless unit. Remote printing capability is an asset to expanding businesses.
Learning how to load labels properly into your Dymo printer helps you prevent problems. The steps are similar for all units. Just remember that when loading labels or getting your unit to go wireless, note the distinct features of your device. Units like the Twin Turbo, Duo, and LabelWriter Wireless have extra functions not found in other models in this product line.
Lastly, you can activate the different automation functions of these printers using the Dymo Label™ software. You can do this by using the “Print copies” box and the features Address Book, Smart Paste and Merge Print. Automation makes your labeling tasks more efficient.
Melodie
