Customer Reviews

Canon BU-10 Bluetooth Adapter for i80 Printer

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The Canon i80, Pixma iP90, and now (despite its cost) the new Pixma iP90v series of mobile high-quality fast inkjet (color photo) printers are an excellent investment for travelers (we paid US$230 in all in June 07, including S&H, on eBay for a practically new iP90v with 28 months left on an extended warranty from Best Buy). Though offering plug-and-play use with a USB connection, the optional and rather expensive Canon BU-10 Bluetooth adapter is a better solution, especially if the printer is going to be shared among several computers (we paid $67.30 in all for a brand new but open-box item online). The following blog describes how I resolved problems with installing the BU-10 on (our 2) Vista (laptops).



The instructions below apply primarily to the new Vista-compatible Pixma iP90v, but should be mostly applicable also to the earlier Pixma iP90, for which you can download the Vista drivers from the Canon site. The iP90v is essentially the same internally as the iP90 and will show up in your Printers panel and in other Vista (driver, etc.) notifications simply as the iP90. What follows may apply at least in part for other Canon printers, like the i80, which are now certified Vista-compatible, and on Windows XP SP 2.

Physically installing the BU-10 adapter into the printer:

* Illustrated steps online at Canon for installing BU-10 along with its 'cover' on the i80 Bubble Jet

* Procedure is similar for the Pixma iP90v but attaching the small 'cover' is superfluous for this model


How to install the Pixma iP90v on your computer for Bluetooth (wireless) printing (see also):

1) Install the printer first using the wired USB connection and ensure that it's printing correctly.

2) Disconnect the USB cord and ensure that your Bluetooth radio (built-in or added USB transceiver) is on.

3) Click on Printers in the Control Panel, then click "Add a printer" on the menu at the top

4) Click on "Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer" in the "Add Printer" dialog box.

5) If the Canon printer does not show up, click on "Stop" then on "The printer that I want is not listed"

6) Choose "Add a Bluetooth printer" (the option button at the bottom) and click on Next

7) Select the Canon printer when it shows up in the Search window (might have to retry a couple of times)

8) When you complete the steps, the printer is installed (2 items are added by the installation routine)


What you should not do and why:

Do not use the Bluetooth Devices panel in the Control Panel to add the printer (as you would have done for other devices such as phones, PDAs, headsets, GPS, etc.). If you do so , Vista will create a (superfluous) COM port for the printer, add a number of other items in its installation routine, and--worst of all--search in vain everywhere (including through Windows Update) for a (missing driver for a) Bluetooth Peripheral Device. This is a specifically Vista (as opposed to Windows XP) issue that has been reported in the forums by others using a variety of other (than printer) Bluetooth-enabled devices.

This error will not stop you from printing wirelessly to the printer. But you'll then be bothered, each time you restart the computer or log back in, by a Vista notification to search again for this device, ask you again later, or not to show this message again for this device ("your device will not function until you install driver software"). Moreover, if you are using a (Microsoft Wireless) transceiver (for Bluetooth) to provide such functionality on your computer, Vista will create a new instance of the Bluetooth printer in your Printers panel and increment its assigned COM port number by 1. The existing Bluetooth entry will be retained but labeled as being offline (obliging you to delete the latter). This behavior has been reproduced and confirmed by Canon support with whom I've been cooperating via email from 11-15 June to troubleshoot and resolve the iP90v Bluetooth installation routine on Vista.

Using the Add Printer routine, on the other hand, does not a create a COM port entry for the printer. Moreover, the installation routine only adds 2 items: 1) ??? and 2) iP90 printer driver. So you'll not be repeatedly bothered by the Bluetooth Peripheral Device notification described above. Nor by the creation of additional COM ports and printer instances each time you reinsert the USB transceiver.

I've advised Canon support to provide clear instructions, including the pertinent details from above, for installing the BU-10 Bluetooth adapter both physically on the printer (not all obvious...) and also by way of configuring the Vista computer to recognize it correctly. There is nothing in the computer manual nor in the boxed BU-10 package (which included a superfluous USB cable but not even a quick-start sheet of paper). Neither do they seem available online on the relevant product pages at the Canon site. However, Canon's email support has stuck with me patiently all the way through the troubleshooting procedures.

The Pixma iP90/90v seems to pack a lot of punch into a highly compact portable format. If you're frequently on the road, it's an investment you probably won't regret.

svAbhinava

PS. I have a more complete version, with useful hyperlinks, at my computer blog. The best way to find it is to search for "Sunthar Visuvalingam - Pixma iP90/90v Bluetooth printer on Vista" on Google (as Amazon doesn't allow hyperlinks in reviews).

This thing works like a charm. I place it in a central room and our three MAC laptops are able to share it from three separate locations. Instant plug-and-play Networking. It took me awhile to figure out where to plug the adapter into my i90 printer (the directions are not helpful - Canon's website eventually helped me). You plug the adapter into the FRONT of the printer, sideways, to the left of the slot where the paper exits the printer.

The wireless board fits right inside the unit, so that is nice. Takes a little to work thru the initial setup using the Canon setup utility, but once you have it paired, it works like a charm.
I agree with other comments that this should be standard in the 90, but as it is not, nice option to add.

Works well, no problem with my new canon ip90. Easy to install.

Bought the printer at Best Buy and they didn't have this adapter. They also tried to convince my any other bluetooth adapter would work. Fortunately I didn't listen to them. Ignorant sales people. This adapter is expensive, so is the printer, but it works perfectly. It also slips into a discrete connector near the front of the unit. It does not stick out of a side or other area. Seemlessly integrated. It also works from over 300 feet away from my Mac Pro workstation. Print times are fast as well. The only interference has been when my dehumidifier has been between the two. No clue why. Expensive but worth it.

This device works as expected. I think Canon should have included bluetooth with the iP90v printer that I bought, but hey, they've got to make money too.

Just like other reviewers have stated, there is no documentation on how to insert it into the printer. I had to do research on Canon's site to find out how. But basically it goes inside a slot inside the front, left side of the printer (if the printer is facing you). You might need to open the top cover of the printer to ensure it's properly inserted.

Good luck!

For this type of item, you'd think this would be a standard component. Works great though. Recommended for the road.

The Canon IP90v is a great little printer - perfect for what I bought it for, printing small volumes of documents in a hotel room or other off-site location. The BU-10 attachment makes a great printer even better. It's wonderful to be able to stick this printer anywhere and print wirelessly. It is extremely convenient. Expensive but worth the cost, in my opinion.

I bought the adapter to use on my new I90V. It works very well and it is one less cable I have to hook up. I really like being able to put the printer out of the way and not have it in my work area.

This adapter was easy to set up and worked well in initial trials. With battery power and Canon BU-10 Bluetooth Adapter for i80 Printer, this printer is completely cordless. Just turn it on and send it a print job!