How to Turn an HP LaserJet 1320 into an AirPrint Alternative for Mobile

Introduced in 2004, the HP LaserJet 1320 is regarded by system administrators, small business owners, and tech enthusiasts as one of the sturdiest monochrome laser printers in computing history. With heavy-duty internal steel gears, an integrated automatic hardware duplexer, and support for high-capacity HP Q5949A (49A) and Q5949X (49X) toner cartridges yielding up to 6,000 pages, the 1320 frequently cruises past 250,000 pages without breaking a sweat.

Yet in a world dominated by iPhones, iPads, and Android smartphones, the 1320 shows its age in one critical area: mobile connectivity.

Most units in circulation are either the base USB-only model or the 1320n with an ancient 10/100 Jetdirect print server that does not support modern mDNS discovery, Apple AirPrint, or Mopria mobile protocols. Furthermore, the official HP Smart mobile app will never support these legacy machines.

With Printman, you can transform your HP LaserJet 1320 into a fast, wireless AirPrint alternative powered by your Windows 10 or 11 PC—complete with seamless mobile access to the printer’s legendary automatic double-sided hardware duplexer.

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The Driver Advantage: Native PCL Engine Meets Windows Spooler

Unlike cheaper consumer printers that rely on host-based rasterization (where the PC does all the heavy image rendering), the HP LaserJet 1320 is built on an enterprise-grade PCL5e / PCL6 hardware engine:

1. Hardware Page Description: The 1320 has its own Motorola ColdFire processor and on-board memory to process page layout vectors, fonts, and halftones directly.
2. Modern Windows 10 & 11 Compatibility: While HP no longer provides model-specific installers for Windows 11, the HP Universal Print Driver (UPD) PCL6 or the built-in Microsoft Class Driver recognizes the 1320 immediately over USB or local Ethernet.
3. Full Duplex Hardware Recognition: When configured under Windows, the print spooler exposes the internal mechanical duplexer via standard DEVMODE hardware flags.

Printman queries these exact hardware flags through the Windows winspool.drv API. When you open Printman on your mobile browser, it automatically presents a Double-Sided (Duplex) toggle that triggers the 1320’s mechanical paper-reversing rollers automatically.

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Comparing Mobile Printing Methods for the HP 1320

Feature	Legacy Jetdirect / Mobile Apps	Raspberry Pi + CUPS	Printman Windows LAN Bridge
AirPrint Compatibility	Not supported on vintage Jetdirect	Requires Avahi + complex PPD setup	Universal browser interface (zero app install)
Automatic Duplexing	Unreliable or manual	Requires PPD customization	Automatic duplexing detected via driver
Modern Network Security	Outdated TLS/SSL on old Jetdirect	Linux admin overhead	Secure LAN isolation with optional PIN
Cost	$60+ for third-party AirPrint dongles	$50–$80 for Pi hardware	Free / Open Source (uses existing PC)
Setup Time	Incompatible	45+ minutes	Under 2 minutes

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Step 1: Set Up the HP 1320 on Windows 10 or 11

To ensure your Windows PC can communicate with the HP 1320 and engage the duplex unit:

1. Connect your HP 1320 to your Windows PC with a high-speed USB 2.0 cable (or connect via Ethernet if you have the 1320n).
2. Power on the printer.
3. Open Windows Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
4. If Windows does not automatically install the driver:
   • Download the HP Universal Print Driver for Windows PCL6 (64-bit).
   • Run the installer in Traditional Mode and select your USB port (typically DOT4_001 or USB001).
5. Verify duplexing capability:
   • In Windows Settings, click HP LaserJet 1320 > Printer properties.
   • Go to the Device Settings tab.
   • Under Installable Options, verify that Duplex Unit (for 2-sided printing) is set to Installed.
6. Print a test page from Windows to confirm the connection is active.

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Step 2: Download and Launch Printman

Printman is a zero-dependency, single-file Windows executable designed to serve as an instant, lightweight mobile printing hub.

1. Download printman-win-x64-standalone.zip from the Printman GitHub Releases.
2. Extract printman.exe into a folder of your choice (e.g., C:\Tools\Printman).
3. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt in that directory and run:

./printman.exe serve --no-auth

Security Tip: For shared apartments or open offices, omit --no-auth. Printman will generate an ephemeral 6-digit PIN so only users who enter the PIN on their phones can spool jobs to your printer.

Printman initializes its embedded Kestrel LAN engine and displays the network URL:

  ==============================================================
    PRINTMAN SERVER - EMBEDDED KESTREL LAN ENGINE
  ==============================================================

  [WEB SERVER RUNNING]  Port: 5000
  [SECURITY] Open Access (No PIN required)

  Access from this machine or your phone on the same Wi-Fi:
    Local:    http://localhost:5000/
    Network:  http://192.168.1.142:5000/

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Step 3: Print Wirelessly from iPhone, iPad, or Android

1. Make sure your smartphone or tablet is connected to the same local Wi-Fi network as your Windows PC.
2. Open Safari (iOS/iPadOS) or Chrome (Android) and navigate to the network address shown in your console (e.g., http://192.168.1.142:5000).
3. The responsive Printman dashboard opens immediately—no app store downloads or account creation required.

Submitting a Print Job with Duplexing:

1. Tap Select Documents and pick your file (PDF document, lecture notes, contract, or image).
2. Select HP LaserJet 1320 series from the printer list.
3. Configure your preferences:
   • Duplex: Tap to toggle Double-sided (Long Edge) or Double-sided (Short Edge). Printman automatically passes this instruction to the 1320 hardware duplexer.
   • Paper Size: Select Letter or A4.
   • Copies: Specify your needed copies.
4. Tap Print.

Printman rasterizes vector pages using native Windows WinRT rendering and spools the job straight to winspool.drv. The HP 1320 will pull the page, print side one, mechanically reverse the sheet inside its lower duplex tray, print side two, and eject the finished document.

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Pro Tip: Always-On Background Server

To keep your HP LaserJet 1320 ready for wireless mobile printing 24/7 without keeping a terminal window open:

1. Press Win + R, type shell:startup, and press Enter.
2. In the Startup directory, right-click and choose New > Shortcut.
3. Set the target path to:

   "C:\Tools\Printman\printman.exe" serve --no-auth

4. Name it Printman Background Host and click Finish.

Now, whenever your Windows PC boots, Printman silently handles mobile print requests in the background.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does automatic double-sided (duplex) printing work directly from my phone?

Yes! The HP LaserJet 1320 is equipped with a mechanical hardware duplexer. Because Printman communicates directly with the Windows printer driver’s DEVMODE structure, selecting Double-Sided in Printman’s mobile UI commands the physical duplex rollers to suck the page back in and print on both sides automatically.

What is the difference between HP LaserJet 1320, 1320d, and 1320n?

All models in the 1320 family share the exact same print engine and 22-page-per-minute speed. The d suffix indicates an integrated hardware duplexer (standard on almost all 1320 base units sold in North America and Europe), while the n suffix adds an internal 10/100 Jetdirect Ethernet port. Printman works seamlessly with all models, whether connected via USB or Ethernet.

Which Windows driver should I use for the HP 1320 on Windows 10 or Windows 11?

The recommended driver is the HP Universal Print Driver (UPD) PCL6 for 64-bit Windows. If you experience any font-substitution quirks with legacy PDF files, the HP Universal Print Driver PCL5 is also fully compatible and produces identical high-speed output.

Can I print from an iPad, iPhone, and Android without installing any app?

Yes. Printman requires zero mobile apps, zero configuration profiles, and zero cloud accounts. It works directly inside modern mobile browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge) using HTML5, WebSockets/SSE, and standard file upload controls.