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Sorry for the question but I know there are some smart computer people on this forum, and that's something I ain't. I've researched this a bit but mostly I've just given myself a headache. I figured that surely there is someone who can dumb it down enough for me to understand it. Anyway...

I bought a cheap airprint-enabled printer today (Epson XP-400) to use for printing from my iPhone and iPad. The problem is that most of my printing will be done away from my wifi network. I work with our radio crew at football and basketball games and need a better way to get statistical summaries to them after each quarter . . . a better way than passing my iPad around between us.

Because I tend to not think things through, it never dawned on me that I would need a network for the printer and iPad to communicate. I assumed the iPad could print directly to the printer. As I was walking out of Best Buy it occurred to me that I would probably need a network.

So. The question is what is the best way to go about this? I had hoped I could use my iPhone as an access point but if that's possible either natively or through an app I'm having no luck discovering the solution. Is there a way to set up an ad hoc network between the iPad and printer or am I going to need to purchase a wireless router to carry with me? If the latter is the case, will just any cheap router do the trick?

I use Cloud Print, but that is a Google android app.  Know next to nothing about Apple products or apps, but I feel sure there is something directly comparable. 

The Epson iPrint App works wirelessly via Epson Connect on the XP-400.  I don't have an Epson and can't vouch for its value, but it's available for iPhone 3/3GS/4/4S (dunno about 5), iPad & the iPod Touch.

The  PrintCentral Pro iTunes Preview page is listed at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epson-iprint/id326876192?mt=8 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/epson-iprint/id326876192?mt=8)

The PrintCentral Pro page is listed at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/printcentral-pro/id426362921?mt=8 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/printcentral-pro/id426362921?mt=8)

The Epson Connect page is listed at http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/EpsonConnect/iOSPrinting.do?BV_UseBVCookie=yes (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/EpsonConnect/iOSPrinting.do?BV_UseBVCookie=yes)

The XP-400 compatibility is listed at http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supAdvice.jsp?type=highlights&noteoid=196563 (http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supAdvice.jsp?type=highlights&noteoid=196563)

Good luck & YMMV