Sharing a Printer
"I have two computers but only one printer. I understand there is a way to share the printer so both can print to it. Can you tell me how to do that?"
Shared Printers - Switches
Yes, sharing a printer if you have multiple computers is a good idea. And you don't have to be a computer guru to make it happen. If your computers are not already networked, the simplest solution is a switch.
First determine if your printer is connected with a USB cable or a parallel port cable (see diagram). Then purchase either a USB switch or a parallel port switching device. They're not expensive, shop around and you'll find them for under $20 (USD). The USB models are typically automatic switches, but you can get an automatic parallel switch as well, for a bit more money.
To share the printer, just plug the cables from both computers into the switch, then connect the switch to the printer. (You may need additional printer cables too.) Make sure the software that came with your printer is installed on both computers, and it should work great. If you have a manual switch, you'll have to remember to flip it to the computer that wants to print.
A switch doesn't care if you're running Windows, Mac or Linux. If your computer can print to the desired printer without a switch, it should work just fine through the switch.
Shared Printers - Networks
If you already have your computers networked, sharing a printer is easy. (If you're interested in setting up a home network, see my illustrated Home Networking tutorial.)
Here are the instructions for sharing a printer on a Windows XP network. Start at the computer that already has the printer installed. Go into the Printers section of the Control Panel, right-click the icon for the printer that needs to be shared, and choose Sharing from the resulting menu. By assigning a name to the shared printer, you allow other computers on the network to easily identify it.
As with a switch, you must install the printer software on both computers. It's a little easier with a network, because you can install the software right over the network. Go to the other computer that needs access to the printer, then in the Printers section of the Control Panel, select "Add a Printer". The Add Printer Wizard will step you through the process of installing the printer software on the second computer.
Your Firewall May Cause Problems
If you have a software-based firewall, it may interfere with printer sharing. I recommend you read Do I Need a Firewall? for some advice on whether or not you should use firewall software. (Hint: Most users DO NOT need it.) If you must have a software firewall, and it seems to be preventing printer and/or file sharing, you'll have to poke around in the options to find the setting to allow sharing.
Got questions or comments about printer sharing? Post them below...
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Posted by Bob Rankin on March 14, 2006 04:15 AM
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- Sharing a Printer (Posted: March 14, 2006 04:15 AM)
Source: http://askbobrankin.com/sharing_a_printer.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved
Most recent comments on "Sharing a Printer"
(See all 23 comments for this article.)Posted by:
BILL
01 Jan 2009
I have 3 users on my comouter with myself being the host.
I have screen saver listed but the other users do not, how can I place a screen saver on their side??
EDITOR'S NOTE: You don't say what operating system you're using, or if the users are local or remote...
Posted by:
Jeanette
14 Jan 2009
Bob,
I have a 4 year old destop running Windows XP and a new laptop running Vista they are connected to the internet via a router that's wired to the desktop and wireless to the laptop. they are networked and that works fine. The problem is I have an HP deskjet all-in-one printer-copier-scanner that is wired to the desktop and I want to be able to print from the laptop through the network. I went throught all the steps I found in your article "Sharing Files and Printers" plus a set of instructions I found on another site, but I still can't print from the laptop, unless I plug the printer's cable into a USB port on the laptop. I didn't want to tie up a USB port by wiring the printer to the laptop plus then I can't print from the desktop.
The step that didn't work was when I tried to add the printer to the network. On the laptop I clicked on the network, then add printers and went throught the steps but still can't print from the laptop. Please advise me what to do.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Does your All-in-One have the ability to connect to the router via wireless? My HP L7780 does that. If not, it could be a Vista driver issue. Maybe HP has an updated driver on their site.
Posted by:
Syd
17 Jan 2009
Hi Bob, Thanks for the info. I have a Windows XP machine and a Mac OS X (10.4) machine connected to an HP LaserJet 3550. I can connect to the printer with the Mac via printer sharing, but the output is garbage. If I connect directly to the printer with the Mac everything is fine. Am I missing something important here?
EDITOR'S NOTE: I assume the printer is connected to the Windows machine, and you're trying to print from the Mac via the network? Maybe the Bonjour software will help.
Posted by:
Vir
10 Feb 2009
I have a Samsung laser printer ML2150 plug into a desktop w/ Windows XP. My other 2 computers another desktop and a laptop w/ XP are able to print thru my home network but my 2 Vista laptops and a Vista Desktop cannot. All computers have the same workgroup. Is there anything I missed to do?
EDITOR'S NOTE: I hear this a lot, and my usual suggestion is to try it with the firewall(s) turned off.
Posted by:
ritchie
16 Mar 2009
hey bob, i have a problem, i set up a LAN in our school but one of the computer cant be networked, is there a set up for the BIOS?
EDITOR'S NOTE: Need more info on what you mean by "can't be networked"... Did you check the workgroup name? They must all be the same.
Posted by:
Les Huber
22 Mar 2009
Hi Bob, I followed your instuctions, very easy even for a 'dummy' like me to follow, but I must
have something wrong. Could it be that I'm running
Vista on my DeskTop? That's the PC with the printer LexMark X3350)?
Thanks...Les
Posted by:
Patrick
07 May 2009
hey bob i have a problem with my epson lx-300 office network printer. ive already check it to the main computer which is the main user of the printer.. then ive got a laptop Asus eec my other local administrator accounts can easily print through the network printer... but when i already use the other account connected to the main group i have to set up adding printer time and time again and it frustrates me... when i shutdown the computer and turn it on the other day.. ive have to add that network printer again in my laptop. please help me im getting piss off with this network printer..
Posted by:
Oren
24 Sep 2009
In the office my laptop (running windows XP) is set to the office network. I want to use my laptop at home to access a printer on one of the PCs at my home WIRELESS network. My problem is that I need to change the WORKGROUP to that of my home network. Is there anyway I can access this printer or any shared files for that matter on the home network without changing my office workgroup? Thanks so much, Oren
EDITOR'S NOTE: Why not change the workgroup of your home computers to match the work name? It's just an arbitrary name...
Posted by:
Dwaine
31 Oct 2009
Hey Bob,
For network shared printer, does someone has to be logged into the host computer with the printer first before it can be printed to it by another computer over the network or the host computer just needs to be turned on without someone logged into it?
Posted by:
John Harding
24 Nov 2009
Hi Bob,
My host computer refuses to print from wireless lap top. I've gone through all the printer sharing
and add printer palava but all I get is the file
name appearing in the print queue on the
host computer, but no action from the printer.
Any ideas will be most welcome.
Regards, John