Sharing a printer used to be very difficult, especially if each computer used a different operating system. However, advances in technology have now made it easier for you to share your printer, especially if you are using Windows 7, 8, or Mac OS X. To learn how to share a printer on a network, and how to connect other computers to the shared printer, read step 1 below.
Step
Method 1 of 5: Windows 7 and 8
Step 1. Install the driver for the printer
Before you can share a printer, the printer driver must be installed on the computer to which the printer is connected. Most modern printers are connected via USB, so the driver will be installed automatically when the printer is connected.
Step 2. Open the Control Panel
In Windows 7, click Start, then select Control Panel. In Windows 8, press Win+X, then select Control Panel from the menu.
Step 3. Open the Network and Sharing Center
If you are using the category view in Control Panel, click Network and Internet, then select Network and Sharing Center, and if you are using the icon view in Control Panel, click the Network and Sharing Center icon.
Step 4. Click the Change advanced sharing settings link in the left navigation pane of Network and Sharing Center.
Step 5. Open the profile you want to change
You will find three different options when you open Advanced share settings, namely Private, Guest or Public, and All Networks. If your network type is Home network, go to Private option.
Step 6. Enable File and printer sharing to allow other users to connect to your printer
With this option, you can also share files with other computers on the network.
Step 7. Enable password protection
You can choose to password protect the printer, so only people with an account on your computer can use the printer.
Enable this option in the All Networks section
Step 8. Share the printer
Once the printer sharing option is turned on, you must share the printer. Go to Control Panel, then open the Devices and Printers option. Right-click the printer you want to share, then click Printer Properties. Click the Sharing tab, then check the Share this printer option.
Method 2 of 5: Windows Vista
Step 1. Install the driver for the printer
Before you can share a printer, the printer driver must be installed on the computer to which the printer is connected. Most modern printers are connected via USB, so the driver will be installed automatically when the printer is connected.
Step 2. Open Control Panel by clicking Start, then selecting Control Panel
Step 3. Open the Network and Sharing Center
If you are using the category view in Control Panel, click Network and Internet, then select Network and Sharing Center, and if you are using the icon view in Control Panel, click the Network and Sharing Center icon.
Step 4. Enable printer sharing option by going to Printer Sharing field and enabling it
You can choose to password protect the printer, so only people with an account on your computer can use the printer.
Step 5. Share the printer
Once the printer sharing option is turned on, you must share the printer. Go to Control Panel, then open the Devices and Printers option. Right-click the printer you want to share, then click Printer Properties. Click the Sharing tab, then check the Share this printer option.
Method 3 of 5: Windows XP
Step 1. Install the driver for the printer
Before you can share a printer, the printer driver must be installed on the computer to which the printer is connected. Not all printer drivers will be installed automatically in Windows XP, so you may need to install the drivers in the printer sales package.
Step 2. Enable printer sharing option
Before sharing the printer, make sure the printer sharing option is enabled. Click Start, then select My Network Places. Right click on your active network, then click Properties. Click the General tab, then check the File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks option.
You may be prompted to restart your computer after enabling this option
Step 3. Share the printer
Once the printer sharing option is turned on, you must share the printer. Go to Control Panel, then select Printers and Faxes. Right-click the printer you want to share, then click Sharing. Check the Share this printer option, then give the printer a name so it can be easily identified on the network.
Method 4 of 5: Mac OS X
Step 1. Install the driver for the printer
Before you can share a printer, the printer driver must be installed on the computer to which the printer is connected. Most modern printer drivers will install automatically when connected to your Mac, but you may need to install drivers for older printers.
Step 2. Enable printer sharing option
Open System Preferences by clicking the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen, then finding the Internet & Network or Internet & Wireless option. After that, click the Sharing option. Check the Printer Sharing check box in the left pane of the Sharing window.
If your printer has a scanner, also check the Scanner Sharing option
Step 3. Share the printer
Once the printer sharing option is turned on, you must share the printer. Go to the Print & Scan option in System Preferences. Select the printer you want to share from the list on the left side of the window, then click the Share this printer on the network option. If the printer you are referring to is not on the list, the printer driver may not be installed.
If your printer has a scanner, also check the Share this scanner on the network option
Method 5 of 5: Connecting a Computer to a Network Printer
Step 1. Add a network printer to your Windows Vista, 7, and 8 computer by opening Control Panel and selecting Devices and Printers
Then, click Add a printer at the top of the window. Wait for the wizard to finish scanning the network, and the network printer will appear in the list of available printers. Select a network printer, then click Next to add a printer.
If the printer you want is not found, click The printer that I want isn't listed. You can then connect to the printer manually via the printer's network name
Step 2. Add a network printer to your Windows XP computer by opening Control Panel and selecting Printers and Faxes
Then, click Printer Tasks, then click Add a printer. The Add Printer Wizard wizard will open. In the wizard, click A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer.
- The fastest way to connect to a network printer is to enter the network name of the printer. To connect via a network name, you must know the name of the computer and printer. Enter the address in the format \computername\printername.
- You can also browse the network to find the printer, although this method is not as precise as entering the network name of the printer.
Step 3. Add a network printer to your Mac OS X computer by opening System Preferences in the Apple menu
Then, click Print and Scan, then click the "+" button under the list of installed printers. The window that appears will automatically display the printers available on the network. Select the printer you want to add from the list.
Tips
- It is recommended that you set the network location to Private when setting up the network on the computer, so that the available sharing options are wider. All operating systems enable wider sharing options on private networks.
- Passwords allow you to share your printer more securely. When connecting a computer to a protected printer, you must enter the user name and password on the server computer.
- Some printers have a wireless network feature. You can also connect the printer to a wireless router via USB if the router supports this feature. If you connect the printer to the network without going through a computer, the process will be easier, because a printer that is shared wirelessly will be available to all computers on the network.
