10/12/2016

5WaystoShareaPrinterwikiHow

HowtoShareaPrinter
FiveMethods:

Windows7and8

WindowsVista

WindowsXP

MacOSX

ConnectingtoaSharedPrinter

Sharingprintersonanetworkusedtobeanightmare,especiallyifthecomputerswereallrunningdifferentoperatingsystems.
Technologyhasprogressed,however,andsharingaprinternowissimplerthanithaseverbeen.Thisisespeciallytrueifyou
arerunningWindows7,8,orMacOSX.Tolearnhowtoshareyourprinteronthenetwork,andhowtoconnectother
computerstothatshareprinter,seeStep1below.

Method

Windows7and8

Installtheprinterdrivers.Inordertoshareaprinter,itmustbeinstalledonthecomputeritisconnectedto.Most
modernprintersconnectviaUSBandwillinstallautomaticallywhentheyareconnected.

OpentheControlPanel.YoucanaccesstheControlPanelinWindows7byclickingtheStartmenuand
selectingControlPanel.InWindows8,press Win + X andselectControlPanelfromthemenu.

OpentheNetworkandSharingCenter.IfyourControlPanelisinCategoryview,click"NetworkandInternet",
andthenselect"NetworkandSharingCenter".Clickon"NetworkandInternet".IfyourControlPanelisinIcon
view,clickthe"NetworkandSharingCenter"icon.

Clickthe"Changeadvancedsharingsettings"link.ThisislocatedintheleftnavigationpaneoftheNetwork
andSharingCenter.

Expandtheprofileyouneedtochange.Youwillseethreedifferentoptionswhenyouopenthe"Advanced
sharesettings":Private,GuestorPublic,andAllNetworks.IfyouareonaHomenetwork,expandthePrivate
section.

Enable"Fileandprintersharing".Togglethisontoallowotherdevicestoconnecttoyourprinter.Thiswillalso
allowyoutosharefilesandfolderswithothercomputersonthenetwork.

Togglethepasswordprotection.Youcandecidewhetherornotyouwanttoenablepasswordprotectionfor
yourprinter.Ifitisturnedon,onlyuserswhohaveauseraccountonyourcomputerwillbeabletoaccessthe
printer.
Youcantogglepasswordprotectioninthe"AllNetworks"section.

Sharetheprinter.Nowthatfileandprintersharinghasbeenturnedon,youwillneedtosharetheprinteritself.
Todothis,gobacktotheControlPanelandopentheDevicesandPrintersoption.Rightclickontheprinteryou

wanttoshareandclick"Printerproperties".ClicktheSharingtab,andthencheckthe"Sharethisprinter"box.[1]

Method

WindowsVista

Installtheprinterdrivers.Inordertoshareaprinter,itmustbeinstalledonthecomputeritisconnectedto.Most
modernprintersconnectviaUSBandwillinstallautomaticallywhentheyareconnected.

OpentheControlPanel.YoucanaccesstheControlPanelinWindowsVistabyclickingtheStartmenuand
selectingControlPanel.

http://www.wikihow.com/ShareaPrinter

1/3

10/12/2016

5WaystoShareaPrinterwikiHow

OpentheNetworkandSharingCenter.IfyourControlPanelisinCategoryview,click"NetworkandInternet",
andthenselect"NetworkandSharingCenter".Clickon"NetworkandInternet".IfyourControlPanelisinIcon
view,clickthe"NetworkandSharingCenter"icon.

Enableprintersharing.Expandthe"PrinterSharing"fieldandtoggleprintersharingon.Youcandecidewhether
ornotyouwanttoenablepasswordprotectionforyourprinter.Ifitisturnedon,onlyuserswhohaveauser
accountonyourcomputerwillbeabletoaccesstheprinter.

Sharetheprinter.Nowthatfileandprintersharinghasbeenturnedon,youwillneedtosharetheprinteritself.
Todothis,gobacktotheControlPanelandopentheDevicesandPrintersoption.Rightclickontheprinteryou
wanttoshareandclick"Printerproperties".ClicktheSharingtab,andthencheckthe"Sharethisprinter"box.

Method

WindowsXP

Installtheprinterdrivers.Inordertoshareaprinter,itmustbeinstalledonthecomputeritisconnectedto.Not
allprinterswillinstallautomaticallyonXP,andyoumayneedtomanuallyinstallthesoftwarethatcamewiththe
printer.

Turnonprintersharing.Beforeyoucanshareyourprinter,youneedtomakesurethatprintersharingis
enabled.Todoso,clicktheStartmenuandselect"MyNetworkPlaces".Rightclickonyouractivenetwork
connectionandselectProperties.ClicktheGeneraltab,andthencheckthe"FileandPrinterSharingforMicrosoft
Networks"box.[2]
Youmaybeaskedtorebootthecomputeronceyouaredone.

Shareyourprinter.OpentheControlPanelfromtheStartmenuandselect"PrintersandFaxes".Rightclickon
theprinterthatyouwanttoshareandclick"Sharing".Clickthe"Sharethisprinter"option,andgivetheprintera
namesothatitcanbeidentifiedonthenetwork.

Method

MacOSX

Installtheprinterdrivers.Inordertoshareaprinter,itmustbeinstalledonthecomputeritisconnectedto.Most
printerswillinstallautomaticallywhenconnectedtoaMaccomputer,butyoumayneedtomanuallyinstallthe
softwareforolderprinters.

Turnonprintersharing.Open"SystemPreferences".ThiscanbeaccessedbyclickingtheApplemenuinthe
upperleftcornerofthemenubar.Lookforthe"Internet&Network"or"Internet&Wireless"section,andclickthe
Sharingoption.Checkthe"PrinterSharing"boxintheleftframeoftheSharingwindow.
Ifyourprinterhasascannertoo,checkthe"ScannerSharing"boxaswell.

Shareaprinter.Oncesharingisturnedon,enablesharingforyourprinterbyopeningthe"Print&Scan"section
oftheSystemPreferencesmenu.Selecttheprinteryouwanttosharefromthelistontheleftside.Ifyoudon'tsee
theprinteryouwanttoshare,thenitmaynotbeinstalledproperly.Withtheprinterselected,clickthe"Sharethis
printeronthenetwork"option,
Ifithasascanner,clickthe"Sharethisscanneronthenetwork"optionaswell.[3]

Method

ConnectingtoaSharedPrinter

AddanetworkprinterinWindowsVista,7,and8.OpentheControlPanelandselect"DevicesandPrinters".
Clickthe"Addaprinter"buttonatthetopofthewindow.Waitforthescantocomplete,andtheprintershould
appearinthelistofavailableprinters.SelectitandclickNexttoaddittoyourcomputer.
http://www.wikihow.com/ShareaPrinter

2/3

10/12/2016

5WaystoShareaPrinterwikiHow

Iftheprinteryouarelookingforcannotbefound,click"TheprinterthatIwantisn'tlisted".Youcanthen
manuallyconnecttotheprinterbyenteringtheprinter'snetworkname.

AddanetworkprinterinWindowsXP.OpentheControlPanelandselectPrintersandFaxes.Lookforthe
"PrinterTasks"sectionandclickthe"Addaprinter"option.Thiswillopenthe"AddPrinterWizard".Selectthe"A
networkprinter,oraprinterattachedtoanothercomputer".
Thequickestwaytoconnecttoanetworkprinteristoenterinthenetworkaddressforit.Thismeansyouwill
needtoknowthecomputernameandtheprintername.Enterintheaddressusingthefollowingsyntax:
\\com puterna me\p ri nt e rna m e .
Youcanalsobrowseforavailableprinters,thoughthismethodisnotasreliableassimplyenteringthenameof
theprinter.[4]

AddanetworkprinterinMacOSX.Open"SystemPreferences"byclickingtheApplemenuandselectingit.
Clickonthe"Print&Scan"icon,andthenclickonthe"+"buttonatthebottomofthelistofcurrentlyinstalled
printers.Thewindowthatcomesupwillautomaticallydetectanyprinterssharedonthenetwork.Selecttheoneyou
wanttoaddittoyourlistofprinters.

CommunityQ&A
Shouldallthecomputersbeconnectedinanetwork?

wikiHow
Contributor

Yes,thisgivesthemaccesstosharedandnetworkresources(suchastheprinter)andaccesstheInternet.Theydo
notneedtobephysicallyconnectedviaEthernetcablethewirelessrouterwillactasacentralaccesspointforthem.
Flagasduplicate

NotHelpful

Helpful

Tips
It'sagoodideatomakesurethatyournetwork(whenyousetituponyourcomputer)issetto"Private."Thissetting
allowsgreatersharingbecausevirtuallyalloperatingsystemsautomaticallyallowmoreextensivesharingoptionsona
privatenetworkasopposedtoapublicone.
Passwordprotectedsharingallowsanextralayerofprotection.Whenconnectingtoasharedprinterthatispassword
protected,youwillhavetoputintheusernameandpasswordofthehostcomputer.
Someprinterscomewithawirelesscardinstalled.Itisalsopossibletoattachaprinterdirectlytoawirelessrouter(ifthe
routerhasaUSBport)andshareitthatway.Ifyouconnectyourprintertoanetworkwithoutgoingthroughacomputer
thenlearninghowtoshareaprinteriseasy.Sharedwirelessprintersshouldbeavailabletoallcomputersonthenetwork.

SourcesandCitations
1.http://windows.microsoft.com/enus/windows8/shareprinter
2.http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/47775/enablingfileandprintersharinginwindowsxp/
3.http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11450

Showmore...(1)

http://www.wikihow.com/ShareaPrinter

3/3