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Add a Network printer to Windows Vista or
Windows XP
Now days the average
household has more than one computer and share available resources over a home
network. No-ones wants their house cluttered up with unnecessary office
equipment, and this is exactly the reason why we need to use
a network printer. For example if you have three computers on your home network
you would only need one printer for them all. Windows XP and Vista allow you to
use computer hardware that is connected to another computer on your Network.
Here's how to add a Network Printer.
What do you need to add a network printer?
- A network printer can be a printer that is already installed on
one computer in your home or office network. It does not have to be
anything special.
- You need to know the actual computer
name that the printer is installed on.
How to find the Computer Name?
- Printer Sharing has to be enabled.
(Go to Control Panel>Printers Settings Icon>right click on the printer icon
and choose sharing. Also create a simple name for your printer here.)
- The share name of you shared printer.
It usually is the brand of the printer which could be cannon bj3000, however I
like to rename it just printer.
How to add a network printer onto your
home network:
- Go to the control panel which
can be found by clicking the start button.
- In the left bar click on switch to
classic view.
- Then click on the Printer and Faxes
Icon.
- Choose to Add Printer in the
left sidebar.
- A dialog box will appear. You can choose to
add a network Printer. Then ask the computer to
find it. If it does find it your done.
- When the computer does not find your
network printer manually type it in yourself.
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- I have written \\server\printer$ then I pressed
Next. Server is the name of the computer that has the printer
installed on it, and Printer$ is the name I gave my printer when I enabled
sharing.
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- Then it will ask me to enter the user
name and password for the computer that has the printer
I want to access.
- Windows Vista came up with this warning below
and I pressed Install driver.
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Advantages and disadvantages to having a network
printer?
Advantages:
- You only need one printer for your entire
network.
- You save money on office equipment.
- You save space.
Disadvantages:
- If another user is printing hundreds of pages
on the network printer you will have to wait for them to finish printing.
- The computer the network printer is attached
to must be on for the printer to function.
Notes on installing network printers:
- If you have a wireless network there are
wireless network printers available that are stand alone and do no rely on a
computer to work.
- You can also get a Ethernet network printer
that plugs directly into your router to supply printing to your entire
network.
- Making a normal printer into a network
printer is a cheap alternative.
Network printer has problems printing - You do not have permission to use
selected printer.
About the Author
Mitz wrote this article
and others for tips4pc.com
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