HOW TO SHARE A PRINTER ONLINE ?
Let say you have a pc in your room without printer and a pc in your office with printer. In this
case, you need to share the printer online.
Lets name the pc’s as follows.
Your pc in your room – room pc
/
Pc in your office – office pc
Step 1 : Add the computers to a workgroup
To specify a computer's workgroup in Windows XP operating system:
1. ClickStart, clickControl Panel, and then double-clickSystem. If you don't see a System icon, click
Performance and Maintenance, and then clickSystem.
2. Click theComputer Name tab.
3. ClickChange, and then in theWorkgroup box, enter the name of the workgroup you want to join or create.
Naming conventions are important to keep in mind when you set up or add computers to workgroups. A workgroup name must be:
•
The same for all computers in the workgroup•
Different from any computer name in the workgroupComputer names, meanwhile, must be unique:
•
No other computer in the workgroup can have the same name•
The computer name must also be different from the workgroup nameRoom pc
Computer description :
Data teacher’s pc
Computer name
:
User1
Workgroup
:
ABC
Office pc (printer installed in this pc)
Computer description :
Office pc
Computer name
:
Main user
Workgroup
:
ABC
Configuration : Office pc
There are two types of shared printers:
•
Network printers are connected directly to a network, usually to a device called a print server rather than to a particular computer.•
Local printers, which you're more likely to use, are attached to a single computer on a network. Bysetting up printer sharing, you can share a local printer with the other computers on the network.
After you have added a computer to a workgroup, you can share any printers that are connected to it. To
share a printer, open the Printers control panel by clickingStart, pointing toSettings (or Control Panel) and then clickingPrinters (orPrinters and Faxes). Select the printer you want to share and on theFile
menu, clickSharing, or click Properties and then click theSharing tab. In theSharing dialog box, choose to share or not to share the printer.
You can also share new printers that you install on any of your networked computers. If the Add Printer
Wizard detects that your computer is on a network, the wizard will give you the option to share the printer
when you install it.
If you cannot access the Sharing option, or if you see a message stating that file and printer sharing is not
turned on, you must enable the File and Printer Sharing component in Windows. In Windows XP you can do
that through the Properties page for your network connection. In other Windows operating systems, you can
use the network control panel.
Here are some other things to know about sharing printers:
•
Naming a shared printer. When you choose to share a printer, you'll assign it a name in the Sharingdialog box to identify it to the entire workgroup. The name should be different from any other device
name in the workgroup, and should not be the same as the workgroup name. Use a name that helps you
easily identify it, such as the location or brand and model.
•
Setting up other computers to use a shared printer. To use a shared printer, each computer musthave the printer driver installed that works correctly with its operating system. You can install the printer
drivers by usingAdd Printers in thePrinters control panel to install the printer on every computer that is going to use it. Install the printer as you would install any other printer, and selectA network printer, or a printer that is attached to another computer option during the set up. You can then browse to the shared printer - provided that it and the computer it is attached to are turned on and
accessible on the network - and then complete the installation.
On computers running Windows XP and Windows 2000, you can also install the drivers for other operating
systems when you first share the printer. To do so, clickAdditional Drivers in theSharing dialog box. You do not need to install the drivers in the other computers.
After the shared printer is set up, you can send print jobs from any of the computers in the workgroup
exactly as you would print to a local printer.
Microsoft Windows XP makes it easy to configure your computer for home networking. The Network Setup
Wizard walks you through the process, asking you for information one item at a time. After you add your
computer to your home network, you'll be able to print to a printer on your home network (the printer will
no longer need to be attached directly to your computer), and to access the other computers and devices
connected to your home network. You'll be able to share files, which means you can get data from any
computer you connect to the network. You can even share one Internet connection among all your
computers.
Before you set up your computer for home networking, make sure you have:
•
Contacted an Internet service provider (ISP) to acquire an Internet connection to your home. For more information, readConnect to the Internet.•
Installed a network adapter—wired orwireless—in your computer.To use the Network Setup Wizard to set up your computer for home networking, follow these steps on each computer in your home network
1. Log on as a member of the Administrators group.
7. If the wizard informs you that it has found disconnected hardware, make sure your network adapter is
connected as described inAdd a computer to your network. It's okay to have a disconnected network adapter if you're using a wireless network connection or if you connect to the network using a USB
(Universal Serial Bus) cable. If you're sure everything has already been properly connected, select
12. If you have files or a printer that you want to share with other computers on your home network,
selectTurn on file and printer sharing. Otherwise, leaveTurn off file and printer sharing
16. When prompted to restart your computer, save any open files, and then clickYes.
After your computer restarts, you'll be connected to the network with the settings you provided.
