How to Connect a New Printer to Your PC

Connecting a new printer to your PC isn't as difficult as it used to be. If your old printer has given up the ghost, or if you've just fallen in love with a new printer, installing the printer drivers is easy to do.

Things You'll Need

• USB printer cable or parallel printer cable
• Desktop PC
• Printer
• Installation CD or downloaded drivers from manufacturer's Web site

Instructions

Check to See if the Printer Drivers Are on the Windows XP List

1. Go to your computer's Start menu. Click on the Control Panel. Double-click on "Printers and Faxes." Click on "Add a Printer."

2. In the Add Printer wizard, click "Next," then uncheck the box next to "Automatically Detect and Install My Plug and Play Printer." Click "Next" twice to open the list of built-in drivers.

3. Look for your printer in the list. If it's there, click "Cancel" and proceed to the "Install Your Printer Driver" section below.

Printer Driver Not Listed?

1. Go to the manufacturer's Web site and find the "Support and Downloads" section.

2. Find your printer model.

3. Download the driver-installation files for your operating system and printer model.

4. Save them in a folder that you'll be able to find easily.

Install Your Printer Driver for a Printer With a USB Cable

1. Plug one end of the USB cable into the printer.

2. Plug the other end of the USB cable into a free USB port on your computer.

3. Turn the printer on. Windows will recognize that a new device is connected to the computer and automatically install the files.

4. If prompted to find the files for installing your printer drivers, click the Browse button and navigate to the folder where you saved the installation files for your printer.

Install Your Printer Driver for a Printer With a Parallel Port

1. Turn off the computer.

2. Connect one end of the printer cable to the parallel port on the printer. Connect the other end of the printer cable to the parallel port on your computer.

3. Turn your computer on, then turn the printer on. Windows will detect new hardware attached to the computer. Proceed as above.

Tips & Warnings

• In many cases the installation CD that comes with your printer will lead you step by step through the installation process. It's the easiest way to add printers.