How to Hook Up Multiple Computers to One Printer
If you are in a house or office with multiple computers and only one printer, you'll want to configure all of the systems to be able to print to the same machine. Through printer sharing, which can be set up on both PC and Mac computers, a printer is connected directly to one computer, and then other machines can send print jobs to it as long as they are on the same local network.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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Windows Instructions
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1
Connect the printer to your PC computer using a standard USB cable, and then turn the printer on. Windows will automatically detect the printer and install it onto your computer.
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2
Open the Start menu and click on the "Printers and Faxes" icon. A window detailing all of your installed printers will open.
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3
Right-click on the icon of the printer you want to share and select "Properties."
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4
Go to the "Sharing" tab at the top of the pop-up window.
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5
Click on the button next to "Share this printer" and then type in a name for the printer that other people on your local network will recognize. Click "OK" to save the settings.
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6
Go to the other PC computers that you want to print from, and open the "Printers and Faxes" control panel window again.
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7
Click on the "Add a printer" button and select the option that says "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer." Click the "Next" button to continue the setup process.
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8
Type in the location of the shared printer based on the name in Step 5. Then click finish to complete the setup process. You will now be able to print from a remote computer.
Mac Instructions
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1
Connect the printer to your Mac computer using a standard USB cable, and then turn the printer on.
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2
Open System Preferences by clicking on the Dock icon, and then go to "Print & Fax" control panel.
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3
Click on the plus symbol on the left side of the window, and then go to the "Default" tab of the pop-up window.
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4
Select the printer you want to install from the list of available hardware and click "Add."
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5
Go to the "Sharing" control panel in System Preferences and check the box next to "Printer Sharing" to enable the service.
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6
Check the box next to the printer you want to share over your local network.
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7
Go to the other Mac computers you want to print from and open the "Print & Fax" control panel in System Preferences.
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8
Click on the plus symbol. The shared printer should now be included in the list of available printers. Select the printer and click "Add" to begin printing from the remote computer.
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