How to Network a Computer to a Printer Wirelessly
Setting up your printer so it can be accessed by anyone in your network wirelessly is a worthwhile task. Without the need for as many wires or a different printer for each computer, a lot of money and space can be saved. Additionally, having a wireless print server is convenient, as setting up new computers to use the printer is quick and easy. If you have more than one computer in your home or office and are using a wireless network, there is no reason not to be using a networked printer.
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Instructions
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Install your printer to the computer you want to designate as the print server. The computer designated as the print server will send all print jobs to the printer.
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Click "Start," "Control Panel" and "Printers and Faxes" to access your printer.
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Enable sharing of the printer by right clicking on the printer to be used and click "Sharing."
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Click on the "Sharing" tab in the "Printer Properties" window and select "Share this Printer." In the "Share Name" text box, create a name for the printer that is simple and easy to remember.
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Click the "Additional Drivers" button if you plan to share the printer with multiple operating systems. Choose the drivers for the appropriate operating systems so the other computers in your network will be able to use the printer. Click "OK."
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Go to the other computers in your network that you want to have access to the printer and click "Start" and "My Network Places," then double click "View Workgroup Computers." Double click on the computer on which the printer is installed.
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Locate the printer and double click on it, which will start the add printer wizard. Follow the on-screen instructions to add the networked printer to the satellite computer's printer list. When prompted, be sure to print a test page to verify the computer is communicating with the printer.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are planning to share this printer with computers using multiple operating systems, obtain the proper drivers for each operating system from the printer manufacturer's website before beginning. Keep in mind that for this setup, you will still need one computer connected to your printer using a data cable unless you have a wireless printer. For this reason, choose the most central or accessible computer to host the print server.
