Just because you have more than one computer doesn't mean you have to have a printer for each computer [Spector, Strohmeyer]. We will now show you how to share a printer between several computers on a network in Windows 7.
Before sharing your printer, you have to set up File and printer sharing. Here's how to set up File and printer sharing:
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- Click on Start in the bottom left corner of your screen. A popup list will appear.
- Select Control Panel from the popup list. Type the word network in the search box.
- Click on Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on Change advanced shared settings, in the left pane.
- Click on the down arrow, which will expand the network profile.
- Select File and printer sharing and choose Turn on file and printer sharing.
- Click on Save changes.
You're now ready to share your printer.
- Click on Start in the bottom left corner of your screen. A popup list will appear.
- Click on Devices and Printers, from the popup list.
- Right click the printer you want to share. A dropdown list will appear.
- Select Printer properties from the dropdown list.
- Click on the Sharing tab
- Select the Share this printer check box.
In order for other people to connect to the printer, they just have to add the network printer that you just opened for sharing to their computers. Here's how to do this.
- Click on Start in the bottom left corner of your screen. A popup list will appear.
- Click on Devices and Printers from the popup list.
- Select Add a printer.
- Click on Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer.
- Click the shared printer.
- Click Next. Continue according to the instructions on the screen [source: Microsoft].
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