Shared Printer Setting Up for XP, Vista, and Windows 7

How to Setup a Shared Printer for XP, Vista, and Windows 7​

information   Information
This tutorial will step you through the process of sharing a printer on XP, Vista and Windows 7.

This has been successful on an XP Home Edition Computer with a Canon MP150, 190 and a wireless Vista Home Premium x86/x64, multiple Windows 7 x64 and a XP notebook and desktop. All computers sharing need to be on the same workgroup and network.
Note   Note
Printer sharing needs to be enabled on the Host computer.

warning   Warning
Only use this method if USB or other corded connections are not acceptable. This is a supplement to normal printer connections. Please ask for help by posting a reply at the bottom. I myself will reply or another member of the Vista x64 community.



1. On your network, look at the computer name for the computer you wish to connect to (Host) and click in to it. You should be able to see the name of the printer you wish to connect. You will need these 2 names for step number 7/8.

snip1.PNG

2. Now click on the Printers icon in the control panel.

snip2.PNG

3. Right click on a blank portion of the screen, select add printer and a menu will pop up.

4. Choose the add local printer option.

snip3.PNG

5. Now choose 'Create New Port'.

snip4.PNG

6. Click Next.

7. Another popup screen will open. This is where you need the computer and printer name.

8. Enter the following into the box \\computername\printername

snip5.PNG

9. Click OK

10. It will now prompt you to pick your printer firmware. Select your model.

snip6.PNG

11. Click Next. It will now ask to either use the installed driver, or replace the current driver. Pick what you wish.




information   Information

You may need to install Vista Drivers for your Printer if its shared from a XP machine or XP drivers if its shared from a Vista machine before your printer may work correctly​





12. Click Next. Type in a printer name. And either select, or unselect the 'Set as Default Printer Option.

13. It will now install the printer.

14. You have now successfully added a printer. You can now test a print sheet.

Note   Note
This information has been proven to work, as this is how I set up my printer. This should be a fairly straight forward tutorial.
warning   Warning
The host computer must be ON to print, along with the computer that is sending the document. Remember the printer also must be on to print.


Hope this works for you,

Extensa

UPDATE: The tutorial has been revised and will work on Windows 7.
 

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Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

i am trying to setup a printer on my new laptop with 32 bit vista. i am getting message spooler is not running. when i go to services.msc i restart it but it still does not work. i have installed the driver but its like the computer ignores it. im not sure what to do. can anyone help?
 

My Computer

System One

Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

In the services menu, do you have Print Spooler set to automatic?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Fumz' Flux-Capacitor
    CPU
    E8400
    Motherboard
    DFI LP DK P35-T2RS
    Memory
    4GB G.Skill PC-1066
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS
    Sound Card
    X-Fi XtremeGamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 226BW
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    500GB W.D. RE2 Primary 1TB W.D. Caviar GP WD10EACS
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
    Case
    Lian Li Lancool K62
    Cooling
    Thermalright Ultima-90/S-Flex 120mm
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Keyboard
    MS Natural Elite 4000 Ergonomic
    Internet Speed
    2.5MB/430
    Other Info
    D-Link DGL 4500
Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

hmmm... this might be a problem? If Print Spooler is set to automatic, then it's started... so why is it saying that it's not running?

What laptop (model #) are you running and what printer are you trying to use (make and model)?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Fumz' Flux-Capacitor
    CPU
    E8400
    Motherboard
    DFI LP DK P35-T2RS
    Memory
    4GB G.Skill PC-1066
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS
    Sound Card
    X-Fi XtremeGamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 226BW
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    500GB W.D. RE2 Primary 1TB W.D. Caviar GP WD10EACS
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
    Case
    Lian Li Lancool K62
    Cooling
    Thermalright Ultima-90/S-Flex 120mm
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Keyboard
    MS Natural Elite 4000 Ergonomic
    Internet Speed
    2.5MB/430
    Other Info
    D-Link DGL 4500
Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

i have a fujitsu siemens. new. 2ghz etc. i have 2 printers. an epson laser, a few years old, and a lexmark p4350. none of which are in the database of vista. the lexmark is more important
 

My Computer

System One

Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

Is the Lexmark a USB printer?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Fumz' Flux-Capacitor
    CPU
    E8400
    Motherboard
    DFI LP DK P35-T2RS
    Memory
    4GB G.Skill PC-1066
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS
    Sound Card
    X-Fi XtremeGamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 226BW
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    500GB W.D. RE2 Primary 1TB W.D. Caviar GP WD10EACS
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
    Case
    Lian Li Lancool K62
    Cooling
    Thermalright Ultima-90/S-Flex 120mm
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Keyboard
    MS Natural Elite 4000 Ergonomic
    Internet Speed
    2.5MB/430
    Other Info
    D-Link DGL 4500
Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

hmmm.... Vista "should" install your USB printer drivers automatically.

Gimme a minute to boot up my Vista test rig (has all the defaults).

OK, plug in the printer via USB. What happens when you go Control Panel/Hardware and Sound/Printers? Don't click "add a printer", just click the top dialog menu, "printers". A window should open up that lists the printers.
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Fumz' Flux-Capacitor
    CPU
    E8400
    Motherboard
    DFI LP DK P35-T2RS
    Memory
    4GB G.Skill PC-1066
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS
    Sound Card
    X-Fi XtremeGamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 226BW
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    500GB W.D. RE2 Primary 1TB W.D. Caviar GP WD10EACS
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
    Case
    Lian Li Lancool K62
    Cooling
    Thermalright Ultima-90/S-Flex 120mm
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Keyboard
    MS Natural Elite 4000 Ergonomic
    Internet Speed
    2.5MB/430
    Other Info
    D-Link DGL 4500
Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

hmmm.... I tried to recreate the error with 32-bit Vista and 64-bit Vista (gotta love cnit classes :-)), but failed. I'm not sure what to say or suggest?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Fumz' Flux-Capacitor
    CPU
    E8400
    Motherboard
    DFI LP DK P35-T2RS
    Memory
    4GB G.Skill PC-1066
    Graphics card(s)
    eVGA 8800 GTS
    Sound Card
    X-Fi XtremeGamer
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 226BW
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050
    Hard Drives
    500GB W.D. RE2 Primary 1TB W.D. Caviar GP WD10EACS
    PSU
    PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610
    Case
    Lian Li Lancool K62
    Cooling
    Thermalright Ultima-90/S-Flex 120mm
    Mouse
    Logitech G5
    Keyboard
    MS Natural Elite 4000 Ergonomic
    Internet Speed
    2.5MB/430
    Other Info
    D-Link DGL 4500
Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

Hello folks,

I'm new here as have only just joined the Vista revolution :)

I spent several hours last night trying to set up my XP desktop and Vista laptop with my HP PSC 2355 printer. After trying the suggestion at the top of this thread I eventually suceeded :party:.
The problem is that when I switched on this morning I found that I had to do it all over again as the printer was shown as offline. Is this usual or is there something I can do so that the printer is instantly available ?:party: Don't really want to go through the 'find printer' sequence every time. :huh:
 

My Computer

System One

Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

Is your host computer and printer on?
 

My Computer

System One

  • Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5620-6396
    CPU
    Intel Core 2 Duo 5750
    Memory
    4GB DDR2
    Graphics card(s)
    ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT
    Sound Card
    Onboard Sound Card ~ Logitech X-540 5.1 Speaker System
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop 15.4 LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1280*768
    Hard Drives
    Western Digital 320GB @5400 RPM
    Cooling
    Rocketfish USB Laptop Cooling Pad
    Mouse
    Logitech G9 Wired Gaming Precision Mouse @ 2000 DPI
    Keyboard
    Logitech G11 Gaming Keyboars
    Internet Speed
    Download: 4500 kb/s Upload: 500 kb/s
Re: Setting Up A Shared Printer for XP and Vista

Print Server = Windows 7 (x64), Client = Windows Vista (x32) on a wireless network connection. Printers = Canon MP 450 and Brother MFC465CN
Printers were originally set up when Server was Windows XP and all worked fine. Now with "7", no printing occurs on either printer. I'm wondering if I should delete the printers on the client and add them back following these instructions from Canon, which are similar to the instructions found on this forum.
 

My Computer

System One

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