Tips & Tricks

Printer Sharing

If the computers are networked together, enable printer sharing on the computer with the printer. This is done under the Network icon in the Control Panel.

Then, install the networked printer you created above on the second computer. You do this from the Printers folder in My Computer (XP users, head to the Control Panel). Just click "install Printer" and when asked, tell it you're installing a network printer. There's a handy little wizard to guide you through the process (it's actually very easy). That should get you printing.

The only potential problem I can see is if the printer is not able to be used on a network. Most can be, but there are some that will refuse to run.

OK, but what if the computers aren't networked together?

If they're not networked, you still have an option. Most computer stores sell a switch box device that can be used to connect a single printer to several computers. Although this doesn't work everytime (some printers are funny about switchboxes), most of the time it does the trick. You should be able to get these switch boxes for under $30.00.

A word of caution - you may want to check your printer documentation to make sure that the switch box is safe for the printer in question. I've never really seen a problem with using a switchbox, but it never hurts to check.

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