Sharing a printer in a Windows environment

  1. Prepare the computers to share the printer:

    1. Make all computers printing to the printer accessible through Network Neighborhood by enabling File and Print Sharing. See the Windows documentation for instructions on enabling File and Print Sharing.

    2. Install the printer driver on all computers that will print to the printer.

  2. Identify the printer:

    1. On the computer that is attached to the printer, open the printers folder:

      In Windows 8

      From the Search charm, type run, and then navigate to:

      Apps list > Run > type control printers > OK

      In Windows 7 or earlier

      1. Click the start button or click Start, and then click Run.

      2. In the Start Search or Run dialog, type control printers.

      3. Press Enter, or click OK.

    2. Depending on your device, do either of the following:

      • Right-click the icon for the printer you want to share.

      • Press and hold the icon for the printer you want to share.

    3. From the menu that appears, select Sharing or Printer Properties.

    4. From the Sharing tab, select Share this printer or Shared as.

    5. Assign a distinctive name, and then click OK.

  3. Locate the printer from the remote computer:

    Note: The remote computer is the one that is not attached to the printer.

    1. Open the printers folder:

      In Windows 8

      From the Search charm, type run, and then navigate to:

      Apps list > Run > type control printers > OK

      In Windows 7 or earlier

      1. Click the start button or click Start, and then click Run.

      2. In the Start Search or Run dialog, type control printers.

      3. Press Enter, or click OK.

    2. Depending on your device, do either of the following:

      • Right-click the icon for the printer.

      • Press and hold the icon for the printer.

      Note: Make sure that the selected printer is the same with the shared printer.

    3. From the menu that appears, select Properties or Printer properties.

    4. Click Ports > Add Port > Local Port > New Port.

    5. Type the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) Port Name, which consists of the server name and the distinctive printer name that was specified in step 2. The name should be in the form \\server\printer.

    6. Click OK > Close.

    7. From the Ports tab, select the new port and then click Apply > OK.