Multiple computers sharing one printer and sharing a drive

benparker

benparker

benparker

Associate
Joined
25 Jul 2015
Posts
1,235
Hi all

A friend who works for a charity asked if they can get help printing to one printer and share a drive. At the moment they have about five PC's one printer and an netgear 8 port switch (GS108 model). Right now if they want to print, they email one guy who does the printing.

What are the easiest options? I know there is a way to set it up so one PC has to be always switched on so others can print. How should they go about it?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Go to printer properties, sharing tab, then tick share this printer.

Go to another computer, browse to the first computer by typing in \\computername or \\ipaddress, you should be able to see the printer there as a shared printer, then just right click and connect to it.
 
As long as they are on the same network it doesn't matter where they are connected.

Does the printer not have any network options? Because the computer with the printer will need to be on pretty much all the time so everyone else can connect to it.
 
Before sharing the printer, you can rename the PC to something easy..

Assuming it's Windows 7..

Control Panel
System
'Change settings'
Computer Name (tab), 'Change'
Type in a new Computer Name, leave the workgroup as it is..


New computername could be 'Office01' for example.


Then after you've shared the printer, on your second pc do this..

Start, Run (or WINKEY + R)
\\office01

Then it will show the printer, double click the printer and it will install it on that PC.

As above, you'll need to keep Office01 on when you want the printer to be available.

Maximum number of computers you can do this with is around 10 I think, any more and you'll need a Microsoft Server OS.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom