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05.11.2019

What if there are several computers in the house from which you want to print documents and pictures, but there is only one printer? Do you really have to transfer files to a USB flash drive every time, connect it to the right computer, and only then send it for printing? Not at all necessary, because there is such a thing as a network printer.

Connecting the printer to the local network

The first thing we need to do is connect the printer to an already existing local network. This can be done in many ways - we will consider the simplest and most reliable.

Directly via computer

If you have a small local network or want to set up a network printer at home, then connecting to a computer is the best option. It does not require you to invest in additional equipment, it is easy to set up and use.

Connect the printer directly to the computer with a USB cable and install the drivers. It is best to connect the printing device to the PC that is turned on most often. If you have a computer that works around the clock, then it will be the best choice. Make sure printing works correctly - print a test page.

It would seem, why bother with different types of printer connections, if you can just share it from the computer to which it is connected? In fact, there is a reason for such complications - if the PC to which the printing device is connected is turned off or malfunctions, all network members will lose access to the printer. Therefore, at home, you can still get by with connecting to a specific computer, and in offices it is better to turn to auxiliary equipment.

Setting

Now we need to share the printer with all other devices connected to the local network - that is, open access to it to all other PCs. For this:

Go to "Control Panel". For Windows 7 - "Start" - "Control Panel", for Windows 8, 8.1, 10 - right-click on "Start", select "Control Panel".
Select "Network and Internet" - "Network and Sharing Center".
Click "Change sharing settings" on the left.
Now expand the "Private" sub-tab.
Check the boxes "Turn on network discovery", "Turn on file and printer sharing", "Let Windows manage connections". Also check the "Enable automatic configuration on network devices" checkbox.
This is how you open the computer to other PCs on the local network
Save your settings. Follow steps 1 to 5 on all computers connected to the local network from which you want to access the printer.
Now let's set up access directly to the printer. To do this, again go to the "Control Panel" on the PC to which the device is connected, and go to the item "Hardware and Sound -" Devices and Printers ".
In this window you will see your connected printer. Right click on it and select "Properties".
In the printer properties window, go to the "Access" tab, and here check the "Share this printer" and "Render print jobs" checkboxes. Save your changes.
In the "Share Name" field, you can specify the name of the printer, which will be displayed for all users of the local network, for example, "Printer in the living room"

Now all computers on the network can connect to our printer. To do this:

On the PC to which the printer is not connected, open "Explorer".
Select "Network" from the left menu.
Find the PC to which the printer is connected in the list of devices and double-click on it.
You will see a printer icon. Right-click on it and select Connect.
After the system sets up the connection (it takes about half a minute), you can test the printer. Try to print something from this computer. In the list of available printing methods, you should see the configured network printer.

This instruction must be followed on all PCs that are not connected to the printer, but from which you want to print.

Using a print server

A print server is a small device that connects to a local network and a printer, and then allows all devices on the network to access that printer.

It should be borne in mind that the word "print server" is very ambiguous. Some equipment (for example, routers or switches) have the function of a print server - that is, they have a special interface and a web configurator for connecting a printer to a local network. A print server is also called software that allows the computer itself to become such a server. In general, in order to avoid confusion, below we will refer to only the individual devices that perform only this function as a “print server”.

The cost of print servers ranges from 2 to 5 thousand rubles

The main problem with print servers is compatibility. Typically, these boxes are produced by the manufacturers of printing devices themselves - for example, print servers from Canon, Epson, HP LaserJet are very popular. However, they are usually only able to work with their own printers. Therefore, before buying, be sure to inquire about which devices are supported by the print server you are targeting. This information is always available on the box manufacturer's website.

How to use the print server? It's very simple - you need to connect a printer to the USB port, and connect the print server itself with a patch cord to a local network router. The details of connecting to the network may vary between manufacturers, so here we will direct you to the instruction manual - it always discusses this point in detail. Most print servers also come with disks for quick installation. The configuration of the print server is usually carried out, like with routers, through the web interface.

After that, all computers connected to the same local network will have access to the printer. You do not need to install drivers and configure access - this is the beauty of special equipment.

Video: example of setting up a print server

Through a router

The printing device can be connected to a local network and through a router if it has a USB port. In this case, you need to turn off the printer and router, connect them with a USB cable, and then turn them on again.

If the printer can connect to Wi-Fi, then you can do without wires. In the printer menu, find the desired network, enter the password for it, and connect. Detailed instructions on how to connect to Wi-Fi specifically on your model will be in the user manual for the device.

Such a connection has a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the performance of the printer is highly dependent on the firmware of the router - it must be updated regularly, and if the printer stops working after the update, roll back. Secondly, drivers for the printer to work will have to be installed on each PC that is connected to the network. Thirdly, in Russian apartments, the router is often located in the corridor. Putting a much more bulky printer there is not the best idea. Therefore, for home use, it is better to abandon the router in favor of a conventional cable connection to a computer.

Setting

All devices connected to the router's network will be able to access it after a short configuration process:

Click "Start" - "Control Panel" (Windows 7) or right-click "Start" - "Control Panel" (WIndows 8, 8.1 and 10).
Select Devices and Printers.
If you're having trouble finding what you're looking for, type it in the search box.
Now click "Add Printer".
The required button is located at the top of the window.
The search for the printer will begin, but it does not interest us. Immediately click "The printer I want is not listed".
The search for a printer will not give us the desired result, so you can skip it
In the window that opens, select the third item - search by TCP / IP. Further.
If you connected the printer to the router, then we can only recognize it this way
Select "Device Type" - TCP/IP. Enter 192.168.1.1 twice. If you use a different address to access your router's web interface, enter it. Do not check the box next to "Interrogate Printer". Click next.
Here you need to enter in the fields a combination of numbers that opens access to the web configurator of the router - usually it is 192.168.1.1
Now check the "Special" box and then click on "Options" next to it.
Here we can set some parameters manually
Check the LPR box and enter any name in Latin in the Queue name field. For simplicity, you can enter the make of your PC. Click OK.
Do not change anything else in this window - this may lead to the inoperability of the printer
You will be returned to the previous window. Without changing the checkbox, click Next.
Windows will now ask you to install the drivers. If you have a disc with them, install the software from the disc - this will be the easiest. If not, then download the drivers from the official website of the printer manufacturer.
After installing the driver, the system will ask you to name the printer. You can name it whatever you like.
Steps 1 - 11 must be completed on each computer that will use the network printer.

Video: setting up a network printer through a router

Possible problems and solutions

Let's look at some of the most common problems that may arise during the process of setting up and using a network printer.

The network printer does not appear in the available

So, you connected the printer according to the instructions, went to another computer, but when you try to print, you do not see the network device. What's the matter?

This problem is usually caused by the fact that the PC you are trying to print something from is not connected to the local network. Make sure that:

it is connected to the same router via Wi-Fi or cable;
the router is on;
the workgroup names of all your computers on the network are the same. In Windows 7, this can be done by right-clicking My Computer and selecting Properties. In Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 - right-click on "Start", and then - "Computer Management". You will see the computer name and workgroup name. The first parameter must be different for all PCs connected to the network, and the second, on the contrary, must be the same. If not, choose one workgroup name and assign it to all computers on the network.

Sometimes a network printer display problem is due to a malfunction of the ports. Make sure that the USB port of both the printer itself and the device to which it is connected are not physically defective - not broken or bent.

Network printer does not print

If the network printer is displayed in the list of available printers, you can connect to it, but the printing process is not running, you need to do some diagnostics. Look for error messages on the screen of the printer itself. You will be surprised, but often such a problem is due to a simple lack of paper in the tray or ink in the cartridge.

If no messages are displayed on the printer itself, and the documents sent for printing simply go into the void, then the reason most likely lies in the drivers:

if you are connecting the printer via a print server, then check the list of devices supported by it again. Most likely, your model of the printing device simply does not fit. If you bought a print server recently, you can try to return it to the store or exchange it for another model;
if the connection is made through a router, make sure that the printer drivers are installed on the PC you are interested in. This can be done by connecting the printer to it directly. If printing does not work with this connection, then you need to update or completely reinstall the drivers. If the printer prints with a direct connection, then the problem may lie in the firmware of the router. If you updated it recently, then roll back to the previous version (just install an older version of the firmware by downloading it from the manufacturer's website);
if the printer is connected via a PC, then you need to check the drivers only on this computer. Make sure you are printing directly from this PC. If it doesn't, uninstall and reinstall the drivers.

Reinstalling drivers is done like this:

Network printer does not connect

If you get the error "Windows cannot connect to the network printer" when you try to connect to or print something using a network printer, this usually indicates that the print service is disabled. This can happen for various reasons - failure to install drivers, virus software.

In Windows 10, the error message looks slightly different, but the text does not change.

This problem is solved like this:

If the printer is connected to the LAN via a PC, then we perform all the actions below on it. If through a router or a print server, then on the computer from which we want to print.
Open the "Control Panel" (Windows 7 - "Start" - "Control Panel", Windows 8, 8.1, 10 - RMB "Start" - "Control Panel").
Select Services.
Find "Print Manager" in the list.
Double click on it - the options window will open.
Check the box next to Automatic startup type.
Make sure the service is enabled. If you can click on the "Enable" button, do so.

Setting up a network printer may take a little time, but in the future you will thank yourself for the work you have done. After all, it is much more convenient to send documents for printing directly from the workplace, rather than drag and drop files to another computer, and only then print.

Solving the problem related to how to connect a printer via a local network is not such a problematic matter and almost any home user of such office equipment can handle it. In general, installing a network printer on a computer running windows 10 or some other version of this system is an excellent solution if you have several PCs at home or at work, but only one MFP. Instead of constantly approaching and printing documents from one computer, many users prefer to combine their home or office computers into one local network or just “local”.

To answer the question of how to connect a printer over a network, first of all, you will need a cord to organize the connection and a CD with a driver and a utility specifically designed for your device. If there is no CD in one set with the device, then either from the official website of the manufacturer. It is also worth noting that almost all printing devices of modern models are equipped with USB ports to connect to a PC. For this reason, the motherboards of most system units are no longer equipped with COM and LPT ports. But if you decide to connect old equipment with a new computer, then for this you will need to find the appropriate adapter.

To connect a network printer, first establish a reliable connection between the physical device and the PC using a USB cable. Then place the driver disc in your computer's drive and run the software installer. After the drivers are installed, you just have to restart your PC and print a few test pages. Having thus prepared the basis for installing a network printer on windows 7, also perform the following sequence of actions:

Open the control panel of your Windows operating system and find among the entire list a section called "Devices and Printers". You can also go there through the right panel of the Start menu.
Find among the installed ones the device that will connect and configure itself as a network device. See the list carefully, because. this window displays not only physical, but also.
Go to the properties of the desired device and check all the settings specified in it.

How to install a network device

In order for the printer connection over the local network to be available to all local users, you need to open a shared access for all network participants to this device. In addition, to make the printer a network printer, you will need to include all computers in one special workgroup. This step is especially necessary if there are also PCs on the local network with earlier versions of Windows, for example, XP.

To share a Windows 7 or later printer and create a workgroup, please read the following instructions carefully:

To get started, open the drop-down list by right-clicking on the My Computer icon. Then select "Properties".
Next, go to the item where additional parameters are displayed - to do this, pay attention to the left side of the window that opens.
Click on the tab labeled "Computer Name" and click on "Change" at the very bottom. Then a new window will open in front of you, where you have to create a name for the new group and save the change by clicking on "OK".

In order for the network printer setup to complete successfully, you also have to give access permission. Otherwise, setting up a windows 7 network printer can be a waste of time, because. other PCs connected to your local network will not be able to use this device. To set up your network printer properly, follow the steps below:

Open the "Network and Sharing Center" and in the left part of the window, find the item that implies changing advanced settings. Click on it to make the necessary changes to the configured device.
Go to "Network Neighborhood" through the section called "Home or work".
There you need to check the box that allows you to enable printer sharing. After making the changes, do not forget to save them by clicking on the appropriate button.

In general, with a competent and serious attitude, there should not be any problems with installing a network printer in windows 7, because. the procedure is not a complicated process. Next, you can learn how to properly connect an already installed device.

How to connect a network MFP correctly?

This action consists of two stages. The first is carried out directly on the PC to which the printer is physically connected.

In the control panel, you need to find the section with a list of printers and faxes, and go to it.
Next, determine the desired device to which you want to provide access over the network and click on it.
In the new window, double-click on the device settings, and then open the "Access" tab.
Find the item that implies sharing, and check it.
It is advisable to check the box next to "Rendering print jobs on client computers" as well.

The second stage of such a process as installing and configuring a printer over a network must be performed on all other PCs connected to the current local network.

Open the folder called Network. Locate Printer Setup on the top menu bar and click on it.
Open the section for adding a network device.
After the system searches for printers that are currently available for connection on the network, it will list them in the same window. Select the desired device among them and click on "Next".
After the connection is made, the system will definitely inform you about it. After that, the selected printer will be permanently displayed in the section with devices and printers.

But sometimes the question arises of how to install and how to configure the printer if the system cannot find any network device. Such a problem may appear even in the case of open public access and correctly configured locale settings. To answer the question of how to make this printing device visible, you will have to manually enter the path to it.

Open the "Add Printer" window after Windows cannot find any device available for printing over the network and click on the item that implies that the printer you need is not in the list.
Next, you will be asked to find the device by network address or its name. Check the box next to "Select printer by name".
Enter the computer name after the double backslash, then enter a single backslash and write the name of the printing device. You can find out the current network name by opening the "Access" section in its properties.

In general, an MFP made networked and connected via a local network will save on the purchase of several similar devices. As you can see, setting it up is quite easy. This is especially true for using the device at home or an organization with a large number of PCs, where buying dozens of printing devices is an inappropriate purchase.

Today we continue our acquaintance with local home network. When many computers are networked in one apartment, you can print photos using a network printer. Those. one printer can be used by all network users on a first-come, first-served basis. In this post, we will learn set up a network printer.

How to print to a network printer

There are several ways network printer settings. In this article, I will describe the method when the printer is connected to one of the computers, and the other computers print documents through this computer to which the printer is connected. Below is a diagram of how this happens.

Computers PC #1 and PC #2 merged into local home network, in which they can exchange files using a router. The printer is set up, physically connected with a USB cable to PC #1. We send a printout from PC #2 through the router PC #1, and then to the printer. The only disadvantage of this scheme is that PC #1 must be enabled if we want to print from PC #2. This is how we print to a network printer.

Connecting and configuring a network printer

So the printer is connected to PC #1, the drivers for this printer are configured, you can now set up LAN printing.

The first thing to do is make the printer public on the network. For this we go to Start - Printers and Faxes.

We choose our printer. Open the menu with the right mouse button and go to the item General access.

In the sharing settings window, select the radio switch to the position Share this printer.

Network Printer in Win7

In Win7, after you enter the printers, you will see something like this.

Select the printer, then its settings.

All on PC #1 the printer is open to the public. Now let's go to PC #2.

On the PC #2 do the following: go to Start - Printers and Faxes. Choose an icon Installing the Printer.

Choose the type of printer - network or connected to another computer.

After the overview of printers on the network is completed. Finding our printer PC #1 (in general, my computer is called ALEXADMIN).

Then in Printers and Faxes PC #2 the new printer will be displayed on ALEXADMIN (this means that this printer is located on another computer that is on the local network).

Installing a network printer in Win7

It is enough to select the necessary one from the list of available network printers and the system will do everything by itself.

Installing the printer can be done a little faster.

To do this, you must enter the network environment, display workgroup computers.

There are two computers PC #1ALEXADMIN and PC #2Nadia.

Let me remind you that we are setting up network printing with PC #2Nadia on the PC #1ALEXADMIN.

We go ( I remind you come with PC #2Nadiathrough network environment) on the PC #1ALEXADMIN and see those resources that are shared on the local home network, including the printer that is connected to this computer. We click on this printer and further it will be installed and displayed in the list of new printers.

In the seven it looks a little different, but the principle is the same.

Open by clicking on the monitor icon in the tray, Network and Sharing Center.

We select a network.

Having selected a network, we will see the computers of the workgroup in which we are located. And we need the PC on which the printer is located. In this case, this ALEX.

Going to ALEX, we will see the resources available on this computer, including the printer.

On this, perhaps, that's all. Any questions write in the comments.

If you have several PCs, it is completely impractical to purchase a separate printer for each of them. It is much more convenient and economical to simply combine computers into a single network and organize printing documents from them on one MFP.

In this case, all PC users in the group will receive additional opportunities provided by the numerous functions of the printing device.

The essence of the procedure

In order to ensure printing of documents from computers on the local network, it is necessary to open access to the device on a PC with an MFP connected to it. Of course, the machines must be combined into a single working group.

This point is especially important when there are PCs on the network that work not only on the latest versions of Windows, but also on other OS modifications. It should be noted that the number of combined computers is not limited.

Each machine on a local area network (LAN) has the ability to access all the functionality of an MFP or a simple printer, provided they are properly configured.

In essence, a LAN is nothing more than a communication system that provides convenient use of peripheral resources from any PC in the group, i.e. printers, optical drives, plotters, hard drives, etc.

Below is a guide to setting up the printer over a local network in cases where it is equipped with a special connector for direct connection to a wired Internet, as well as when the device is connected to a separate PC on a LAN.

The negative aspects of the second case include the fact that you can work with the printer from other machines only if the computer is turned on, directly connected to the MFP.

How to create a PC group?

First, let's take a step-by-step look at the process of organizing one such working association with the most popular OS installed - Windows 7:

PC setup step

For computers with Windows 7 and with younger versions of the OS, when installing a printer, there is usually no need to manually install drivers, since modern operating systems find them on their own and install them on the computer after automatic download.

However, it is not uncommon, during the setup phase, to install the appropriate software for the model.

It is recommended to prepare in advance either a complete removable media with software, or first save it on your computer by downloading it from an official source on the global network of the printer manufacturer.

Immediately after connecting the printer to the PC via a cable or via Wi-Fi (if the router has the appropriate print server function), a notification will be displayed on the monitor about the successful completion of the procedure, and if not, you will need to do manual debugging and install the software yourself.

To do this, just follow a few steps:

Organizing access to the printer

At the next stage, you need to make sure that the equipment is accessible from other PCs located on the LAN. If you want to do this in Ubuntu, then it is recommended to use Samba, that is, a Linux server that creates a Windows network environment. Thus, computers on this OS will treat all PCs on Linux as if they were running Windows.

If you need to start printing documents from Mac OS X, then in the Print dialog, clicking on Printer will display a list of the appropriate equipment.

This operating system already includes a significant number of drivers for most models of devices used for printing, so there are no difficulties when directly connecting a PC to a printer, but network peripherals have to be registered separately.

At the end of this guide, there is a methodology that describes all the step-by-step actions for this.

And if you want to configure in Windows, then you need to follow these steps:

Setting up a PC located on the local network in order to be able to print from it to a shared printer

Unfortunately, in many offices of our domestic companies, computer equipment is not often updated, and so far the outdated Windows XP remains a very common OS in the PCs of employees of Russian enterprises.

Therefore, the instruction is given on the example of this legendary shell. But happy owners of modern operating systems should not be upset, since the algorithm of actions in them is absolutely the same. At this stage, a local network has already been organized, or all PCs are in a single group.

It only takes a few of the following steps:

Through "IP"

If there are difficulties with indicating the exact PC from a large list of machines, which often happens in large firms, then the task is quickly solved through the IP that is issued by the router.

When you enter the exact address of the PC and the name of the printer, the system will immediately establish the computer's access to the equipment.

Then click on the connection you are using.

In the menu that appears, click "Details".

From the next window, rewrite the IP.

Then comes the already familiar process and, at the end, a printout of a test sheet.

If the printer is equipped with a print server

Many MFPs have a port for connecting to an internet cable, eliminating the need to constantly keep one PC on, which is directly connected to the equipment.

The sequence of actions consists of the following steps:

Note: the above methods are most often used to solve the question. The choice of the optimal method in each specific case depends on the configuration of the devices used in the network.

Installing a network MFP in Mac OS

If there is no device in the list of equipment, you will first need to install software from the manufacturer for a specific model. Then you can proceed with the following steps:

Through the "Printer" menu, open the "Print" service;
Click "Edit printer list";
Click "Add Printer";
Specify: a) "LPR Printers using IP" or b) "AppleTalk";
If option "A" is selected, then specify the IP of the equipment;
If "B" - you will need to activate "AppleTalk" in the network settings.

If a house or company has several computers (PCs) and only one printer, then it would be more expedient to connect the printer via a local network. This will allow you to print documents from any computer, even if the gadget itself is not directly connected to a working computer.

Connecting and installing the driver

First of all, you need to connect the printer to the PC and install all the necessary drivers. You can do this in the following way:

After that, the printer will work in standard mode. Also, modern models require the installation of a cartridge and one sheet of paper. This is necessary for diagnosis, and the result will be printed on a sheet.

There is also a way to connect via Wi-Fi (if this function is supported):

Need install drivers on the PC, and plug the device into a power outlet.
Required after reboot turn on wifi on PC.
Go to Start and go to devices and printers.
Select the desired gadget and right-click to make it default device.

After such actions, all files for printing will be sent to the device wirelessly.

We create a local network

To connect and configure a printer over a local network in Windows 7, 8, 10, you first need to create it:

Go to control Panel.
Choose network control center and general access.
In the left column go to Change adapter settings.
Right-click on the local network icon and select properties.
Put a check mark next to the line internet protocol version 4 and enter properties.
A window will open with computer address, netmask, and default gateway. The first line must be changed to 192.168.1.1, this value will change for each connected PC. Change the second line to 255.255.255.0. The third line must differ from the first by at least one digit.
Then you need to choose type of future network. It is recommended to choose homemade.

For the second computer, we repeat the instruction, but change the last digit of the address, for example, to 192.168.1.2. The mask and gateway must be identical, otherwise the computers will not connect. Thus, a local network will be created.

Sharing the printer

To allow any user to print files, a network printer needs to be shared. To do this, follow the instructions:

Press keyboard shortcut win+R.
Enter command controlprinters and execute it.
All gadgets will be displayed in the window that appears. Necessary choose one of them, set as default and go to its properties.
In the access tab provide general.
Also provide drivers that will automatically installed to connected devices.
The system will ask folder path with the necessary drivers. The files are required to run and extract the contents.
Select folder to extract files or create a new one.
Click for review and select the path to this folder.
Go to devices and printers and go to the property of the selected device.
On the security tab, check the box next to printing in the column allow.

If an error pops up after trying to connect to the printer, then you should check if Windows Defender is enabled. Quite often, when it is activated, all problems with gaining access go away. After that, the local printer will become a network printer.

How to connect to a network printer

You can find a network printer and connect to it on another computer as follows:

After that, it is enough to open any file for printing and print it through the top menu. The network device will be displayed in absolutely any PC program with which it is possible to send a document to print.

Connecting a network printer

Simply connecting the printer to a local network is not always effective. For example, it will not be possible to print a file if the PC connected to the printing device is not functioning. To avoid such inconveniences, network printers are used. Their connection is as follows:

Connect cable into the Ethernet port on the printer, and the other end into the router.
In the event that a Wi-Fi connection is supported, it is enough enter password and login to connect to the network.
Press keyboard shortcut win+R, enter the command controlprinters. Run it.
From above will install button. Click on it.
Add local printer, click next.
Mark line creating a new port and proceed further.
Put the address device, which can be found in the settings. Uncheck the device polling line. Click next and wait.
In a new window go to options and set the following values:
Install drivers from disk.
Then set a name device, click next.
In the last window, check the box to enable the device used by default.