Topic: wireless printer

[KRO]

sorry if this is a dumb question, but is it possible for my son to use my desktop pc printer on his wireless laptop without hard wiring it, or do we need to purchase further gizmo's 

[Simon]

As far as I know, if it's not a wireless printer, you could add it to the laptop in the network settings, but the desktop PC would have to be on for the printer to work with the laptop.  You would also need to ensure that File and Printer Sharing is enabled on both machines, and depending on which firewall(s) are being used, you may need to enable printer sharing in those too. 

If you need more help, let us know what versions of Windows are on both machines. 

[Rik]

And also specifically share the printer, and give it a network name. Most of my printers have off my main desktop, but are available to other machines in this way (usually it's as simple as adding the printer, it will pull the necessary driver files from the host machine). It's also possible to buy networking printers, and I have my laser available in this way, so that all the machines have access to a printer regardless of the state of the main desktop.

[KRO]

As far as I know, if it's not a wireless printer, you could add it to the laptop in the network settings, but the desktop PC would have to be on for the printer to work with the laptop.  You would also need to ensure that File and Printer Sharing is enabled on both machines, and depending on which firewall(s) are being used, you may need to enable printer sharing in those too. 

If you need more help, let us know what versions of Windows are on both machines. 



hi, my desktop is on windows XP and my lads laptop is on vista   

[Simon]

Shouldn't make any difference.  Mine is like that too.  Just go to Network and Sharing Center on the laptop, and you should see a link to Add Printer.  Make sure the desktop PC is switched on, and that both desktop and laptop can 'see' each other, and the laptop should find the printer and drag the drivers across.

And do what Rik said. 

[KRO]

thanks simon and rik, i'll give it a try...................