Local Area Network

So now that you have your network setup and computers should be talking to each other what do you do now? Well there are many things you can do. If this is for a home network that will stay in place you can share out folders or hard drives. You can also share out printers witch we will be talking about here.

So you have Network setup with a router maybe a switch or two and cable running all over your house. But we have a problem the only printer you have connected to your network is plugged into the back of a computer. Here is what you do. Go to the computer that has the printer plugged into it. Click on Start --> Printers and Faxes. A new window will open and you should see your installed printer. Right click on that printer and select "Sharing". A new window will open up and you will see the button "Share this printer". Check it and give the printer a shared name. The name can be anything I always try to put the printer model in the name; for example "HP4600". Once you have done that press OK and windows will do the rest.



Now to your 2nd computer on the network you will want to click on Start --> Printers and Faxes but this time you are going to click on "Add a printer". In this window click Next select the button that reads "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer NEXT. Connect to a printer (or browse for a printer, select this option and click next) NEXT. Type the shared name of the printer in the box NEXT. You should see your shared printer. Double click it and it will ask you to pick the drivers to install. Find that models drivers and let windows install them.

Print the test page when it asks you and tada you are done.