Tips on how to network 2 computers to same printer
Many times, you may need to connect more than one computer to a single printer. This can happen either in the case of home based businesses with various groups or even in regular offices with many users involved.
Tips to connect 2 computers to one printer
While going about connecting 2 computers to one printer, you need to follow a few steps to ensure the process is smooth and hassle-free. Here we outline some of these basic steps.
Connection: To be able to connect both computers to a single printer you need to setup printer on "client" PC:
- Connect printer to "client" PC and install it. This way all required software and drivers are installed.
- Reconnect to "host" PC
- Select "Properties" by right clicking
- Select "shared"
- In "client" PC:
- Select "My Network Places" or "Network Neighborhood"
- Printer appears as "shared"
- Double click on the printer to install it
- The same printer is now installed twice - as local and network printer
- If always using network printer, set it as "default"
Set up a LAN:
- To be able to perform a 2 pc 1 printer connection, you first need to set up a LAN or a Local Area Network. To do this, follow these instructions:
- You could either use a network adapter in your home office OR
- To view the status of the network connection, you need to
- Double click on Network Connections
- Right click on the particular LAN
- Select Status option
- You could also right click on the LAN, click on Properties and then select the "Show icon in taskbar notification area when connected" checkbox. This will enable you to automatically view the status in the taskbar area
Get a printer switch: Printer switches enable you to connect 2 computers to one printer. They come in a variety of types such as auto printer switch and parallel printer switch. There are several vendors available online who provide these switches at good discounts.
Crossover cable: You can easily get a crossover cable from your local computer store to connect your computers to your printer. After that you can network and open the desired printer and enable it to be shared between both computers.
Print server: A print server enables you to print simultaneously from two computers at the same time. However you need to ensure you have a router (which will act as a DHCP server). You also need to make sure that it's not a multifunctional printer you're working with since most print servers are not able to work with such kinds of printers. In case you do not have a router, you could purchase a PSUS4 print server, then assign static IP on the network cards and print server.
No network ports present: In case there are no network ports present, then you can use either USB or parallel port adapters for your purpose.
Did you also check out our Printer & Printer Ink Cartridges Related FAQ pages?
Looking for printer review? Check out our Printer Reviews section! New
Do you need Printer Drivers? We have more than 1600 printer drivers and they are all free!!!
Start shopping ink cartridges here!!!
See speacials page for software and other products on sale...
Related Articles:
- Printer & Printer Ink Cartridges How To's & Troubleshooting
- Finding Printer and Other Hardware Installation Software
- Five Easy Steps to Setting Up A Wireless Printer
- Golden Principles to Use If Your Printer Does Not Recognize Compatible or Recycled Cartridge
- How Can I Fix the Connection Between my Printer and PC?
- How Can I Set up my Printer so It Does not Print Blank Pages?
- How Can I Uninstall Printer Drivers & Printer Software Files?
- How Can you Share the Printer between Different Computer Operation Systems (XP Pro, XP Home, Linux)
- How do I Clear what is in the Printer Spool?
- How do I get computer to recognize printer?
- How Do I Get Print PDF to Show in My Printer List?
- How do Printer Manufacturers Calculate Expected Print Yield of Printer Cartridge?
- How Do They Print the Photos to Put on Birthday Cakes?
- How Do You Stop Printer Software from Doing Automatic Printer Cleaning Cycle to Save Ink?
- How to Add and Remove a Printer?
- How to Assign an IP Address to Your Printer?
- How to Be a Green-Living Techno Geek
- How to be a Printer Technician?
- How to Calculate the Real Cost of Ownership for an Inkjet Printer
- How to Change Printer Driver setting so I can save on Printer Ink Cartridge Consumption?
- How to Change Size of Print Out So It will Fit the Printer Size
- How to Change Your Printer Ink Cartridges?
- How to Clean a Clogged Printer Head
- How to Clean a Printer
- How to Clean an Inkjet Printer from The Inside?
- How to Clean Nozzle on Your Cartridges?
- How to Clean Printer Cartridges?
- How to Continue Printing When one or more of your Cartridges in your Printer says No Ink?
- How to Create Postcards with your Printer
- How to Delete / Remove Old Printers from Local & Network
- How to Disable File and Printer Sharing in Windows XP?
- How to Find and Install Printer Driver Software For an Old Printer?
- How to Find Hardware and Printer Driver for Mac or Old Windows OS
- How to Find the Best Quality and Cheapest Compatible or Remanufactured Cartridges for your HP, Dell, Canon, Brother or Epson Printers
- How to Find Your Printer Model
- How to Fix a Laser Printer? – Easy Tips and Common Troubleshooting
- How to Fix a Printer Paper Jam on Your Ink Jet Printer?
- How to Free Up Hard Drive Space
- How to Get Maximum Ink from Cartridge?
- How to Get Printer Ink off Hands (or pets)?
- How to Get Printer Ink Stain out of Clothing and Other Surfaces
- How to Get Your Printer Recognize Your Generic Cartridges?
- How to install your printer software to your computer
- How to know when it is Time to Change Your Laser Printer Drum Cartridge?
- How to Network 2 Computers to Same Printer
- How to Print Checks with Accounting Software
- How to Print Photos From your Digital Camera or Phone Wirelessly?
- How to Print Test Page on Your Inkjet Printer & Align your Printer Cartridge?
- How to Refill a Cartridge
- How to Remove and Uninstall Software from Your Computer
- How to Remove Ink Stain
- How to Reset Your Printer? Troubleshooting for Resetting your HP, Dell, Lexmark, Brother or Samsung Printers
- How to Set Up a Network Printer?
- How to setup a Wireless Printer?
- How to Stop a Printer from Printing?
- How To Store Printer Ink Cartridges If You Are Not Going To Be Using Them For a Long Time?
- How to Use Your Printer to Cope with Grief
- If I have 4 Cartridges in my Printer, and only one is empty, Can I Still Print?
- Refilling Cartridges: Questions, Troubleshooting & Answers
- What are the Common Reasons for Printers to Keep Getting Paper Jams?
- What are the Differences between Owning a Laser or Inkjet Printer?
- What is the Difference between Ink Cartridge, Printhead & Toner Cartridge?
Disclaimer
PrintCountry offers a wide range of replacement cartridges, generic printer supplies, remanufactured and recycled printer inkjet cartridges for various brands like HP.com , Dell.com, Epson.com, BrotherUSA.com, Lexmark.com, Samsung.com, Canon.com and other brands less known than HP, Epson, Brother, Dell like Pitney Bowes, Minolta, Mita, Kodak printers. All brand names mentioned on this page are used for demonstrative purposes only. PrintCountry is not associated, affiliated or connected with. At PrintCountry.com besides offering deep discounted warehouse prices and online shopping offers and promotions for compatible toner cartridges, replacement printer ink cartridges, you can also find printer reviews about the most popular, best rated, newest printers, coupons and promos for other printing equipment manufacturers, do it yourself guides from friendly kid projects using your printer to great gift ideas using things like photo paper and your printers features. Whether you would like to buy your printer supplies online at discount prices, or save a bunch on cheap ink cartridges without sacrificing from quality prints, we hope you will find our website a good resource & guide to your print supply shopping needs.
