Add a Network printer to Windows Vista or Windows XP

Now days the average household has more than one computer and share available resources over a home network. No-ones wants their house cluttered up with unnecessary office equipment, and this is exactly the reason why we need to use a network printer. For example if you have three computers on your home network you would only need one printer for them all. Windows XP and Vista allow you to use computer hardware that is connected to another computer on your Network. Here’s how to add a Network Printer.
What do you need to add a network printer?

1. A network printer can be a printer that is already installed on one computer in your home or office network. It does not have to be anything special.
2. You need to know the actual computer name that the printer is installed on. How to find the Computer Name?
3. Printer Sharing has to be enabled. (Go to Control Panel>Printers Settings Icon>right click on the printer icon and choose sharing. Also create a simple name for your printer here.)
4. The share name of you shared printer. It usually is the brand of the printer which could be cannon bj3000, however I like to rename it just printer.

How to add a network printer onto your home network:

1. Go to the control panel which can be found by clicking the start button.
2. In the left bar click on switch to classic view.
3. Then click on the Printer and Faxes Icon.
4. Choose to Add Printer in the left sidebar.
5. A dialog box will appear. You can choose to add a network Printer. Then ask the computer to find it. If it does find it your done.
6. When the computer does not find your network printer manually type it in yourself.

1. I have written \\server\printer$ then I pressed Next. Server is the name of the computer that has the printer installed on it, and Printer$ is the name I gave my printer when I enabled sharing.

Advantages and disadvantages to having a network printer?
Advantages:

* You only need one printer for your entire network.
* You save money on office equipment.
* You save space.

Disadvantages:

* If another user is printing hundreds of pages on the network printer you will have to wait for them to finish printing.
* The computer the network printer is attached to must be on for the printer to function.

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