Printing over the network Options

[dconant1]

I have 5 computers on my home network. Only one laptop (Windows 7 OS) is connected to the Samsung 2510 printer. I would like to get the other four (2 XP laptops, 1 Vista Desktop, 1 XP Desktop) to print to the Samsung. How do I do that?
Dick

[8210GUY]

I don't know that printer, and couldn't guide personally on how to do it, but Samsung have a networking guide that you can follow, and hopefully that will get you sorted, hope it helps.
Samsung Guide Type Networking into the FAQ's search box, and it's the 2nd link.

*edit
Couldn't link directly to the specific FAQ.

This post has been edited by 8210GUY: Nov 10 2012, 09:39 AM

[Ztruker]

Right click on the printer in Devices and Printers and select Printer Properties.
Click on the Sharing tab then check the Share this printer box.
Click Apply and OK.

The printer should now be visible on the network.

The easiest way I've found to add a shared printer is to open Network Places and browse to the printer on the Windows 7 system.
Double click on it and it will be installed.

[appleoddity]

Dconant1 - technically speaking, as referenced by my colleagues, sharing a printer is quite simple. In reality, you are asking to share a printer between three different operating systems and most likely two differnet architectures (32-bit and 64-bit).

I read up on this printer and it appears it may already be "network ready" so that you can attach this printer directly to your network which will make using this printer from all the computers in the house a breeze. In your situation, using a "network ready" printer attached directly to the network is certainly the preferred way to go now a days. Many new printers even have wireless built in so you just connect them to your wireless network and print from any computer. If your printer is network ready, unhook it from your laptop, plug it directly into your network router/switch with an ethernet cable and configure it according to the manual from Samsung. Then, all you have to do is download and install the software for each operating system and architecture.

If you share through your Windows 7 machine, I can only say good luck. You will not only have to load the 64-bit drivers on your Windows 7 machine (assuming it is 64-bit), you will have to figure out how to load the 32-bit drivers along with it so that your Vista and XP machines can work with it. In addition, there is no shortage of un-necessary complication added into Windows 7 with the homegroups feature. And ofcourse, your WIndows 7 laptop will have to be on and available at all times for anybody else to print. If its network ready, it just really doesn't make any sense to share a printer through another computer.