Hooking up a printer

Hello, you could opt for the USB connection. Plug one end of the cable into the USB port on your computer. After, plug in the power cable and turn on the printer.

SETTING UP A SHARED NETWORK PRINTER
Any printer that isconnected to a computer and is connected on a LAN can be configured so allother computers on the same network can print to this printer. This means thecomputer with the printer attached to it MUST be booted up at all times whenother computers want to access the printer.You need to install theprinter driver on the computer and configure it as a Shared printer.The other computers on thenetwork need to add this printer to their computer.Follow these steps toset-up a shared network printer :-1. Connect the printer tothe computer and install the printer driver.2. Open Printers and Faxes- right click on this printer and click Sharing - click Sharing tab and click Share this printer, and then if you wish you could change theShare name, then click OK3. Right click on theprinter - click Properties - click Print Test Page to confirm printerinstallation.Follow these steps toconfigure the computers on your network :-1. Open Printers and Faxes- click Add a printer - Next - select a network printer, or a printer attached to another computer - Next.2. Select Browser for aprinter - Next3. Click on and expand theMicrosoft Windows Network down to the computer with the printer - Next4. Select Yes for - Usethis printer as the default printer - Next - Finish5.Right click on the printer - click Properties - click Print Test Page toconfirm printer installation.

Yes, if both these computers are on a network (wireless or wired, doesn't matter), the printer can be shared on the XP machine and then found and installed on the Vista machine.
The only disadvantage is that the sharing machine must be on all the time in order to make the printer available to the other computer.
To share a printer, open the Printers and Faxes applet from Start Menu -> Settings, right-click your printer and choose Sharing. The system will guide you.
Afterwards on the Vista computer you must install a new printer and tell it to search for a network printer - it should be found and installed quite easily.

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Go to your network and sharing center. Choose homegroup and sharing options. Change advanced sharing settings. Under your home or work profile, scroll down to file sharing connections. Switch to enable file sharing for devices that use 40 or 56 bit encryption. If that does not work, under password protected sharing, select "turn off password protected sharing". This is not recommended if you use your computer in multiple locations (laptop). I have found that turning all of these features off, running a scan from the printer successfully and then turning them back on, Windows seems to be comfortable allowing the printer to connect to the computer.

generally the printers with single USB port are dedicated for use with one computer.

However, depending on the way you connect the computers you can share the printer with more than one computer.
1. SET THE SECOND COMPUTER UP AS A NETWORK PRINTER

This is one of the most common ways to connect two home computers to the same printer. The advantage of this technique is that it doesn't cost you anything extra. You do require some computer literacy in networking though.

Firstly you physically connect the first computer to the printer via the provided cables. The second computer now needs to be set up as a network printer to have printing capabilities. The computer not physically hooked up sends a message via the network to the computer which is physically connected to print.

To set up the network connection in Windows follow these steps:

-Open the control panel

-Select the network or network and sharing icon

-You should see an icon named file and print sharing or simply print sharing. Turn on printer sharing if it is off.

(This requires your two computers to already share a network connection; otherwise you will have to set this up).
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/print_sharingw.mspx?mfr=true
2. PURCHASE A PRINTER SWITCH

A simple old fashioned way to connect two computers to one printer is by hooking them up to one switchbox in the middle. This switch is what is connected to the printer. This is a similar method to using a router to distribute the Internet to more then one computer.

This method is good for people who aren't very computer literate when it comes to networking. All you have to do is plug the cables in and off you go. However, it has one large disadvantage which is that the computers and printer all have to be in close proximity for the cables to reach.
The printer server should support the printer so that you can get maximum functionality from the printer device (including the multifunction feature).

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Gray-Steel-Two-Ports-Printer-Sharing-USB-Switch-Box-/180502082365?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Computers_Printer_Accessories&hash=item2a06c3333d

3. You can buy a printer server but for that you need to make sure the device fully supports the printer you have got including the multifunction features. Both computers will need to have network connection.
Something like http://www.netgear.com.au/au/Product/Print-Servers/Wired-Print-Servers/PS121

or
http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=354892

Any printer that is connected to a computer and is connected on a LAN can be configured so all other computers on the same network can print to this printer. This means the computer with the printer attached to it MUST be booted up at all times when other computers want to access the printer.
You need to install the printer driver on the computer and configure it as a Shared printer.
The other computers on the network need to add this printer to their computer.
Follow these steps to setup a shared network printer :-
1. Connect the printer to the computer and install the printer driver.
2. Open Printers and Faxes - right click on this printer and click Sharing - click Sharing tab and click Share this printer, then if you wish you can change the Share name, then click OK

You can buy an A/B switch (mechanical), share the printer on your network (if you have a network) or buy a print server (also requires a network).

On the computer that the printer is connected to, go into the Printers and Faxes window, RIGHT click on the printer you want to share and select "Sharing...". After you finish going through the printer sharing wizard, go to a different PC and try to add a printer, select network printer. Make sure that the computer that is sharing the printer is on during this process, it sounds strange to have to mention this I know but you would be surprised. I'll check back later to see how things worked out.

to clarify this, you need to install the printer in a computer that is connected to a Local Area Network lets call it computer 1. Once the printer is connected to the computer 1, share the printer by going to the start/settings/ printers. Right click on the lexmark e120 printer and click share. Click share this printer. Once done the printer that is connect to computer 1 is now on the network. on the other computer lets call it computer 2, to to start/settings/printer and click add printer/ select network printer and then browse the printer in the network and select it so that it will be added. Now you computer 2 has a network printer installed. try printing, make sure not to turn off the computer 1 when printing, or else it wont print.

Hello

I gonna try to help you.
1. you need all the computers connected to same network.
2. you need to share your printer from the computer where the printer is connected to.
to share
a. go to control panel->printers and rightclick on your printer click sharing.
b. then share that printer and give it a share name and then OK.
click here to see pictures exact information about sharing.

c. you also need to know what your computer that shares the printer is named.
to find out go to control panel->system settings and tab computer name. write that down
a shortcut to this windows is "windows button flag" + Pause Break button.

3. go to the computer you want to install the printer on.
this computer need to be in the same network as the one with the printer.
4. click start menu then ->run and write "\\computername" and press enter. computer name is that name you write down in c.
5. then a window should appear and you can now double click on your printer that you shared, then it should auto install. done.
6. if you can find your computer with the printer, check your firewall settings on the computer that shares the printer so the connection doesn't been blocked.

good luck, if you need more help don't be afraid to get in contact with me. true fixya forum or fixya live chat

good luck
Dell-Net