How to Print to a Printer on a Different Network

How to Print to a Printer on a Different Network



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A network printer is a printer that tin can be used past many dissimilar computers on a domicile or office network. If you have a Wi-Fi or traditional (wired) network printer, you lot tin can directly connect it to the network and so other users can add together it through their settings.
[1]

Only if the printer isn’t network-enabled, you tin add information technology as a local printer and share information technology on your network. This wikiHow will teach you how to add a network printer on Windows or macOS, as well as how to share a local printer with your network.

  1. 1

    Install any required software for your printer.

    [2]

    First, if the printer is already on the network and you just desire to add it to your Windows PC, skip to step 3. If it’s your start time adding this printer to the network, you’ll ofttimes need software to get it online. Cheque the instruction manual that came with your printer to observe out for certain. If software is needed, you’ll ordinarily discover it on the printer manufacturer’s website in a section called
    Support
    or
    Software.

    • Any figurer on the network should be able to get the printer online the first time. Once it’s online, others on the network can add together information technology.
    • If the printer isn’t network-capable, see the
      Sharing a Printer on a PC
      method.
  2. 2

    Connect the printer to the network.
    Nigh modern printers can connect via Wi-Fi, but some demand a wired (ethernet) connection.

    • If your printer is Wi-Fi capable, use its congenital-in menu display to select a network to bring together. Refer to your printer’southward documentation or look upwardly the model online for exact instructions.
      [3]
    • For a wired printer, insert one end of an ethernet cable into the printer’s LAN or network port, and the other into a network port on the router. If the printer has a built-in brandish carte, you may demand to run an initial network setup on it to get it online.
    • You might need to connect the printer to a PC with a USB cable to go it onto the network for the first time. This is usually true for printers without born display menus. If the printer doesn’t take a brandish (or the instructions tell yous to do so), connect it to your PC with a USB cable, and then use the software you downloaded from the manufacturer’s website to become the printer online. Once online, you lot can disconnect the USB cable.
    • You (or your network administrator) may need to change your router’south settings to allow other computers on the network to add the printer.

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  3. 3

    Open your Windows Settings .
    Once the printer is on the network, y’all can add it on whatever of the networked computers. You’ll find this choice in the Windows menu, which is usually at the lesser-left corner of the screen.
    [4]

    • Brand sure your computer is on the same wireless (or wired) network equally the printer. If you’re connected to different networks, you won’t exist able to add the printer to your calculator.
    • If a Mac on the network wants to use this printer, see
      Calculation a Network Printer on a Mac.
  4. 4

    Click


    Devices

    .

    It’southward the 2nd icon in the peak row.

  5. 5

    Click


    Printers and scanners

    .

    It’s in the left panel under “Devices.”

  6. six

    Click


    + Add a printer or scanner

    .

    Information technology’s at the top of the correct console. This tells Windows to search for printers (and scanners) on the network.

  7. seven

    Select the printer and click


    Add device

    .

    If you lot see the printer y’all desire to add, click to select and install it. Once installed, you’ll be able to select the printer from the print screen in whatsoever app. If you don’t see the printer, continue to the adjacent footstep.

  8. 8

    Add the printer if it isn’t found automatically.
    If the printer doesn’t announced, click
    The printer that I want isn’t listed, select
    Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer, and click
    Side by side. If it comes up, click it to add it.

    • If you still tin can’t discover the printer, make sure it’s turned on and connected to the network properly. Restarting the printer can also help. If information technology’south a wireless printer with a built-in display, try disconnecting and reconnecting to the wireless network using the on-printer controls.
    • Another option is to use the printer’s IP address (due east.1000., 192.168.0.1), which you lot’ll usually discover in the congenital-in display menu under
      Network,
      Settings, or
      Wi-Fi.

      [5]

      Once you accept the IP, try adding the printer over again—when it isn’t found, click
      The printer that I want isn’t listed, select
      Add together a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname, and follow the on-screen instructions to enter the IP address. This should detect the printer.
    • If y’all still tin’t observe the printer, download the latest version of the printer’southward software from the manufacturer’southward website and install it (if you haven’t already). Open the software and choose the pick that lets you add the printer through the software, which will then register it to Windows.
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  1. 1

    Connect your printer to the network.
    First, if the printer is already on the network and you just want to use it to print, skip to step 2. Otherwise, most mod printers support AirPrint, which makes information technology piece of cake to connect a printer to your Mac without installing additional software.
    [half dozen]

    If the printer doesn’t support AirPrint only is compatible with macOS, you’ll exist prompted to install the printer’s software during setup.

    • If your printer is Wi-Fi capable, use its built-in menus to select a network to bring together. Refer to your printer’s documentation or look up the model online for exact instructions.
      [7]
    • For a wired connection, insert i stop of an ethernet cable into the printer’due south LAN or network port, and the other end into an available network port on your router. Y’all may need to use the built-in brandish menus to bring together the network.
    • Depending on the printer, you may take to connect it to any networked Mac with a USB cable to get it online. This is oft the case with Wi-Fi printers that don’t support AirPrint, as well as printers without built-in display menus that let you lot connect to a network. Once the printer is connected via USB, install its software from the manufacturer’s website, and follow the on-screen instructions to get it online. Disconnect the USB cable in one case the printer is online.
    • If the printer you want to use cannot be put on a network, run into the
      Sharing a Printer on a Mac
      method.
  2. 2

    Open your


    Organisation Preferences

    .

    Y’all’ll detect it in the Apple tree menu, which is at the height-left corner of the screen.

  3. iii

    Click


    Printers and Scanners

    .

    A list of printers, including the ane you continued to the network, will announced in the left panel.

  4. four

    Select your printer and click


    Add

    .

    This should add the printer to your network, making information technology possible to select this printer from the print dialog in any app.

    • If y’all don’t see the printer, click
      +
      at the bottom of the left panel and await for your Mac to locate it. When information technology shows up, click it and select
      Add.
    • If you still can’t find the printer, make sure information technology’s turned on and continued to the network. Restarting information technology tin can likewise help. If it’s a Wi-Fi printer with a built-in display, disconnect from the network, reconnect, and and then try again.
    • You may also be able to use the printer’south built-in display to get its IP address (eastward.g., 192.168.0.i) and add together it that way. You’ll unremarkably notice the IP in a menu called
      Network,
      Settings
      or
      Wi-Fi. When you discover it, click the
      +
      nether the left panel, select
      IP, and enter the IP address, protocol, and other info equally requested. The protocol could be
      AirPrint
      (if supported), HP JetDirect (some HP printers), Line Printer Daemon (older printers), or Internet Press Protocol (most other non-AirPrint printers). This should add the printer.
  5. five

    Click


    Download & Install


    if prompted.

    macOS includes the necessary software for many printers, but if additional software is required, you’ll be prompted to download information technology now. Follow the on-screen instructions to do and then.

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  1. 1

    Connect the printer to a PC on the network.
    If your printer doesn’t support Wi-Fi or ethernet, you can still share it on the network. To do this, you’ll install it as a local printer on one PC and share it so others can find it on the network. If you’ve already fix up the printer on one of the networked PCs, skip this step. Otherwise:

    • Kickoff, if you just want to add a printer that’s already shared on the network, skip to pace xiii.
    • Connect the printer to a Windows PC using a USB cable and turn it on. Make sure to employ a PC that is usually turned on in case somebody on the network needs to print. In some cases, this volition immediately add the printer to Windows, simply continue with these steps to make sure
    • Click the Windows menu and select
      Settings
      (the gear).
    • Click
      Devices.
    • Click
      Printers & scanners.
    • Click
      Add together a printer or scanner.
    • Select the USB printer and click
      Add device. If yous don’t meet the printer, click
      The printer that I want isn’t listed
      and follow the on-screen instructions to add it manually.
      [viii]
  2. two

    Open your Windows Settings .
    Information technology’s in the Windows card at the bottom-left corner.

  3. 3

    Click


    Devices

    .

    It’s the second icon in the summit row.

  4. 4

    Click


    Printers & scanners


    in the left console.

    A list of connected printers will appear.

  5. 5

    Select the printer y’all want to share and click


    Manage

    .

    Information near this printer will appear.

  6. half-dozen

    Click


    Printer backdrop

    .

    Information technology’s the third link below the “Open impress queue” button.

  7. 7

    Click the


    Sharing


    tab.

    Information technology’southward ane of the tabs at the meridian of the window.

  8. viii

    Check the box side by side to “Share this printer.”
    This allows you to edit the remaining settings.

    • Y’all may need to click the
      Alter Sharing Options
      push before you lot can make this change.
  9. 9

    Name the printer.
    The name you type into the “Share name” field will be the name of the printer on the network.

    • If at that place are any Mac computers on the network that might need to print, the printer’south proper noun must non include any characters other than these:
      A-Z, a-z, 0-nine, !, $, *, (, ), _, +, -, ‘, and . (flow).
      [9]
  10. 10

    Click


    OK

    .

    The printer is now shared.

  11. 11

    Adjust your sharing settings.
    You lot’ll need to change some settings at the network level so the printer is available to others:

    • Correct-click the Windows menu at the lesser-left corner and select
      Network Connections.
    • Click
      Network and Sharing Center
      under “Advanced network settings.”
    • Click
      Alter advanced sharing settings
      in the left panel.
    • Aggrandize the current profile (the commencement card) to observe the “Network discovery” and “File and printer sharing” sections.
    • Select
      Turn on network discovery
      so this PC (and thus the printer) is visible on the network.
    • Select
      Turn on file and printer sharing
      if it’s not already selected.
    • Click
      Save Changes
      at the lesser.
  12. 12

    Find your PC’s name.
    Anyone who can admission this printer will demand to know the name of the PC to add together it to their printer list. To exercise this:

    • In the search bar at the bottom-left corner of the screen, blazon
      computer name.
    • Click
      View your PC name.
    • Write downwards (or remember) the name under “Device name.”
  13. xiii

    Add the printer on some other computer.
    As long as the computer that needs to print is on the same network every bit the one sharing the printer, it’ll be possible to add the printer in that computer’south Settings panel. The steps are different between PCs and Macs:

    • Windows:
      • On the computer that needs to print, click the Windows/Offset button and go to
        Settings
        >
        Devices
        >
        Printers and scanners.
      • Click
        Add together a printer or scanner
        at the top of the right panel.
      • Select the networked printer and click
        Add Device. Done! But If the printer isn’t listed, read on.
      • Click
        The printer I desire isn’t listed
        and and then click
        Select a shared printer past name.
      • Enter the shared printer’s name in the format
        \computername\printername
        and follow the on-screen instructions to add the printer.
    • Mac:
      • Open the Apple menu and get to
        System Preferences
        >
        Printers & Scanners.
      • Click
        +
        below the printer list and select
        Windows.
      • Select the printer. To find the printer, open the workgroup, and and then the name of the calculator sharing the printer—the printer will appear there.
      • Click
        Use
        and select the printer software from the list. If you’re non certain which to select, bank check the printer’s instruction manual.
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  1. 1

    Install the printer on a Mac on the network.
    If you have printer that doesn’t back up Wi-Fi or wired network connections, you tin add it as a local printer on one networked Mac and share it on the network. Once you lot share the printer, any Mac (macOS 10.4 or later) on the network tin can use the printer every bit long equally the sharing computer is online. Unfortunately, PC users on the network will not be able to use a shared Mac printer.
    [10]

    To add the printer:

    • First, if you merely want to add a printer that’south already shared on the network, skip to step 7.
    • Connect the printer to your Mac using a USB cable and plow the printer on.
    • If your Mac automatically detects the printer, follow the on-screen instructions to download additional software (if required) and add the printer to your Mac.
    • If the printer is not detected, disconnect the USB cable and go to
      Apple menu
      >
      System Preferences
      >
      Software Update
      to install the latest updates. Even if no updates bear witness upwardly, this prompts your Mac to check for the latest information about printer. And so, reconnect the printer via USB and follow the on-screen instructions to prepare it up.
      [eleven]
  2. ii

    Open


    Arrangement Preferences


    on your Mac.

    Information technology’ll exist in the Apple bill of fare at the pinnacle-left corner of the screen.

  3. iii

    Click


    Sharing

    .

    Some sharing options will appear.

  4. 4

    Click the “Printer Sharing” checkbox.
    This enables Printer Sharing on this Mac.

  5. 5

    Check the box next to the printer yous want to share.
    You’ll practise this in the section nether the “Printers” header.

  6. 6

    Change sharing permissions (optional).
    Afterward sharing a printer, you tin can select who has access to it on the network. Past default, anybody connected to your network tin impress to the printer (you’ll see “Tin can Impress” next to “Everyone” in the Users cavalcade. If you only want to let sure people to print to this printer:

    • Click the
      +
      below the Users list.
    • Select who you lot want to share the printer with. Once you add together at least 1 person, the permissions for “Everyone” changes to “No Admission.” Y’all tin can always change this back to “Can Print” by clicking
      No Access.
    • To remove a user, click their name and click the minus

      button. You tin can’t remove the “Everyone” group.
  7. seven

    Add the shared printer on another networked computer.
    If someone wants to utilise the shared printer, they’ll need to add it on their Mac. Here’s how:

    • Make sure the Mac that needs the printer is connected to the aforementioned network as the one connected to the printer via USB.
    • On the Mac that needs access to the printer, get to
      Apple carte du jour
      >
      System Preferences
      >
      Printers and Scanners.
    • Click
      +
      below the printer list in the left panel.
    • Select the shared printer and click
      Add.
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Add New Question

  • Question

    How tin I troubleshoot a wireless printer that is having problem connecting to my estimator?

    Luigi Oppido

    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in full general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Estimator Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD roofing central California for over two years.

    Luigi Oppido

    Computer & Tech Specialist

    Expert Answer

    When in doubt, install your drivers again. Become to the website, download the new drivers like you lot just bought the printer make new, download the drivers, and install everything all over once more. Go through the setup like you lot merely got the printer, and nine times out of 10, you’re back up and running.

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Near This Article


Commodity Summary
X

i. Turn on the printer.
ii. Connect the printer via Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
3. Type ″printer″ into the search bar.
4. Click
Printers & scanners.
5. Click
Add together a printer.
6. Click the printer.
seven. Install drivers if necessary.

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How to Print to a Printer on a Different Network

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