Reader Question: Sharing Your Mac’s Printers
Monday May 18, 2009
This weekend I got a note from Brett, an About: Macs reader who wondered how he could share his Mac’s printer with a Windows Vista computer on his network.
Printer Sharing preferences pane
His question got me thinking that while I have step-by-step articles on how to share a Windows printer with your Mac, I didn’t have any articles about going in the other direction.
So, after a little prodding from Brett, and a rainy weekend, here are two new articles on how to share your Mac’s printer with your Windows Vista and Windows XP computers.
Comments
I’ve had a home network with both Macs and PCs for years now. Several years ago, when I first installed the network, I wanted to share my LaserWriter Select 360 on the network. Here’s what I did:
1. Hung the LaserWriter off the network with a D-Link Parallel Print Server. I assigned a static IP address to the print server.
2. Set up IP printing on both the Macs (OS 9) and the PCs.
Solves two problems – because the printer connects into the network it doesn’t require running extra hardware or software to print to it, and IP printing is a piece of cake on a PC. A good default method for any network.
The downside? – if your printer is not network ready, you will need to obtain a print server appropriate for your printer. Some routers today include a USB print server port.
Hi Rich,
That’s an excellent point and my preferred way to share printers. All of the printers here are hung off the network directly, either via built-in Ethernet ports or, as you mentioned, by using a printer server that attaches to the network.
I also like that you don’t need to keep a Mac or PC turned on, just to use a printer. And since many printers have a sleep capability, you’re saving energy as well using networked printers.
Tom
What about printer sharing between a Mac using OS 10.4, usb printer attached, and a vista laptop? The guide only addresses OS 10.5
Kent –
Here’s info on printer sharing with OS X 10.4. (I found it by searching on ‘printer sharing 10.4′):
Vista Printer Sharing With Mac OS X 10.4
http://macs.about.com/od/macwindows/ss/prtsharevsta104.htm
Windows XP Printer Sharing With Mac OS X 10.4
http://macs.about.com/od/macwindows/ss/sharewinprttig.htm
Kate