How to add a Network Printer

If you need to share a printer over network, Windows machines got the option to do it with HomeGroup. You may read the full guide in our article. But in April 2018, this feature was removed by Microsoft from Windows 10 platform. So, if you run the latest Windows update on your PC, you won’t be able to share your printer. Instead, you can rely on other tools that have always been a part of Windows.

One more useful option is the ability to render print jobs on client machines. If you enable this feature, the documents will be rendered on the computers where the printing is done and not on the one where the printer is connected physically. This will help to protect the “server” system from being impacted when clients use the device.

After that, simply click ‘Apply’ and make your printer available for access on your network.

How to Add a Network Printer on Windows

You will need to do a little configuration to enable a printer that is directly connected to a network to be accessed from other computers on that network. The following steps will let you share the printer across the network.

1. Click Start and type "devices and printers". Click on the result or hit the "Enter" key.
2. The Devices and Printers window is where you can display the devices that are connected to your computer. To begin connecting a new network printer to your machine, select and click the "Add a printer" option.
3. Windows scans the network for available devices that have not been connected to your computer. These items will be displayed in the window titled "Add a device". If you are lucky, the printer you want to access will appear on the list. This may be true if the device is simply connected to the network or shared from another computer. Click on the printer’s name and Windows will perform the installation during which it will download any required drivers and prompt you to name the printer. At this point, you are finished and can use the printer.
4. If you are certain that you have successfully connected the printer to the network but it does not appear in the device list, a little more work is required. Click the “The printer that I want isn’t listed” link and Windows will give you some options that can help you find the device.

The options presented are all easy to perform and include short wizards that make it easy for you to connect a network printer. We will concentrate on connecting the printer using TCP/IP as it is the most reliable method available. Click on the “Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname” selection and then the "Next" button.

5. Enter the printer’s IP address in the "Hostname or IP address" field. Ensure that you select the "Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use" option by checking the box and then click "Next".
   
   
6. The printer will be assigned a default name which you can change to whatever you like. Click "Next" when you are finished naming the printer.
   
   
7. You have several choices to make before installation is complete. You can print a test page to verify functionality or set the new printer to be your computer’s default. Click the "Finish" button when you are done.
   
   

How to Connect a Network Printer on Mac

Not everyone knows how to connect to a network printer, but it is a relatively easy procedure once you understand the steps. The following process can be used to add one or several computers to a Mac desktop machine or a MacBook.

How to Connect a Wireless Printer to a Mac

Printers can be connected wirelessly using Bluetooth or a Wi-Fi Protected Set-up (WPS) connection. In most cases, connecting via WPS is done by initiating connectivity and pressing the "WiFi" or "Wireless" button on the printer. The precise steps will be determined by your printer and router so you should consult their documentation for further instructions.
After the printer is accessible on the network, you can proceed to the steps required to add it to your Mac.

1. Click on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your screen.
   
   
2. Select "System Preferences".
3. Choose "Printers and Scanners". If you are using an older version of the operating system, you may need to click on "Hardware" and then "Print & Scan".
4. Click the + sign located below the list of printers to add a device. On older Macs, you may need to select the "Add Printer or Scanner" button after the + sign. Available printers can also be found listed as "Nearby Printers" in the "Add Printer or Scanner" submenu.

   Note: You may have to provide administrator’s credentials after clicking the Lock icon to make changes to this menu.

5. Select the printer you want to add to your Mac. Printers found on the network will be listed under the Default tab.
6. Now you need to choose the driver or software that will be used by the printer in the "Use" drop-down menu. These are your choices:
   • A dedicated printer driver that is already installed on your Mac.
   • Apple’s native printing technology, AirPrint. AirPrint compatible printers can use AirPrint to print over WiFi. You will need to install the driver from Apple or the device’s manufacturer if the printer is not AirPrint-ready out of the box.
   • Auto Select will instruct the OS to download the correct driver when it updates systems software.
7. When the preliminary steps are completed, click "Add". The new device will be displayed as part of the printer list in the Print & Scan window.

How to Add a Printer via IP Address

To add a printer using its IP address, you need to have the address information available. You can consult our previous articles if you need help determining the device’s IP address. Once you know the IP address, go to "Printers & Scanners" in "System Preferences" to add the printer by using the following procedure.

1. Click the Apple icon.
   
   
2. Select "System Preferences".
   
   
3. Open the "Printers and Scanners" window.
   
   
4. Select the + sign located under the list of printers.
   
   
5. Click on the IP icon which looks like a small blue globe.
   
   
6. Enter the printer’s IP address in the Address field. Your Mac will attempt to connect to the device to obtain its information.
   If you don’t know your printer’s IP address, check out our previous article on how to find your printer’s IP address.
   
   
7. Rename the printer or accept the default name displayed in the "Name" field.
   
   
8. Select the print drivers that you want to use.
   
   
9. Click the "Add" button.