tips

Improving roommate relations

So, you have a printer. Your roommate is probably jealous of your ability to push a button and print your works cited page out and not have to run down five flights of steps to print in the computer lab. It is at times like these when you could offer your roommate a break from the stairs and that same ease of printing right in your room.

Printer sharing is actually a very easy thing to do. Whether you are a whiz at your computer or just a novice, it really just takes a few minutes to get it all set up.

Of course, if you have the same operating system as your roommate, it makes it a great deal easier. Since most people now are running Windows XP, we will just explain that procedure. Any of the Windows Operating systems are very similar though when it comes to sharing a printer.

Setting up the computer with the printer

So, first things first. On your computer (the computer with the printer we will assume is your computer) press the Start Button, then click on Printers and Faxes (If it is not there, look in the Control Panel for Printers and Faxes). A window should open up that has a list of printers installed on your system. Look for the printer that you wish to share with your roommate and right click on it. One of the options will be 'Sharing'. Click on that option and a new properties window will pop up. There should be an option of "Do not share this printer" and "Share this printer". Select "Share this printer" and in the share name box, type the name that you wish to share it as. Remember this, it will make it easier to setup your roommates computer. Then select the Additional Drivers button. On this screen, select the OS that your roommate has (A hint is that the Environment will more than likely be Intel). Once you have selected your roommates OS, click OK. (Note: your computer may have the same OS in which case no new boxes will be selected). You may be prompted for a driver disk, so be prepared to put that into your computer. Then click 'OK' on the Printer Properties box. Your printer should now be shared.

One other step which will again make the next part easier is to find out what your IP Address is. The easiest way to do this is to click on 'Start' -> 'All Programs' -> 'Accessories' -> 'Command Prompt'. At the command prompt type "ipconfig" (no quotes). You should have an IP Address. Write that down. This address along with the printer name is just what we will need to setup the printer on your roommates computer.

Setting up the computer without the printer

Now, the next step is to install the newly shared printer onto your roommates computer. If everything went smoothly in the step above, it should be very easy to install the printer. First, open up the Printers and Faxes page, as you did in the first step. Then click on "Add a Printer", or right click on the main part of the Window and select "Add Printer." This will open up a wizard. First both computer must be on. Then click Next. Select "A Network Printer" and click Next. Now, the part that we need the information from above. Select "Connect to this Printer" and type in the name box "\\IPADDRESS\PRINTERNAME" where the PRINTERNAME is the name of the printer from the first step, and the IPADDRESS is the IP Address of the computer with the Printer. Then click Next. If you want your roommate to always print to this printer, select it as the default printer and click Next. Then Select Finish, and the printer will be installed.

Now your relations with your roommate have improved, and you can get back to writing your paper.


Note : If your roommates computer ever stops being able to print. Try to reinstall the printer on their computer. Make sure to check your IP Address as if this has changed, it will be the reason that your roommate cannot print to your comptuer.

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