Installing Printers
How to Install a Local Printer in Windows 7
Windows 7's Device Stage makes the process of installing a local printer incredibly easy. (Most of the time.) Windows 7 does most of the work for you, from recognizing the printer to installing any necessary drivers. In fact, unlike previous versions of Windows, it's usually better to not install the software that came with your printer.
A local printer is just another way of saying a printer that is plugged directly into your PC. It's the simplest way to install a printer, and it’s the only option if you don’t have a network.
When you plug the connector into your PC’s USB port and turn on the printer, Windows 7 is supposed to notice a new device and let you know that it’s installing drivers. When it finishes, you’re done. That simple. You didn’t have to do a thing except plug it in and turn it on.
If the printer installs correctly, you should not install the manufacturer’s software, no matter what the instructions in the box with the printer may say. Besides, most printers come with a CD loaded with . . . junk. Note that this is different from the process for previous versions of Windows.
When the printer is installed properly, it will appear in the Device Stage's Device and Printers window. Choose Start→Devices and Printers to take a look.
Once in a blue moon, usually because a printer is too new or too old, this streamlined process doesn't work. Windows might not recognize the printer or might have trouble locating a driver. If that happens, you can use the CD that came with your printer or, better, go to the manufacturer’s Web site (some of the most common are: Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Lexmark, Samsung) and download the latest driver.
If you have to use an old-fashioned parallel or serial cable (as opposed to a USB or FireWire cable) to connect your printer, you'll have to manually install the printer. Make sure that you have the manufacturer’s installation instructions handy, and follow its advice religiously.
Date:
Author:
July 4th, 2008
Ivory Morhuld
To work with your printer under Windows XP operation system first of all you have to install the printer with suitable printer driver.
This tutorial will show you how to install your printer and how to set up some of the printer features.
First of all you have to prepare your printer drivers. This must be CD or DVD disc which you already have from printer manufacturer or supplier. If don”t you can check for the latest drivers on manufacturer website.
Now let”s start. Click on Start button, next Control Panel and the window shown below will appear at the screen. Please note the window below is in new Windows XP style. If you like old classic style of Control panel click on top left in task pane.
Next click on Printers and Other Hardware Icon or Printer and Faxes in classic view.
Now you can select Add printer… from Pick a task section or Printer and Faxes icon to continue with printer installation
If you select Printer and Faxes icon next click on top left in Printer Tasks and on Add Printer task.
When to screen appear Welcome to the Add Pinter Wizard. Please read the note and skip the wizard if your printer is connected to USB or any other Plug & Play port.
If not click on Next.
Now select Local printer attached to this computer for printer connected directly to your PC or select A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer for printer connected to your office or home network.
Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer option needs to be selected when you don”t have any information about your printer model and drivers.
Click on Next.
Next select Printer Port from drop-down menu where the printer is connected or Create a new port.
Click Next.
Now from the left list select manufacturer of your printer, and next click in right list on Printer model which you want to install.
Best result you can get if you have correct and updated Printer drivers on CD or DVD disc and click on Have Disc button to select this drivers.
When correct drivers are selected Windows will install the files and you will get new icon in Printer and Faxes section in Control Panel.
When installation of drivers complete you can right click on Printer icon and select Properties from menu to setup the features and settings of your printer
Network printers
In the workplace, many printers are network printers. These connect directly to a network as stand-alone devices. Inexpensive network printers are also made for the home. To learn more, see Install a printer on a home network.
To install a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer
If you're trying to add a network printer at the office, you'll usually need the name of the printer. If you can't find it, contact your network administrator.
Open Devices and Printers by clicking the Start button , and then, on the Start menu, clicking Devices and Printers.
Click Add a printer.
In the Add Printer wizard, click Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer.
In the list of available printers, select the one you want to use, and then click Next. (If your computer is connected to a network, only printers listed in Active Directory for your domain are displayed in the list.)
If prompted, install the printer driver on your computer by clicking Install driver.
If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Complete the additional steps in the wizard, and then click Finish.
Configure a TCP/IP Printer Item
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Applies To: Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012
The Printers preference extension allows you to create, configure, and delete TCP/IP printers by using the TCP/IP Printer preference item. Before you create a TCP/IP Printer preference item, you should review the behavior of each type of action possible with the extension.
Creating a TCP/IP Printer item
To create a new TCP/IP Printer preference item
Open the Group Policy Management Console . Right-click the Group Policy object (GPO) that should contain the new preference item, and then click Edit .
In the console tree under Computer Configuration or User Configuration , expand the Preferences folder, and then expand the Control Panel Settings folder.
Right-click the Printers node, point to New , and select TCP/IP Printer .
In the New TCP/IP Printer Properties dialog box, select an Action for Group Policy to perform. (For more information, see "Actions" in this topic.)
Enter TCP/IP printer settings for Group Policy to configure or remove. (For more information, see "TCP/IP printer settings" in this topic.)
Click the Common tab, configure any options, and then type your comments in the Description box. (For more information, see Configure Common Options.)
Click OK . The new preference item appears in the details pane.
Actions
This type of preference item provides a choice of four actions: Create , Replace , Update , and Delete . The behavior of the preference item varies with the action selected and whether the printer connection already exists.
Create
Delete
Replace
Update
Create a new TCP/IP printer connection. If a TCP/IP printer connection with the same IP address exists, then it does not modify it.
Remove a TCP/IP printer connection with the same IP address. The extension performs no action if the TCP/IP printer connection does not exist.
Important
This action does not remove the printer driver or port. It only removes the TCP/IP printer connection.
Delete and recreate the TCP/IP printer connection. The net result of the Replace action overwrites all existing settings associated with the TCP/IP printer connection. If the TCP/IP printer connection does not exist, then the Replace action creates a new TCP/IP printer connection.
Modify a TCP/IP printer connection. The action differs from Replace in that it updates the settings defined within the preference item. All other settings remain as they were previously configured. If the TCP/IP printer connection does not exist, then the Update action creates a new TCP/IP printer connection.
TCP/IP Printer settings
IP Address or DNS name
Local Name
Printer path
Set this printer as the default printer
Only if a local printer is not present
Delete all IP printer connections
Location
Comment
Type the IP address of the remote printer. Or select the Use DNS name check box and type the fully qualified domain name of the remote printer.
Important
The Printers preference extension uses the TCP/IP address or the DNS Name to determine if a TCP/IP printer exists when a Local Name is not provided.
Note
IPv6 addresses are not supported.
Type the local name of the targeted TCP/IP printer connection. The preference extension creates a new TCP/IP printer connection with this name if one does not exist. If a TCP/IP printer connection with this name exists, the preference extension uses the TCP/IP printer with this name as the target of the requested action. Press F3 to display a list of variables from which you can select.
Important
The Printers preference extension uses Local Name to determine if a TCP/IP printer exists when a Local Name is provided. Otherwise, the preference extension uses the TCP/IP address or the DNS Name to determine if the TCP/IP connection exits.
Type a fully qualified UNC path or click Browse (…) to choose a fully qualified UNC path of a shared printer connection. The preference extension uses this shared connection as an installation source for the printer driver.
Select this check box to make the local printer the default Windows printer for the current user.
Select this check box to bypass changing the default printer if there is a local printer configured on the computer. This setting is unavailable until you select the Set this printer as the default printer check box.
Important
A local printer is any printer that is not connected to a shared network printer. This includes physical printers connected to parallel, serial, and USB ports, TCP/IP printers, and virtual printers installed through software.
Select this check box if you want to delete all TCP/IP printer connections for the current user. This setting is available only when the preference item's action is set to Delete
Type text to describe where the printer is located. This information appears in the printer's Location box. Press F3 to display a list of variables from which you can select.
Type text that provides additional comments about the printer. This information appears in the printer's Comments box. Press F3 to display a list of variables from which you can select.
Port Settings
Use the Port Settings to configure the port settings beyond the standard default settings. The available settings include Protocol , Raw Settings , LPR Settings , and SNMP Status .