How to install a printer driver locally for a remote printer in Windows XP

This step-by-step article describes how to install a driver for a remote printer on a local computer.

To update the printer driver locally for a remote printer on a print server that is running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows XP, you must log on as an administrator. The driver is automatically updated on the client computer to reduce total cost of ownership when the printer driver on the server is updated.

Install a printer driver on a Windows XP-based computer

To install a printer driver locally on a Windows XP-based computer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Printers and Other Hardware, and then click Printers and Faxes.
2. Double-click Add Printer to start the Add Printer Wizard, and then click Next.
3. Click Local printer, clear the Automatically detect and install check box, and then click Next.
4. Click Create a new port, and then click Local Port in the Port type section.
5. In the Port Name box, type the path to the printer in the following format, where server is the name of the print server and printer is the name of the printer:
   \\server\printer
6. Click Next, and then select a Windows 2000 or Windows XP driver for your printer.
7. Click Next, and then follow the instructions to finish the wizard.

Install a printer driver on a Windows 2000-based computer

To install a printer driver locally on a Windows 2000 computer:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
2. Double-click Add Printer to start the Add Printer Wizard.
3. Click My Computer, and then click Next.
4. Click Add Port, click Local Port, and then click New Port.
5. In the Port Name box, type the path to the printer in the following format, where server is the name of the print server and printer is the name of the printer:
   \\server\printer
6. Click OK, and then click Close.

Note When you use this procedure, the print job is printed locally and then redirected to the network path. If you use this procedure, you do not receive printer updates from the print server when you update the printer driver on the print server.

If you have permissions to manipulate printer drivers on the print server, even if you change the driver on the client, the change is actually occurring on the print server.