How to Set up a Small Network with Windows 98 Second Edition (PART 8)

This article includes Part 8 of the "Set Up a Small Network with Windows 98 Second Edition" guide. Part 8 discusses sharing a printer.

Note To view the other topics of the "Set Up a Small Network with Windows 98 Second Edition" guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the "References" section of this article.

The "Set Up a Small Network with Windows 98 Second Edition" guide includes the following topics:

Part 8. Sharing a Printer

You share a printer the same way you share a file. To share a printer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printer.
2. Right-click the printer, and then click Sharing.
3. Click Shared As.
4. Type a share name. You can also type a comment and a password.
5. Click OK.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
6. The printer is now shared:
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   

To install a network printer on the other computers, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printer.
2. Double-click Add Printer.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
3. The Add Printer Wizard starts. Click Next.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
4. Click Network printer, and then click Next.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
5. Click Browse to find the shared printer in the network. Locate the printer, and then locate the share name.
6. Click OK, and then click Next.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
7. Set the printer name, and then click Next.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
8. Print a test page, and then click Finish.

Windows configures your printer and copies the printer driver through the network.



Your printer now appears: You can use the network printer like a local printer if the corresponding computer is turned on.

Tip If you use different Windows versions, install the intended network printer as a local printer on LPT1 first. This way, the correct drivers will be installed for the operating system. You do not have to connect the printer to the printer port to do this. Therefore, you do not have to move things. You just cannot print a test page.

To assign the printer to the correct port later:

1. Right-click the locally installed printer.
2. Click Properties.
   
   Note The following screenshots are from Windows 95, but the process is almost the same in all Windows versions.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
3. The Printer Properties tab varies based on the model of your printer. Look for the tab that manages the port for printer output, and then click Add Port.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
4. Type the network path for the printer, click Browse to find the shared printer in the network, look for the printer, and then look for the share name.
5. Click OK to close all the windows.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   

You can also install Internet Connection Sharing now if you want to. Before you can do this, you must configure an Internet connection. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to do so in a different guide.

For additional information about this topic, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: