| I know this is a lot of information to read and | | | | Click Have Disk |
| understand. Think of it as an investment and not a | | | | Click Browse |
| burden. I have tried to include what is necessary | | | | Navigate to the location containing an INF file within the |
| without writing a whole book about a 5 minute | | | | driver directory you created |
| procedure. | | | | Double-click the inf file or select it and click Open |
| Summary of steps to install a network printer. | | | | Then click the OK button |
| 1. Download the most recent driver from the | | | | Select your model and click Next |
| manufacturer's website. | | | | If it asks you to keep or replace the driver ( make a |
| 2. Configure network settings on the printer. | | | | choice ) |
| 3. Use the Add Printer Wizard to create a local | | | | Then you will be asked to name the printer - On a |
| network printer on the pc. | | | | server install it is best to make this a general term like - |
| 4. (Optional) - share printer to other users. | | | | Office Color - or - Department BW. |
| If you are performing this type of installation for more | | | | Then you will be asked to Share the printer ( this is the |
| than a handful of people, it is best to install this once on | | | | Optional part for Server installs ) |
| a Windows Server and share that printer to everyone. | | | | Just click Finish and the driver will be installed |
| Normally it takes between 5 and 10 minutes to | | | | 4. Optional sharing the printer |
| perform this type of install on each pc. | | | | Right-click the printer in Printers and Faxes and select |
| 1. Download the most recent driver. | | | | Propertiesclick on the Sharing tab and choose to share |
| Visit the manufacturer's website to obtain the latest | | | | and give it a share name |
| driver - print drivers can be found in the support area | | | | **Note** |
| searching by model number. | | | | The Network Printer option I told you to ignore earlier is |
| ( this is important because early problems are fixed | | | | for connecting to shared printers. The fast way to |
| and drivers are updated ) | | | | install a *shared* printer is to: |
| For color printers you want to download a PostScript | | | | Click Start and select Run ( if you do not have a run |
| driver. | | | | just type the UNC name into an address bar ) |
| Black and White - monochrome printers work fine with | | | | Here is a link describing what UNC is |
| a PCL driver. | | | | Type in the UNC name of the PC with the shared |
| *Run-Unzip-Extract* to a known location on the | | | | printer |
| computer -c:temp -or- c:*printer model* | | | | Click OK |
| 2. Configure network settings on the printer | | | | You will be presented with share folders and printers |
| If you are a small business or an at home office you | | | | Double-click the printer to install |
| probably have a tiny router that handles what is called | | | | Troubleshooting |
| DHCP ( this is a service that manages IP addresses ). | | | | 1. Some printers need to have the port configured for |
| The bad thing about these little devices is when they | | | | a different RAW number or with LPR settings |
| lose power, IP addresses are re-assigned on a first | | | | The documentation or support site should cover what |
| come basis. | | | | special settings are required. |
| I suggest using a static IP for all installations. Log into | | | | Sometimes the default 9100 needs to be changed to |
| your printers web interface using the DHCP assigned | | | | another number, but usually it is an LPR port with a |
| IP address and change it to a static IP high in the | | | | queue name of LPT1 - PORT1 - PS - AUTO - or lp, |
| range. | | | | the LPR Byte Counting is sometimes necessary also. |
| If available, I use 192.168.1.201, since most routers start | | | | You can configure these settings by going to the |
| assigning IPs at 192.168.1.2 | | | | Properties of the printer |
| If you have IT people who control your network, they | | | | Select the Ports tab and click the Configure Port |
| should be consulted before making any changes to IP | | | | button. |
| settings. | | | | 2. The format of the IP address is important - do not |
| 3. Using the Add Printer wizard | | | | use any leading zeroes that you may see on a config |
| Go to Printers in the Control Panel - there are different | | | | page or web screeni.e. 192.168.001.201 should be |
| ways to get there - just find one | | | | programmed into the port as 192.168.1.201 |
| Click the Add a Printer link | | | | 3. IP addresses are important - normally on small |
| Choose - Add a local printer | | | | networks 192.168.0. networks cannot print to 192.168.1 |
| **Note** - I know you have a network printer and the | | | | addresses - If your router changes its settings are has |
| second choice is network printer and it makes logical | | | | to be reconfigured, be sure to double check that you |
| sense to choose that - but you have to trust me and | | | | are an the same *Network ID* (first three sets of |
| not think for yourself on this one. | | | | numbers), I have seen routers change back and forth |
| Choose to Create a new port - select Standard TCP | | | | between networks and different brands use different |
| IP Port in the dropdown list | | | | defaults. |
| Fill in the information - IP address you chose to use | | | | 4. Sometimes the ports on servers and workstations |
| If it detects the device type - great - if it doesn't - click | | | | become corrupted and need to be deleted and |
| OK and Next anyway | | | | recreated. |
| ( leave it generic or whatever it says ) | | | | 5. Sometimes you might have a *Network Security* |
| Next is where we browse to the location you | | | | application that blocks communication to a new printer |
| Extracted-unzipped the drivers ( this could also be to | | | | - watch for popups when attempting your first print. |
| the CD you have ). Most of time when you download | | | | Final Thoughts |
| drivers they are in exe form or zipped and have to be | | | | If you read all the way to here, you probably need |
| Run and extracted before becoming available for use | | | | more help. |
| Install the printer driver | | | | |
