Lynette says:
I have an HP LaserJet 1200 which has both a parallel port and a USB port. I have the USB plugged into my personal laptop and the parallel plugged into the port replicator that my work laptop sits on. That works great – both laptops can print to the one printer. Here’s my question… my company is soon going to be sending me a new replacement laptop. I do not know the model, so I do not yet know whether the new port replicator will have a parallel port. If it does, no problem. But if it does not have a parallel port, how can I still have both laptops connected to the one printer? Replacing the printer or buying an additional one is not an option. Thank you.
Lynnette,
The best way to accomplish this is to set up Printer sharing. While the printer is hooked up to the USB computer, go to your Control Panel and click on Printers, and right click on the printer you would like to share. Open the printer properties, and click the sharing tab. Click share this printer.
On your other computer, go to Control Panel, open Printers, and click Add a Printer. Click Add Network, Bluetooth, or Wireless Printer.
The computer will search for the printer. Once it is found, click on it. You may be asked to install the drivers. I would suggest doing that.
Then you can name the printer. You may want to print a test page to confirm you can print from both computers. Note that the computer the printer is connected to has to be on for the printer to work on the other computer.
-Audra
While it probably is expected, the two computers have to share a network, which was never mentioned.
I was eager to learn how to connect to the second computer so that I could share its printer.
The easiest way is to connect both laptops to an USB hub. It’s like a splitter, with one “entry door” and several “exit doors”. Plug the printer’s USB cable in the “entry” and connect the laptops to the “exits”. Than install the printer on both laptops. That’s it!