Sharing Mac Printer with PC

Hi,
I have an iMac which is connected to a printer through USB. The mac is also connected to my wireless router. I want to be able to share the printer to my laptop which is running windows XP and is connected wirelessly to the router.

Any help on what to do please!!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Karl

It's easy the other way around with Windows as the host because of loose MS security but that's not your question. So on your mac, you will have to turn on "Windows Sharing" in System Preferences/Sharing as well as make a user with the same log-in name on the iMac. Then, while you're in there, go into "Print & Fax" settings and enable you printer to be shared. After that, then you should be able to see the printer in Network Neighborhood on Windows.

karlsteeves said:

Hi,
I have an iMac which is connected to a printer through USB. The mac is also connected to my wireless router. I want to be able to share the printer to my laptop which is running windows XP and is connected wirelessly to the router.

Any help on what to do please!!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Karl

Click to expand...

Another thing that you can do Is go into System Prefs -> Security
and turn on Windows Sharing, this will allow Windows users to print to your shared printer.

Thanks but....

In my system preferences there isn't a 'windows sharing ' option in the sharing icon, there is only 'printer sharing' and 'windows file sharing' what should I select?

Also what do you mean by making a user with the same login name as the mac?

One last thing is that there is no 'print and fax' icon in my system preferences.

Karl

karlsteeves said:

Thanks but....

In my system preferences there isn't a 'windows sharing ' option in the sharing icon, there is only 'printer sharing' and 'windows file sharing' what should I select?

Also what do you mean by making a user with the same login name as the mac?

One last thing is that there is no 'print and fax' icon in my system preferences.

Karl

Click to expand...

Windows file sharing. That should also allow you to share printers, or at least it does in 10.4... Sorry, just realized you are on 10.2

Thanks JunMacTech,

I have enabled the windows file sharing and printer sharing in my system preferences.

What does olias mean by creating a user with the same log in name on the mac?

And because I have mac OSX 10.2 there isn't a print and fax icon in system preferences, is there anything I need to do?

Thanks

Karl

Another option would be to buy a wireless print server. Connect it to your network and then any computer on your network can print to your printer. Although this is the more expensive option.

Thanks Erudite.Warrior

Will the print server work with both mac and windows operating systems?

What setup is required for the print server?

Thanks again,

Karl

karlsteeves said:

Thanks Erudite.Warrior

Will the print server work with both mac and windows operating systems?

What setup is required for the print server?

Thanks again,

Karl

Click to expand...

Yes, the print server will work with both Mac and Windows. I have one in my home right now. My PowerBook and my wife's PC laptop are both able to print wirelessly to the printer.

The print server is set up in a similar manner as your router. If you are using WEP, WPA, etc. you will have to enter that information into the print server. Also you will want to assign the print server a static IP address on your LAN.

Once that is done you set up the printer (using IP printing) as you normally would.

If your printer is networkable (has an RJ-45 jack) you could just use a network cable to wire your printer to your router. In this manner you would not need a print server. You would still want to assign the printer a static IP address though.

Thanks,

I had a quick look around ebay for some cheap wireless print servers but I couldn't find any for a resonable price which was compatible with OSX 10.2

I think I'll stick to sharing if I can get it to work!!!

At the moment my computers pick up each other in the network but I can't see any printers attached to them.

Thanks again

Karl

Bonjour

I had the same problem, after applying all the settings in system prefrences my windows laptop still could not access the printer on my Mac. Then I tried Bonjour for Windows, download the app and install on your laptop, works great. Here is the link.:mac:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bonjour/

Cheers

Craig

Hi,

I've tried that and it doesn't work for mac OSX 10.2

Thanks anyway

Karl

karlsteeves said:

Thanks JunMacTech,

I have enabled the windows file sharing and printer sharing in my system preferences.

What does olias mean by creating a user with the same log in name on the mac?

And because I have mac OSX 10.2 there isn't a print and fax icon in system preferences, is there anything I need to do?

Thanks

Karl

Click to expand...

What I ment was that the host computer needs to know that the client has a local account so as to authenticate and allow rights.

Sorry for the confusion. It may not be nessary to have a user, for example "kari", on both computers. I use a print server to avoid this ---> http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

Hi,

I does seem a whole lot easier to use a print server rather than to trying to share with windows and mac

Thanks

Karl