OS X Network Printing

How do I configure OS X (10.3.9) to print to a network printer? The printer is hooked up to my Windows Vista-based computer via USB, and is shared on the network.

The iBook is in the same workgroup as all the other computers in the network.

Please help! I'm very much confused!

I believe it's a vista thing now to require a password when sharing "ANYTHING". You first need to configure the share to not require a user account password. Then good luck finding a printer driver that both will like.

Best idea when buying a printer for home/network is getting one with a built in NIC. Not a print server or any other sharing device.

Pony up the dough and do it right. That may be said harshly, but will certainly save you headaches later.

MacsWork said:

I believe it's a vista thing now to require a password when sharing "ANYTHING". You first need to configure the share to not require a user account password. Then good luck finding a printer driver that both will like.

Best idea when buying a printer for home/network is getting one with a built in NIC. Not a print server or any other sharing device.

Pony up the dough and do it right. That may be said harshly, but will certainly save you headaches later.

Click to expand...

Thank you. I know Vista requires a password, but I shut that off.

Secondly, with much consideration, I do not have the right amount of money or funds.....

Try this place:

http://www.ifelix.net/tech/macosx.html

There are 2 tutorials for printing from a mac running panther to an xp pc, it might be similar enough to work on vista. Hopefully this can get you pointed in the right direction, you will just have to try and see what happens. I have a feeling it will be pretty similar, but I dont have vista so I cant say for sure.

PunkRockTuba said:

Try this place:

http://www.ifelix.net/tech/macosx.html

There are 2 tutorials for printing from a mac running panther to an xp pc, it might be similar enough to work on vista. Hopefully this can get you pointed in the right direction, you will just have to try and see what happens. I have a feeling it will be pretty similar, but I dont have vista so I cant say for sure.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your assistance. I'll report back on how everything went.

Any update on this tboo18? Did you ever get this to work? If so what did you do? I am in the same situation right now without an answer.

Sadly, I don't have anything to report on it. I gave up because it's just too complicated.

I now have Mac OS X 10.4.10.

But now this makes me want to look deeper and try harder. I can report back to you about my findings.

I tried so many things that I found on the internet that say that these steps should work meanwhile they don't. If I can't find anything by the time next semester starts up I might just buy a bluetooth capable printer and be done with this. The part I run into trouble with is where it asks for the address of the windows machine.


Ok..I think I figured it out as I was able to print follow the instructions toawrds the bottom of the page posted by CRauch. After seeing the mistake that a lot of people posted saying to put the name of the windows machine rather than the ip address fixed it. The field requires the ip address/the shared name you set in vista shared printer properties. Here's the link:http://applejac.typepad.com/applejac_macintosh_users/2007/03/mac_os_xwindows.html#comments

If you have any questions post a message here and I will try to help you out.

Unfortunately, the steps did not work for me. It may be because I have a Dell printer. I'm not sure though.

It sucks having to save things on my flash drive, then having to put that flash drive in the Vista-enabled PC and print from that.

I may have another printer available, but I'm not certain.

For Dell printers at least on XP you had to use a compatible Lexmark driver because that is essentially what a Dell printer is. See if that works.

Would you be able to assist me on where to find the driver? I wouldn't know where to look.


Thanks a lot!

I would try looking at your printer and then at lexmarks offering to see which looks the same as from what I know are just rebranded. Find that model number then do a search for CUPS drivers and you should be able to either download a file that you can install for that printer or for all lexmarks(this is what i did for my hp) and then when you go to select the printer in the setup utility in the dropdown box select lexmark and scroll to the model or series your printer belongs to.

need help with my printer

ok i have i have setup my networked printer, and i printed 2 pages with it... but now it will not print. my printer shows the data going to it... but will not print... i can print with my windows XP notebook... any ideas??

thanks for all the help.

johnny