Sharing a USB printer allows multiple users in your home or office to print to a single device without constantly swapping cables. While modern Wi-Fi printers are common, you can easily turn any “dumb” USB printer into a network printer using Windows’ built-in sharing features.
Prerequisites for Printer Sharing
Before starting, ensure your environment is set up for success:
- The Host PC: The computer physically connected to the printer via USB must remain ON for others to print.
- Drivers: Ensure the printer drivers are installed and functional on the host computer.
- Network: All computers must be connected to the same local network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
Step 1: Enable Network Discovery and File Sharing
Windows restricts sharing by default for security. You must first allow your computer to be seen on the network.
- Open the Control Panel and navigate to Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on Change advanced sharing settings in the left-hand menu.
- Under the Private network profile, select Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.
- Click Save changes.
Step 2: Share the USB Printer (Host Computer)
Now, you need to tell Windows to make this specific printer available to others.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners (or Control Panel > Devices and Printers).
- Select the printer you wish to share and click Printer Properties.
- Navigate to the Sharing tab.
- Check the box: Share this printer.
- Assign a Share Name: Give it a simple, recognizable name (e.g., “Office_LaserJet”).Pro Tip: Keep the name under 8 characters and avoid spaces or special symbols to ensure compatibility with older operating systems.
Step 3: Connect to the Shared Printer (Client Computers)
Once the host is sharing the printer, follow these steps on the other computers in your network:
- Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners.
- Click Add device.
- Wait for a few seconds. If your printer doesn’t appear, click Add manually.
- Select Select a shared printer by name.
- Type the path to the printer using this format:
\\HostComputerName\PrinterShareName.- Example:
\\Workstation-01\Office_LaserJet
- Example:
- Click Next and Windows will automatically download the necessary drivers from the host PC.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
| Printer not found | Ensure the Host PC is not in “Sleep” mode. |
| Access Denied | Check “Password Protected Sharing” in Advanced Sharing Settings; you may need to turn it off if you don’t have a shared guest account. |
| Driver Mismatch | If the host is 64-bit and the client is 32-bit, click “Additional Drivers” in the Sharing tab to install both versions. |