How do i print from my laptop to my desktop printer? -

my printer is an HP 7150 and is connected only to my desktop computer (which is XP, my laptop is Vista). I ve read that you can plug in your printer to the router and that should work, but is that true or not? email me if you need additional information to fully understand my dilema, thank you.

There are two options: 1) If the printer is network capable (looked around a little bit online, couldn t see that it was), you can plug it into your router and install it via its IP address 2) Since the printer is already installed on the desktop computer, you can set up print sharing over your home network. The only drawback to this is that the desktop computer will have to be powered on when printing from the laptop. To set up print sharing, both computers have to be either part of the same domain or workgroup. I m assuming this is just a home network, so you will be setting up a workgroup. On both your laptop and desktop computers, right-click on My Computer and go into Properties. Click on the quot;Change..quot; button and select the Workgroup radio button if it is not. The name of your workgroup doesn t matter, it just has to be the same for both computers. Once the workgroup is set up, go to the desktop computer. Go into Control Panel and bring up Printers and Faxes. Right-click on the printer you want to share and go to quot;Sharing..quot; Click the radio button to share the printer. The name for the printer should look like this: \\workgroupname\printername Just like the name of the workgroup, the printer name doesn t matter. I d suggest simply putting in the model # (HP 7150) to make it more easily identified. To add the printer on the laptop, go into Control Panel then Hardware and Sound. Click on Add a printer, and choose to install a network printer. Forgive me since I am not a Vista user and do not know the exact location of this box, but you should have the option to type in the network location. The network location is \\workgroupname\printername You shouldn t have to install any drivers since the printer is essentially hosted on the desktop computer.

The easiest way to do this would be to share the printer throught the desktop. You can only plug it into the router if it is netwok-capable with ethernet. If you have windows, right-click on the printer icon on the desktop, go properties, then sharing. Once you complete that, use the laptop to install the printer by searching the network for the shared printer. You will have to install a driver for it on the laptop.

First of all to connect your printer to router your printer should have network support. Your printer doesn t have so its out. However, your laptop should be able to connect to your desktop through the router. So share the printer on the desktop, Go to printer and faxes.. right click on the printer and share. Now use the vista machine to browse the network, you will see your xp desktop and the printer attached to it. Add it to Vista and print it through the desktop.

Not sure about your model, but yes, some printers can be connected directly to a router. However, you can still print via your laptop, even if the printer is connected to your desktop. To do this, you will need to have both computers connected to the same router (wirelessly is fine for your laptop). Enable File and Printer Sharing on your desktop (look at a tutorial online on how to do this, it s very easy), and set your laptop to be able to detect network computers (see the Network and Sharing Center on your laptop). As long as both computers are in the same Workgroup (i.e. quot;network namequot;), your laptop should be able to quot;seequot; the printer on your desktop and use it.

where the printer is there should be a usb cable that connects to desktop computer follow it to desktop computer unplug it and plug it into your laptop just like any other usb cable turn on printer print and make sure you have selected the right printer

Easiest way is to use a USB Share Switch. Amazon.com.