How to print from Mac to a Windows connected USB printer
I am a PC and Macbook Pro user running Snow Leopard. My main computer is PC running Windows 7 RC with the HP Deskjet F4100 connected. I often use my Macbook Pro and require some printing.
The method detailed below works both with Windows Vista and Windows 7.
On the Windows Vista/7:
1. Share the printer
- Click Start >> Control Panel >> Hardware and Sound >> Devices and Printers
- Right Click your printer and Click Printer Properties.
- Share your printer
2. Disable password requirement for sharing
- Go to the Control Panel >>Network and Internet >> Network and Sharing Centre
- Click on “Change advanced sharing settings” on the left side of the panel.
- Expand the “Home or Work” option
- Go to the portion where it states “Password protected sharing” and ensure to turn it off
Windows Firewall might need some exceptions added here. In my case I am using Norton Internet Security and it is smart enough to let me do the sharing without much of changes to the firewall.
On your Mac OS X
1. Connect the printer directly to the Mac
2. Let it automatically install the neccessary drivers. Just follow the prompts. It will be pulled from the internet.
3. Connect the printer back to the Windows machine
4. Go to System Preferences
5. Click Print & Fax and Click the “+” button
You will see a printer already installed you can safely remove it if you will not be connecting the printer directly in the future.
6. Most like you will not see the Advanced button show below.
- Control + Click (right-click) on any area on the top and Click “Customise Toolbar”
- Click and Drag the “Advanced” icon to just beside the “Windows” icon and Click Done. You will see the Advanced Icon appear.
7. Click the Advanced tab
8. Select “Windows’” from the drop-down for “Type”
9. Key in you windows computer name. eg. smb://babu-pc
10. Select “Select Printer Software”
11. Scroll and Select the driver.
(Now you know why you will need to connect the printer directly to the Mac – to install the driver)
12. Click Add. Depending on the type of Machine you might get the second prompt.
13. Almost done. Below is how it will look
Test Printing
1. Click “Open Print Queue”
2. From the Menu Bar click >> Printer >> Print Test Page
You should be able to print from your Mac now. If necessary reboot both the Mac and PC to test if the connection has any issues.
Any questions? Please feel free to ask here and I will try my best to help.
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