How to Add Shared Printer to Mac OS X 10.6

by Madison Carter, Demand Media

If your office has a central computer connected to a printer, you can set up printer sharing to make that printer accessible to other computers connected to your company network. If you are using Windows computers, each computer must have Bonjour installed to allow access to the printer. A shared printer connects directly to a computer instead of a wireless router or network device. The operating system that the shared printer has been connected to determines the steps necessary for making your printer accessible to a Mac running OS X Snow Leopard.

Windows Sharing

Step 1 Click "System Preferences" in the Dock on your Mac and select "Network."

Step 2 Click the "Advanced" button. You may need to click the Lock and enter your administrator credentials to make changes.

Related Reading: How to Use a Printer Attached to a Mac OS X Computer in Windows XP

Step 3 Click the "WINS" tab and enter the name of the Windows workgroup into the workgroup field. The Mac must have the same workgroup name as the Windows computer that is connected to the shared printer. Click "OK" and "Apply."

Step 4 Click the Start menu on your Windows computer, select "Control Panel" and "Programs."

Step 5 Select the option to "Turn Windows Features On or Off."

Step 6 Click the "+" symbol near Print and Document Services.

Step 7 Check the "LDP Print Service" item check box. Click "OK" and restart Windows.

Step 8 Click the Start menu and select "Devices and Printers."

Step 9 Right-click the printer you want to share in the Printers and Fax list. Select "Printer Properties."

Step 10 Select the "Sharing" tab and name your printer. Check the "Render Print Jobs on Client Computers" check box. Click "OK."

Step 11 Click the Start menu and "Control Panel." Select "View Network Status and Tasks." Click "Local Area Connection" in the Network and Sharing Center. Click the "Details" button and write down the IP address in the IPv4 Address field.

Step 12 Click "System Preferences" in the Dock and select "Print & Fax" on your Mac.

Step 13 Click the Lock button and enter administrator credentials to allow changes. Click the "+" button and open the Add Printer window.

Step 14 Click the "IP" tab and select "Line Printer Daemon - LDP" from the Protocol drop-down list. Enter the IPv4 IP address in the Address field. It should have the following format: "ldp://192.168.1.1/Printer Name." Substitute the IP address for "192.168.1.1" and enter the name you used for the Windows printer for "Printer Name." Select your printer driver or "Generic Postscript" from the "Use" drop-down list. Click "Add."
If you still can't access the Windows printer, click the "Windows" tab. Click "Workgroup" in the first column, then select the name of the print server from the second column. Enter a Windows administrator username and password to access the Windows printer. Select the option to remember the password in your keychain and click "Connect." Select the printer in the third column and click "Add."

Mac Sharing

Step 1 Click the Apple menu, "System Preferences" and "Print & Fax" on the Mac connected to the printer you want to share.

Step 2 Select the shared printer from the Printer list in the left sidebar. Click the "Share This Printer on the Network" check box.

Step 3 Click "Done" to allow anyone on your network access to the printer. Otherwise, click "Sharing Preferences" and click the "+" button in the Users list section. Choose a user category, select a user and click "Select." You can add network users, users from your Address Book and users sharing the same computer. To create a new account, click "New Person," provide user credentials and click "Create Account."

Step 4 Click "System Preferences" and click "Sharing" on any Mac that needs to access the shared printer. Click the "Printer Sharing" check box.

Step 5 Click "Open Print & Fax Preferences" and make sure the shared printer appears in the list of printers. If it doesn't click the "+" button, select your printer from the list and click "Add." If you required a password to access the shared printer, provide the appropriate credentials. Your employees can select the shared printer when printing a document.

Tip

• Before adding the printer to your Mac computers, make sure the printer is turned on, connected properly and able to print from the connected printer.

Warning

• Information in this article applies to computers running Mac OS X Snow Leopard. and Windows 7. It may vary slightly or significantly with other versions or products.