how do i print wirelessly without buying anything other than my linksys wireless router that is hooked up?

Question

i have my home pc hooked up to the printer. there is a linksys wireless router and the charter modem in series. i have 3 other laptops that hook up to the internet wirelessly. there has to be a way to print to that printer wirelessly going through the router without going and buying a wireless printer router

i have my home pc XP hooked up to the printer. there is a linksys wireless router and the charter modem in series. i have 3 other laptops (VISTA) that hook up to the internet wirelessly. there has to be a way to print to that printer wirelessly going through the router, XP PC, to the printer without going and buying a wireless printer router

Answer 1

Surprisingly, I just answered this question for another submitter. The basic way of doing this is:

Get to the printer you want to share. One way is to
1. Click on Start->Control Panel.
2. Click on Printers and Other Hardware
3. Click on Printers and Faxes.
4. Double-click on the printer.

Once you're on the printer,
1. Click on the Printer->Sharing menu Item.
2. Select Share this Printer.
3. Click OK.

Now, that's the basic setup. Other issues you're likely to encounter are:

1. Firewall blocking Windows File and Printer Sharing.
2. Drivers for the printer out on the borrowing machine.

Another tip: You'll be greatly tempted to share files and directories, and that can be very useful, but share only a few, isolated directories. Shared directories are a hacker's dream. And do NOT share the root of your C: drive: That opens up the entire drive to the world.

Happy networking.

PS. One more thing: On the remote PCs, you're going to have to select that printer from the Add Printer wizard.

Answer 2

I assume that the computer and all the laptops are XP. This will be easy.
On the computer the printer is hooked up to do the following.
Go Start
Control Panel
Printer and Faxes
Right click the printers icon
Properties
Sharing
Network Setup Wizard
Click NEXT, NEXT tell you get to Select a Connection Method.
Tell it witch way it is connected to the wireless router weither wierd or wireless.
Enter description and name
Make the Workgroup name Home or Office
Turn On file and printer sharing
NEXT
The computer will make the changes and get ready to be networked.
Create a Network Setup disk if you can other wise run the same thing on the other laptops.

Microsofts Guide incase other help is needed. .
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/homenet.mspx

Answer 3

Okay, so you bought a 'router' and think that because you have to 'plug it into your computer' it's not 'wireless' ... but is there 'another wire' to 'connect to the internet through a 'modem'? NO ... the router is 'wireless' because it 'picks up the wireless signals' and connects them to your computer through that 'wire connection.' You may have a 'modem problem' ... in many computers they aren't 'compatible' with EVERY TYPE OF ROUTER ... and since you've turned it off and then on, I suggest that you 'remove the modem entirely, reboot, and then see if you can't get a 'wireless signal.' There's one more 'step' though ... and that is 'getting the signal' from 'someplace else' ... your 'router' will only 'work correctly' if there is another 'router' you can connect to 'wirelessly' that is also 'connected to the Internet' (usually through a 'cable' or DSL connection. So, once you know that the 'router' is working properly, go to the 'task bar' and look for an 'icon' that looks like a 'tiny black wheel' with 'small dots' around the outside ... or 'part of a wheel' with dots ... that is your 'wireless' sign. Click on it, and you will get a 'Wireless Network Connection' that should have EVERY WIRELESS CONNECTION IN YOUR AREA. Some of these will be 'open' and you can just 'connect through them' without ever having to even 'talk' to a person. Others are 'password only' and you MUST HAVE THE PROPER 'numbers' or you can't get onto the Internet. If possible, you should find a 'password only' connection and 'contact them' (meet them, mail them, or go onto another 'open Internet' and e-mail them) to find out how much it will 'cost' for you to get the 'numbers' ... pay the small amount, get the numbers, put them in when 'prompted' (it's the same 'line of numbers and spaces in 'both boxes' ) and you should be 'ready to go online.' I hope this helps you to 'understand' and to get onto the Internet via 'wireless' where you live ... I'm guessing that you went to a 'cafe' or library to connect to the 'net' to ask your question ... but it's always 'more fun' to be at home, but able to 'talk to the whole world.

Answer 4

IF you simply want to "share" a printer attached to one PC, so that this machine MUST be on to print, then you need not buy anything, read the other answers about setting up sharing (No point repeating)

If you want ANY machine to be able to print, WITHOUT the one "owning" the printer being on, you WILL need a wireless print server.

I have a Dlink one on my USB laser, and it's great, work fine as wireless, but now cabled as I turned the wireless off and installed proper cabled network.

Answer 5

on the home PC, go to Control Panel, Printers and Faxes, and select the printer you have installed on that computer, ensure it is shared, with permissions for everyone. Then, on the laptops, go to Control Panel, Printers and Faxes, and then Add printer, select network printer attached to another computer, then select the second option and browse for the printer. Or you can type in \\computername\printersharename. That should do it for you

Answer 6

u dont have to go out and buy anything. all u have to do is unhook the pc end of the wire that connects to the printer and attach that to ur laptop.