Sharing of Hardware resources in the network.

Setting up a printer on your network involves two steps. 

The first step is getting the printer connected to the network, and there are three ways you can do that....

Connect the printer to the network directly. 

• This is the easiest way to set up a network printer.  
• It doesn’t require that another PC be turned on to print (like the below methods do), and you don’t have to go through the hassle of setting up sharing. 
• And, since most printers made within the last few years have networking built in, there’s a good chance your printer supports this option.

Connect the printer to one of your PCs and share it with the network over Home-group. 

• If connecting a printer directly to the network isn’t an option, you can connect it to a PC on the network and share it with Windows Home group. 
• It’s easy to set up, and is optimal for networks that are made up of mostly Windows computers. This method, however, requires that the computer its connected to be up and running in order for you to use the printer.

Connect the printer to one of your PCs and share it without Home-group. 

• This is ideal if your network has other computers running different operating systems, if you want more control over file and printer sharing, or if Home-group just isn’t working very well. 
• Like the Home-group method, this requires that the computer its connected to be up and running in order for you to use the printer.

Procedure to share hardware resources (printer) over network.

1. Click on Start in the bottom left corner of your screen. A popup list will appear.
2. Select Control Panel from the popup list. Type the word network in the search box.
3. Click on Network and Sharing Center.
4. Click on Change advanced shared settings, in the left pane.
5. Click on the down arrow, which will expand the network profile.
6. Select File and printer sharing and choose Turn on file and printer sharing.
7. Click on Save changes.

You're now ready to share your printer.

1. Click on Start in the bottom left corner of your screen. A popup list will appear.
2. Click on Devices and Printers, from the popup list.
3. Right click the printer you want to share. A drop down list will appear.
4. Select Printer properties from the drop down list.
5. Click on the Sharing tab
6. Select the Share this printer check box.

In order for other people to connect to the printer, they just have to add the network printer that you just opened for sharing to their computers. Here's how to do this.

1. Click on Start in the bottom left corner of your screen. A popup list will appear.
2. Click on Devices and Printers from the popup list.
3. Select Add a printer.
4. Click on Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer.
5. Click the shared printer.
6. Click Next. Continue according to the instructions on the screen