How to Connect Your Laptop to a Printer Using a Router to My PC

Laptops provide mobility and convenience, but getting a laptop set up for print jobs can pose an obstacle if you're not hardwired to a printer. Windows does provide built-in support for this kind of issue and can walk you through connecting both your laptop and computer to the same network. After configuring your local area network (LAN) to share a printer, the laptop can print directly from any document or application window.

Instructions Windows XP Networks

1. Set up the first PC on a "Workgroup." Open the Control Panel and select "Network and Internet Connections." Click "Network Connections." Select "Set up a Home or Small Office Network" under "Network Tasks" to open the Network Setup Wizard. Follow the on-screen prompts. Select the appropriate connection method, type your computer name and the name you want to give to the "Workgroup." Click "Next" through each screen. Click "Turn on File and Printer sharing" and click "Next" to apply the settings. Click "Just finish the wizard" and click "Next." Restart the computer to complete the changes.

2. Connect the laptop to the "Workgroup" that has been set up. If the laptop is running Windows XP, open the Control Panel and run the Network Setup Wizard just as on the first PC, typing the exact "Workgroup" name in the space provided. If the laptop is running Windows 7 or Vista, open the Network and Sharing Center and click "Change advanced sharing settings." Click the "Turn on network discovery" and "Turn on file and printer sharing" radio buttons. Click "Save Changes." Click the Windows logo "Start" menu button. Right-click "Computer" and select "Properties." Scroll down and click "Change settings." Click the "Change" button in the "Computer Name" tab and enter the "Workgroup" name that was set up in the space provided. Click "OK" twice and then "Close" in the Properties box. Click "Restart Now."

3. Share the printer on the Windows XP computer that has the printer connected to it. Open the Control Panel and click "Printers and other Hardware." Select "Printers and faxes." Right-click on the icon of your printer and select "Sharing." Click "Share this printer" in the "Sharing" tab. Click "Apply" and then "OK."

4. Connect to the shared printer on the laptop. On a Windows XP laptop, click "Start" and select "Printers and Faxes." Click "File" and select "Add Printer." Click "Next" in the "Add Printer Wizard." Select the "network printer" radio button and click "Next." Click "Browse for a printer" and click "Next." Click the name of the shared network printer and click "Next." Click "Yes" in the dialog box that appears. Click "Finish." On a Windows Vista or 7 laptop, type "add a printer" in the "Start" Menu search box and click "Add a Printer" from the list. Click "Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer." Click "Next." Click the name of the shared network printer and click "Next." If a prompt box appears, click "Next" to install the printer drivers. Click "Finish."

Windows 7 HomeGroups

5. Type "homegroup" in the Start Menu search box of the PC that has the connected printer and click "HomeGroup." Click "Create a homegroup." Click "Printers" under the "Select what you want to share" option and click "Next." Write down the HomeGroup password. Click "Finish."

6. Open the Control Panel in the laptop that wants to share the printer. Type "homegroup" in the Control Panel search box and click "HomeGroup" from the list. Click "Join Now." Click the "Printers" check box and click "Next." Type the HomeGroup password and click "Next." Click "Finish" on the next screen.

7. Set the printer as the default printer for the laptop. Type "Add a Printer" in the Start Menu search box and click "Add a Printer" from the list. Select "Add a network printer." Click the name of the shared printer and click "Next." If a prompt box appears, click "Next" to install the printer drivers. Click "Finish."