Hard Resource Sharing: Printer Management By N. Ganesan, PhD © N. Ganesan, All Rights Reserved

Hard Resource An example of a hard resource is a printer Unlike folder sharing, hard resource sharing requires a driver to be installed for the corresponding hard resource

Printer Sharing Printer sharing is a two-step process First, install the printer and then share the printer

Printer Installation Access the printer icon from the Control panel Click on the Add Printer icon and the printer installation wizard will guide the user through the installation steps for the printer

The printer would be shared later.

The printer has been installed

Sharing the Printer From this point onwards, the steps involved in the sharing of the printer is almost the same as sharing a folder Right click on the printer and share the printer with the appropriate permissions

Right Click

Give a name for the shared printer.

Current driver.

Additional driver.

Installing Additional Drivers Additional drives are installed for the sake of the clients wanting to install this printer for use after it is shared When other clients access and install the printer, the appropriate driver for the client OS will be installed. Eliminates the need to install the driver from, for instance, the Windows 2000 disk to use the printer

are installed from the Windows 2000 disk locally. Additional drivers are installed from the Windows 2000 disk locally.

Allowing Users to Share the Printer The next step is to give the privilege to selected users to use the printer

Default assignment of users to the printer.

Different privileges are assigned to different users.

Advanced permissions.

Additional permissions and controls.

The hand indicates that the printer is being shared. The check mark indicates that the printer is the default printer for the local computer.

Connecting to a Printer At the client, the network printer must be installed in order for it to be used at a client The installation procedure is similar to that of installing a local printer The difference is that a network printer instead of a local printer is selected for installation

Note, this client also has a printer called Office Color Jet Note, this client also has a printer called Office Color Jet. This is different from the network printer that is going to be installed.

Network printer is selected instead of local printer.

Name such as \\computer\printer could be entered as well.

Note the appearance of network printer.

Local Printer Network Printer

Properties etc. can be set if the permission is granted for this user.

A Simpler Method of Accessing and Sharing Printers Locate the network printer By browsing the network from the Network Neighborhood, for example Right click and connect the printer If the appropriated driver is available at the network location or locally, the printer would be automatically connected

Local Printer

Network printer available on the network at Ganesan510.

Right click to connect.

Network printer connected for sharing and available for sharing.

Setting Printer Properties If permission is given, a number of printer preferences and parameters can be set by a user

Printers and Properties Printer properties are, of course, dependant on the type of printer installed

Summary

End of Chapter