Computers networks have really helped a lot in reducing the cost of devices which are required in any office or home. For example you can have hundreds of computers, but just one printer which can be shared among all of them. You can have a number of computers on a network, but just one fax machine which can be used by all of them whenever required. Every computer right from the time of Windows installation is capable of getting connected to a network. By default this network is called as a workgroup. There are two kinds of network connections, first is a workgroup and second one is called as the domain. In a domain controlled network, all the network computers are controlled by the domain controller. All resources are shared and managed by the domain controller and it also controls the security and access levels. But in a workgroup, there is no central control and all the computers are in standalone mode and just share and utilise other shared resources on the network. The best example of a workgroup is two computers connected together via a router. This way they can easily share their resources without letting any controlling issues occur. In this post I will discuss how to connect a wireless printer in your workgroup so that it can be easily accessed by all the computers of the workgroup.
By default every computer is a part of a network group called as a Workgroup. Workgroup is the name but this name needs to be same on all the computers which you wish to connect together. Let us assume that you have not changed the name and it is Workgroup on all the computers of your network. Even if you are in a workgroup still all the computers must be connected through a centralised device – commonly a router (wireless router in this case).
Step 1: Configure your wireless printer to connect to the router by assigning it a valid IP address and setting up the SSID and Security Key in it.
Step 2: Once your printer is able to connect to the router, you have done half the job because now this printer has also become a part of the workgroup and is ready to be used by any of the workgroup computers.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Start’ button and open the ‘Control Panel’.
Step 4: In ‘Control Panel’ look for ‘Network and Sharing Centre’ and open it.
Step 5: In ‘Network and Sharing Centre’ click on the option on the left hand pane titled ‘Change Advanced Sharing Settings’.
Step 6: In this window enable the ‘Turn On File and Printer Sharing’ radio button and save the changes.
Step 7: Click on Network -> Workgroup and view all the devices and computers connected in your workgroup. You will see all the computers and your wireless printer in this window.
Step 8: Double click on the printer so that it gets installed on your machine for instant access. Now this workgroup printer will be available in your print window and you can use it just like a local printer connected to your machine.
Step 9: You need to repeat steps 3 to 8 on all the computers with which you want to use the printer.
