Check Printer and Connections

• Before adjusting any settings on your computer or network, you should first make sure that the shared printer is operating properly. If the printer is connected to your host computer locally using a data cable, check that the USB cable is firmly plugged in to the workstation and that the printer is powered on. If the printer being shared is a network device, you may need to check its Ethernet configuration. Ensure that the printer's Ethernet cable is connected to an active network port, and then confirm that the printer is receiving a valid IP address. The easiest way to make sure your shared printer is working correctly is to send a print job from your host computer to the local printer. If the job prints successfully, then the problem lies elsewhere in the wireless-sharing settings. If the printer does not print the test job, then you will need to continue to troubleshoot the local printer until it is functioning properly.
  
  

Enabling Print Sharing

• In order for other users to be able to connect to your printer over the local wireless network, you will need to enable print sharing on the computer that is hosting the printer. First, open the "Start" menu and click on the "Printers and Faxes" icon. Then right-click on the printer you are intending to share wirelessly and select the "Properties" option. When you go to the "Sharing" tab at the top of the properties window, you will see all of the necessary printer-sharing settings. Select the radio button next to "Share this printer," and then choose a name for the shared printer. Make sure to select a name that other users on your local network will be able to recognize easily, because this is what the printer will be labeled as when they connect to it from remote computers.
  
  

Configuring the Windows Firewall

• If your wirelessly shared printer is still not functioning properly after enabling print sharing on the host computer, you should check your computer's firewall settings. When the Windows Firewall is turned on, it can block all outgoing and incoming network connections, including some regular services like file and print sharing. To prevent your firewall from blocking your shared printer, open the "Start" menu and click on the "Control Panel" icon. Then double-click on the "Windows Firewall" icon and go to the "Exceptions" tab at the top of the window. Check the box next to "File and Print Sharing" and hit the "OK" button at the bottom of the window to save the new firewall settings. This action will allow all print-sharing services through your firewall, and it should be performed on both the computer hosting the printer and all of the computers attempting to connect to it wirelessly.