Printer Interfaces

• Four common printer interfaces are available for purchase: parallel (also called Centronics), USB, ethernet, and, less commonly, wireless. It is technically possible to use any or all of the above interfaces as long as the computer itself, or the network, can support that interface. Note many of the newer computers are phasing out the parallel printer port which was once a standard. Make sure all the available interfaces are identified before purchasing a new printer.
  
  

Standalone Computer

• Adding a printer, or printers, to a standalone computer is a pretty straightforward task. While this procedure can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, the typical printer installation will require a CD to be placed in the drive and the printer software be installed following the on-screen instructions. After the software is installed the printer is connected to the system and is recognized. To add a second printer the process is the same. When printing a document on a computer that has multiple printers attached it is necessary to choose which printer you wish the print job to use, usually by selecting the desired printer either through a drop down menu or from a window where you would choose that particular printer by clicking on its icon.
  
  

Network Installation

• In an office network environment, the printer setup will mimic the steps for a standalone computer unless this is an ethernet printer which will be connected to a network switch or hub instead of the computer itself. In this case the printer will be attached to the switch and then the software will need to be loaded on each computer that needs to have access to that printer. From there the printer will need to be mapped so that each computer can find it. If the computer is USB or parallel, follow the instructions for installing a printer on a stand-alone computer but then complete the the extra steps necessary to connect the other network users to this printer. First, on the computer that the printer is attached to, it is necessary to share the computer for other people to use it. Refer to the operating systems documentation to perform this step. Once the printer is shared and available, install the printer software on each remote computer and then configure the printer for to make it available to be used.