Win 11 - sharing printers

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frankmachine

56 posts

Master Geek

#316203 25-Sep-2024 10:39

G'day Geeks

Just wondering if anyone has a solution to the (formerly) simple domestic request to share a USB locally connected printer on a Windows 11 computer so that other Windows 11 & Windows 10 computers in the house can print. Regular file sharing is no problem, printer sharing it seems is very difficult for some reason. Ive got all the file sharing & network discovery turned on, everything else is as it should be but alas, whether I set password protected sharing to on or off and even having made the registry changes that are widely advised on the internet around this issue, it still doesn't work. The Win 11 Pro computer with the printer locally connected is up to date on 23H2.

thanks

frank

shk292

2858 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3286216 25-Sep-2024 13:07

Replace it with a networked printer?

frankmachine

56 posts

Master Geek

#3286225 25-Sep-2024 13:19

yes that's coming..thanks...! but in the meantime.... and for general reference it would be good to know why MS have made this so hard when it used to be one click & sorted.

yitz

2082 posts

Uber Geek

#3286242 25-Sep-2024 14:47

If you can add the printer but nothing comes out check the correct driver chosen, for example with Brother driver packages there is a whole lot of options like "Brother Laser Leg Type1 Class Driver" which it may default to but you need to change it to the one which has the printer model/series name.

Spyware

3764 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3286245 25-Sep-2024 14:59

frankmachine:

yes that's coming..thanks...! but in the meantime.... and for general reference it would be good to know why MS have made this so hard when it used to be one click & sorted.

So you follow https://www.ntlite.com/community/index.php?threads/sharing-printer-from-windows-11-23h2-to-previous-windows-os.4308/ and what exactly happens, what error do you get??

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frankmachine

56 posts

Master Geek

#3286246 25-Sep-2024 15:06

yes I've already read that thread and applied both those registry changes and it's done nothing.

StevieT

702 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3287130 27-Sep-2024 19:36

I've found placing all computers in the same WORKGROUP the best solution. The built-in file/printer sharing tool didn't help, when I was using that type of set-up, years and years ago with I believe Windows 7.

Spyware

3764 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3287132 27-Sep-2024 19:43

StevieT:

I've found placing all computers in the same WORKGROUP the best solution. The built-in file/printer sharing tool didn't help, when I was using that type of set-up, years and years ago with I believe Windows 7.

I would bet my life that the computers are already in the same workgroup, and that the workgroup is named WORKGROUP.