You can install most physically attached printers, scanners, and
fax machines by completing the following steps:
Windows 7 should automatically detect the printer, scanner or fax
device as shown in Figure 12.1, and then
automatically install a built-in driver to support it. As shown in Figure 12.2, the Driver Software
Installation component handles the installation task. The printer,
scanner, or fax device should then run immediately without any
problems.
You can confirm that the printer, scanner, or fax device is
available by clicking Start→Devices and Printers. As shown in Figure 12.3, the printer,
scanner, or fax device should be listed as an available device.
Double-click the printer, scanner, or fax device to check its status.
The device status should be “Ready,” as shown in Figure 12.4,.
Automatic installation is great when it works, but it doesn’t work
100 percent of the time. Windows 7 might also automatically detect the
printer, scanner, or fax device, but the Driver Software Installation
component may run into problems installing the device. If this happens,
you’ll see errors similar to those shown in Figure 12.5. For example, the
HP printer that installed automatically on 32-bit Windows
7 would not install automatically on 64-bit Windows 7. Why? At the time,
the 64-bit printer driver was not designed for and known to be fully
compatible with the operating system.
fax machines by completing the following steps:
- Turn on the printer, scanner, or fax device.
- Connect the device to your computer using the appropriate USB
cable. - Let Windows 7 automatically detect and install the device.
Your computer will search its driver cache and may search the
Windows Update site.
device as shown in Figure 12.1, and then
automatically install a built-in driver to support it. As shown in Figure 12.2, the Driver Software
Installation component handles the installation task. The printer,
scanner, or fax device should then run immediately without any
problems.
You can confirm that the printer, scanner, or fax device is
available by clicking Start→Devices and Printers. As shown in Figure 12.3, the printer,
scanner, or fax device should be listed as an available device.
Double-click the printer, scanner, or fax device to check its status.
The device status should be “Ready,” as shown in Figure 12.4,.
Automatic installation is great when it works, but it doesn’t work
100 percent of the time. Windows 7 might also automatically detect the
printer, scanner, or fax device, but the Driver Software Installation
component may run into problems installing the device. If this happens,
you’ll see errors similar to those shown in Figure 12.5. For example, the
HP printer that installed automatically on 32-bit Windows
7 would not install automatically on 64-bit Windows 7. Why? At the time,
the 64-bit printer driver was not designed for and known to be fully
compatible with the operating system.
If automatic installation fails, you can install the
printer or fax machine manually by completing the following
steps:
printer or fax machine manually by completing the following
steps:
- With the printer, scanner, or fax device powered on and
connected to your computer using the appropriate cable,
Start→Devices and Printers. - In Devices and Printers, click “Add a printer.”
In the Add Printer Wizard, shown in Figure 12.6, click “Add a local
printer.”
On the “Choose a printer port page,” ensure that “Use an
existing port” is selected, choose the printer port to use, and then click Next.
If you are trying to manually install a USB printer that did not
install automatically, choose USB001 (Virtual Printer Port for
USB), as shown in Figure 12.7.
Otherwise, choose the COM port (for serial printers) or LPT port
(for parallel printers) that your printer is connected to.
As shown in Figure 12.8, you must
now specify the device manufacturer and model. This allows Windows
7 to assign a driver to the device. If the device manufacturer and
model you are using are displayed, choose a manufacturer and a
model, and then skip steps 6–9.- If the device manufacturer and model you’re using aren’t
displayed in the list, ensure that your computer is connected to
the Internet and then click Windows Update. Windows will then
update the list of printers to show additional models. This
feature is part of Windows 7’s automatic driver provisioning and
it can take several minutes to retrieve the updated list.
- You should then be able to select your printer manufacturer
and model. If you aren’t, download the driver from the
manufacturer’s website and then extract the driver files. - Click Have Disk. In the Install from Disk dialog box, click
Browse. - In the Locate File dialog box, locate the
.inf
driver file for the device and
then click Open. - Click Next. On the “Type a printer name” page, type a name
for the device or accept the default name. You’ll see this name on
the Printers page in the Control Panel. Click Next, and the
printer driver will be installed. - The printer or fax machine is automatically
configured for sharing. If you don’t want the printer or fax
machine to be shared, select “Do not share this printer.”
Otherwise, you can set the share name and location, and add an
optional comment. - When you click Next, the Add Printer Wizard will install the
printer and set it as the default automatically. If you don’t want
the printer to be the default, clear the “Set as the default printer” checkbox (you will see
this checkbox only if you had a default printer before you
installed this one). - To print a test page, click Print a Test Page. The wizard
will then print a test page. Click Close.
Click Finish. Click Start→Devices And Printers. The Devices
and Printers page in the Control Panel will have an additional
icon with the name set the way you specified (see Figure 12.9). You can
change the printer or fax properties and check printer or fax
status at any time.
You can install a scanner manually by completing the
following steps:
following steps:
- In Windows Explorer, access
C:\Program Files\Windows Photo Viewer
,
where C: is your system drive, and then double-clickImagingDevices.exe
. - In the Scanners and Cameras window, click Add Device. This
starts the Scanner and Camera Installation Wizard. - Click Next.
- You must now specify the device manufacturer and model. This
allows Windows 7 to assign a driver to the device. If the device
manufacturer and model you are using are displayed, choose a
manufacturer and a model, and then skip steps 5–7. - If the device manufacturer and model you’re using aren’t
displayed in the list, download the driver from the manufacturer’s
website and then extract the driver files. - Click Have Disk. In the Install from Disk dialog box, click
Browse. - In the Locate File dialog box, locate the
.inf
driver file for the device and
then click Open. - Click Next. On the “What is the name of your device?” page, type a name
for the scanner or accept the default name. You’ll see this name
in the Scanners and Cameras window. - Click Next and then click Finish.
- The Scanners and Cameras window will have an additional icon
with the name set the way you specified. You can change the
scanner properties and check scanner status at any time.
Windows 7 fully supports wireless and Bluetooth. Often,
wireless and Bluetooth printers will include installation software that
you may be able to use to install and begin using the device. Before you
use the installation software, however, you should ensure it is
compatible with Windows 7. If it isn’t, you may want to check the device
manufacturer’s website for updated software.
Some wireless and Bluetooth printers connect directly to a
computer. Others connect to a computer via a network. You can connect a
wireless or Bluetooth printer directly to a computer by completing the
following steps:
the printer is powered on and that the wireless/Bluetooth transmitter
is switched on. If you suspect the printer is out of range, try moving
it closer to the computer. Make sure the printer is positioned away
from air conditioning units, microwave ovens, etc. Then click Search
Again to have your computer search again for the printer. If this
resolves the problem, select the printer and then click Next to
continue this procedure. Otherwise, click “The printer that I want
isn’t listed,” and then click Next.
On the “Find a printer by name or TCP/IP address” page, select
“Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname,” and then click Next. On the “Type a printer
hostname or IP address” page, use the “Device type” list to select
the type of device. If you don’t know the type of device, choose
Autodetect. In the “Hostname or IP address” text box, type the
hostname or Internet Protocol (IP) address of the device. If you are
unsure, use the device’s control menu to print a configuration page.
The port name is set for you based on the hostname or IP address
entry. The port name doesn’t matter as long as it’s unique for your
computer.
When you click Next, the wizard attempts to contact the device.
If the wizard is unable to detect the print device, make sure that the
print device is turned on and connected to the network. Also, ensure
that you typed the correct IP address or printer name in the previous
page. If you entered incorrect information, click the Back arrow and
then retype this information. Complete the installation by setting the
printer name and sharing options as discussed in steps 7–11.To connect a wireless printer to a computer via a network, do the
following:
wireless and Bluetooth printers will include installation software that
you may be able to use to install and begin using the device. Before you
use the installation software, however, you should ensure it is
compatible with Windows 7. If it isn’t, you may want to check the device
manufacturer’s website for updated software.
Some wireless and Bluetooth printers connect directly to a
computer. Others connect to a computer via a network. You can connect a
wireless or Bluetooth printer directly to a computer by completing the
following steps:
- Typically, wireless and Bluetooth devices require that you
connect a receiver to the computer. You’ll need to plug the receiver
into a USB slot on the computer. - Position the computer and receiver so that the receiver is
within range of the printer to which you want to connect. - Configure the printer as necessary and ensure that it is
powered on. - Click Start→Devices and Printers. In Devices and Printers,
click “Add printer.”
In the Add Printer Wizard, shown in Figure 12.10, click “Add a
network, wireless or Bluetooth Printer.”
As shown in Figure 12.11, your computer
will then search for available printers. If the printer you want to
use is shown in the list of available printers, select the printer,
and then click Next.
Note
If your computer can’t find the wireless printer, make sure thatthe printer is powered on and that the wireless/Bluetooth transmitter
is switched on. If you suspect the printer is out of range, try moving
it closer to the computer. Make sure the printer is positioned away
from air conditioning units, microwave ovens, etc. Then click Search
Again to have your computer search again for the printer. If this
resolves the problem, select the printer and then click Next to
continue this procedure. Otherwise, click “The printer that I want
isn’t listed,” and then click Next.
On the “Find a printer by name or TCP/IP address” page, select
“Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname,” and then click Next. On the “Type a printer
hostname or IP address” page, use the “Device type” list to select
the type of device. If you don’t know the type of device, choose
Autodetect. In the “Hostname or IP address” text box, type the
hostname or Internet Protocol (IP) address of the device. If you are
unsure, use the device’s control menu to print a configuration page.
The port name is set for you based on the hostname or IP address
entry. The port name doesn’t matter as long as it’s unique for your
computer.
When you click Next, the wizard attempts to contact the device.
If the wizard is unable to detect the print device, make sure that the
print device is turned on and connected to the network. Also, ensure
that you typed the correct IP address or printer name in the previous
page. If you entered incorrect information, click the Back arrow and
then retype this information. Complete the installation by setting the
printer name and sharing options as discussed in steps 7–11.
- On the “Type a printer name” page, type a name for the device
or accept the default name. You’ll see this name on the Printers
page in the Control Panel. Click Next. - The printer is automatically configured for sharing. If you
don’t want the printer to be shared, select “Do not share this
printer.” Otherwise, you can set the share name and location, and
add an optional comment. - When you click Next, the Add Printer Wizard will install the
printer and set it as the default automatically. If you don’t want
the printer to be the default, clear the “Set as the default
printer” checkbox (you will see this checkbox only if you had a
default printer before you installed this one).
- To print a test page, click Print a Test Page. The wizard will
then print a test page. Click Close. - Click Finish. Click Start→Devices and Printers. The Devices
and Printers page in the Control Panel will have an additional icon
with the name set the way you specified. You can change the printer
properties and check printer status at any time.
following:
- Power on the printer. Configure its initial settings as
appropriate for the network. For example, you may need to configure
TCP/IP settings to use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) or
you may need to use a static IP address. - Wait 30–60 seconds for the device to be detected. The device
should be detected and installed automatically. If the device isn’t
detected and installed, click Start and then click Devices and
Printers. In Devices and Printers, ensure that the device isn’t
already listed as available. If the device isn’t available yet,
click “Add printer.” You’ll then be able to install the printer as
discussed in steps 5–11 of the previous procedure. - If you have trouble connecting to the printer, make sure that
a firewall isn’t blocking connectivity to the printer. You may need
to open a firewall port to allow access between the computer and the
device. Also double-check the printer’s TCP/IP configuration. If
your network consists of multiple subnets connected together, try to
connect the device to the same network subnet. - Keep in mind that Network Discovery settings control whether your
computer can find other computers and devices on the network and
whether other computers on the network can find your computer. By
default, Network Discovery is not enabled (but you may have enabled
this feature already by creating a homegroup, sharing folders, or
performing other tasks). To enable Network Discovery, click
Start→Control Panel→Network and Internet→Network and Sharing Center.
In the left pane, click “Change advanced sharing settings.” Access
the appropriate network profile, such as Home or Work. Under Network
Discovery, click “Turn on network discovery,” and then click Save
Changes.
A network-attached printer, scanner, or fax machine is a
device that’s attached directly to the network using a wireless
connection or a network cable. Network-attached printers, scanners, and
fax machines are configured so that they’re accessible to network users
as shared devices.
computer on which you configure the print device becomes an additional
print server for it. When you install this printer on
another computer, you might see two listings: one for the device
itself, and another for the shared printer on the computer that is
sharing it. Unless you want your computer to act as a print server,
you might want to select “Do not share this printer” in step 5.You can install a network-attached printer or fax machine by
completing these steps:
sure that the printer is powered on and that a firewall isn’t blocking connectivity to the printer. You
may need to open a firewall port to allow access between the computer
and the printer. If your network consists of multiple subnets
connected together, try to connect the printer to the same network
subnet. Also, make sure the printer is configured to broadcast its
presence on the network. Although most network printers automatically
do this, this isn’t always the case. Finally, make sure that the
printer has an IP address and proper network settings. With DHCP,
network routers assign IP addresses automatically as printers connect
to the network. After you’ve double-checked everything, click Search
Again to have your computer search again for the printer. If this
resolves the problem, select the printer and then click Next to
continue this procedure. Otherwise, skip the remaining steps and
follow the next procedure to install the printer manually.If the Add Printer Wizard doesn’t find the network printer you
want to use, complete the installation by following these steps:
Xerox makes a network-attached scanner called the Xerox
WorkCentre Pro Scanner. This device and other similar devices install in
the same way as a directly attached scanner. When you complete the
installation, the scanner should be configured automatically. If it
isn’t, follow these steps to set the IP address for the scanner:
device that’s attached directly to the network using a wireless
connection or a network cable. Network-attached printers, scanners, and
fax machines are configured so that they’re accessible to network users
as shared devices.
Warning
If you configure the printer and enable sharing, thecomputer on which you configure the print device becomes an additional
print server for it. When you install this printer on
another computer, you might see two listings: one for the device
itself, and another for the shared printer on the computer that is
sharing it. Unless you want your computer to act as a print server,
you might want to select “Do not share this printer” in step 5.
completing these steps:
- Click Start→Devices and Printers. In Devices and Printers,
click “Add printer.” This starts the Add Printer Wizard. - In the Add Printer Wizard, click “Add a network,
wireless or Bluetooth printer.” The Add Printer Wizard will then
begin searching for available devices. - If the wizard finds the device you want to use, click it in
the list of devices found. Click Next.
Note
If your computer can’t find the network printer, makesure that the printer is powered on and that a firewall isn’t blocking connectivity to the printer. You
may need to open a firewall port to allow access between the computer
and the printer. If your network consists of multiple subnets
connected together, try to connect the printer to the same network
subnet. Also, make sure the printer is configured to broadcast its
presence on the network. Although most network printers automatically
do this, this isn’t always the case. Finally, make sure that the
printer has an IP address and proper network settings. With DHCP,
network routers assign IP addresses automatically as printers connect
to the network. After you’ve double-checked everything, click Search
Again to have your computer search again for the printer. If this
resolves the problem, select the printer and then click Next to
continue this procedure. Otherwise, skip the remaining steps and
follow the next procedure to install the printer manually.
- On the “Type a printer name” page, type a name for the device
or accept the default name. You’ll see this name on the Printers
page in the Control Panel. Click Next. - The printer is automatically configured for sharing. If you
don’t want the printer to be shared, select “Do not share this
printer.” Otherwise, you can set the share name and location and add
an optional comment. - When you click Next, the Add Printer Wizard will install the
printer and set it as the default automatically. If you don’t want
the printer to be the default, clear the “Set as the default printer” checkbox (you will see
this checkbox only if you had a default printer before you installed
this one). - To print a test page, click “Print a test page.” The wizard
will then print a test page. Click Close. - Click Finish. Click Start→Devices and Printers. The Devices
and Printers page in the Control Panel will have an additional icon
with the name set the way you specified. You can change the printer
properties and check printer status at any time.
want to use, complete the installation by following these steps:
- On the “Searching for available printers” page, click “The
printer that I want isn’t listed” and then click Next. - On the “Find a printer by name or TCP/IP address” page, select
“Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname,” and then click Next.
On the “Type a printer hostname or IP address” page, shown in
Figure 12.12, use the “Device
type” list to select the type of device. If you don’t know the type
of device, choose Autodetect.- In the “Hostname or IP address” text box, type the hostname or
Internet Protocol (IP) address of the device. If you are unsure, use
the device’s control menu to print a configuration page. - The port name is set for you based on the hostname or IP
address entry. The port name doesn’t matter as long as it’s unique
for your computer. - When you click Next, the wizard attempts to contact the device
and automatically determine the protocol details as well as the
adapter type. If the wizard is unable to detect the print device,
make sure that the print device is turned on and connected to the
network. Also, ensure that you typed the correct IP address or
printer name in the previous page. If you entered incorrect
information, click the Back arrow and then retype this
information. - Complete the installation by setting the printer name and
sharing options as discussed in the previous procedure.
WorkCentre Pro Scanner. This device and other similar devices install in
the same way as a directly attached scanner. When you complete the
installation, the scanner should be configured automatically. If it
isn’t, follow these steps to set the IP address for the scanner:
- In Windows Explorer, access
C:\Program Files\Windows Photo Viewer
,
where C: is your system drive, and then double-clickImagingDevices.exe
. - In the Scanners and Cameras window, click the scanner and then
click Properties. - On the Device Settings tab, type the hostname or IP address of
the scanner and then click OK.