Share Your Windows 7 Printer With Your Mac
Printer sharing is usually a pretty easy DIY project, but in the case of Windows 7, conventional sharing systems just won’t work. Microsoft modified how the sharing protocol works, which means we can no longer use the standard SMB sharing protocol we normally use with older versions of Windows. Instead, we have to find a different common protocol that both the Mac and Windows 7 can use. We’re going to return to an older printer sharing method that’s been around for ages, one that both Windows 7 and OS X and macOS support: Line Printer Daemon. LPD-based printer sharing should work for most printers, but some printers and printer drivers refuse to support network-based sharing.
What You Need for Windows 7 Printer Sharing
A few things must be in place before you begin this process:
A working network, either wired or wireless. A printer that’s connected directly to your Windows 7 computer. A common workgroup name for the PC and Mac. A Mac with OS X Snow Leopard or later installed. A few minutes of your time.
Configure the Workgroup Name
The Mac and PC need to be in the same workgroup for file sharing to work. Windows 7 uses a default workgroup name of WORKGROUP. If you haven’t made any changes to the workgroup name on the Windows computer connected to your network, then you’re ready to go. The Mac also creates a default workgroup name of WORKGROUP for connecting to Windows machines.
Enable Sharing and LPD on Your PC
By default, the LPD capabilities are turned off in Windows 7. Turn them back on. Next, enable printer sharing:
Adding an LPD Printer to Your Mac
With the Windows printer and the computer connected to it active, and the printer set up for sharing, you’re ready to add the printer to your Mac.
Testing the Printer
The Windows 7 printer should now appear in the printer list in the Print & Fax preference pane. To test whether the printer is working, have your Mac generate a test print: For example: If your Windows 7 PC has an IP address of 192.168.1.37 and your shared printer’s name is HPInkjet, then the URL should look like this:lpd/192.168.1.37/HPInkjet The URL field is case sensitive, so HPInkjet and hpinkjet aren’t the same.
Troubleshooting a Shared Windows 7 Printer
Not all printers will work using the LPD protocol, usually because the printer driver on the Mac or Windows 7 computer doesn’t support this sharing method. If your printer isn’t working, try the following:
Update the printer drivers on both your Mac and Windows 7 computers.Try a different printer driver. The specific driver for your printer may not work, but a generic version may, either from the same printer manufacturer or from a different vendor, such as CUPS or Gutenprint drivers.
