Share files and printers across your network

Now you can give the other printers in the group access to the shared printer, but each computer must use the drivers for its own operating system. First, make sure the printer and the PC it's attached to are on. Then start the Add Printers wizard, which you'll find under Printer Tasks in Printers And Faxes. Within the wizard, select "A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer," then browse to the shared printer and select it. When you're done, you'll be able to print to the shared printer from any of the computers in the workgroup the same way you would to a local printer.

If you have a Wi-Fi network, your shared files and printers are only as safe as your whole network is. Ensure that your Wi-Fi network is properly protected behind a firewall. For extra security, make sure any server or printer you add supports Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption, and be sure to add the device's Media Access Control (MAC) address to the list in your router's security settings.