Printers are our silent computing partners — until they give us trouble. That’s when the component we think of only when needed becomes a hindrance to productivity. While it’s not always easy to solve printer issues, determining the source of the problem is often half the battle. Read on to learn why.
Q: I live in a residence with several other students. We all use Windows. How can I give the others wireless access to my printer, which is connected to my computer by USB?
A: Assuming all of the students you live with are sharing the same wireless network, sharing a printer that’s connected to one of the computer is as easy as setting up the printer to be shared. To do so, open the Devices and Printers panel in Windows (you can search for this panel using the Start menu). Right-click the printer that’s connected to your PC, and select Printer Properties from the pop-up menu.
From the Printer Properties dialog box, select the Sharing tab, and then select the check box labeled “Share this printer.” Note that to share a printer this way, your computer — or the computer to which the printer is connected — will have to remain on all the time or whenever someone else wants to print. To share a printer independent of whether your PC is on, you’ll need a printer that’s designed as a network printer, and you’ll need to hook that printer up to your wireless router.
Q: The colors in the photos that I print at home do not match the colors that I see when viewing the photos on my monitor. How can I fix this problem?
A: The problem is two-fold: monitor calibration and printer calibration. Both devices have to be set up to accurate display and represent colors in the same…