Over the years, Windows has gotten much better about how it handles networked printers. But if you want to share a printer over the network, you may still need to do a little legwork to get it all up and running. Here’s how it all works.

多年来，Windows在如何处理网络打印机方面取得了更好的进步。 但是，如果您想通过网络共享打印机，则可能仍需要做一些工作以使其全部正常运行。 这就是全部的运作方式。

Setting up a printer on your network involves two steps. The first step is getting the printer connected to the network, and there are three ways you can do that:

在网络上设置打印机涉及两个步骤。 第一步是使打印机连接到网络，您可以通过三种方式进行操作：

• Connect the printer to the network directly. This is the easiest way to set up a network printer.  It doesn’t require that another PC be turned on to print (like the below methods do), and you don’t have to go through the hassle of setting up sharing. And, since most printers made within the last few years have networking built in, there’s a good chance your printer supports this option.

  将打印机直接连接到网络 。 这是设置网络打印机的最简单方法。 它不需要打开另一台PC进行打印(就像下面的方法一样)，并且您不必费心设置共享。 而且，由于最近几年制造的大多数打印机都内置了网络，因此您的打印机很有可能支持此选项。

• Connect the printer to one of your PCs and share it with the network over Homegroup. If connecting a printer directly to the network isn’t an option, you can connect it to a PC on the network and share it with Windows Homegroup. It’s easy to set up, and is optimal for networks that are made up of mostly Windows computers. This method, however, requires that the computer its connected to be up and running in order for you to use the printer.

  将打印机连接到您的一台PC上，并通过Homegroup与网络共享 。 如果无法将打印机直接连接到网络，则可以将其连接到网络上的PC并与Windows Homegroup共享。 它易于设置，对于大多数由Windows计算机组成的网络来说是最佳选择。 但是，此方法要求连接的计算机已启动并正在运行，以便您使用打印机。

• Connect the printer to one of your PCs and share it without Homegroup. This is ideal if your network has other computers running different operating systems, if you want more control over file and printer sharing, or if Homegroup just isn’t working very well. Like the Homegroup method, this requires that the computer its connected to be up and running in order for you to use the printer.

  将打印机连接到您的一台PC上，无需Homegroup即可共享它 。 如果您的网络中有其他计算机运行不同的操作系统，或者您想对文件和打印机共享进行更多控制，或者Homegroup不能很好地运行，那么这是理想的选择。 与Homegroup方法类似，这要求连接的计算机已启动并正在运行，以便您使用打印机。

The second step, once you’ve hooked up your printer, will be connecting other PCs to the network printer…which depends a lot on how you hooked it up. Confused yet? Don’t worry. We’re about to go over all of this.

连接好打印机后，第二步将把其他PC连接到网络打印机上，这在很大程度上取决于您如何连接它。 感到困惑了吗？ 不用担心 我们将讨论所有这些。

Update: Microsoft removed the HomeGroup feature from Windows 10 in the April 2018 update. You can still use HomeGroups if you’re using Windows 7 or 8, but they won’t be accessible by computers running Windows 10 (at least with the latest updates) unless you also set up traditional file sharing.

更新 ：Microsoft 在2018年4月更新中从Windows 10中删除了HomeGroup功能 。 如果您使用的是Windows 7或8，仍然可以使用HomeGroups，但是运行Windows 10的计算机(至少具有最新更新)将无法访问它们，除非您还设置了传统的文件共享。

第一步：将打印机连接到网络 (Step One: Connect Your Printer to the Network)

First, let’s talk about getting that printer connected to your network. As we mentioned above, you have three options here. You can connect it directly to the network, you can connect it to a PC and share it through a Homegroup, or you can connect it to a PC and share it without using Homegroup.

首先，让我们谈谈将打印机连接到您的网络。 如上所述，您在这里有三个选择。 您可以将其直接连接到网络，可以将其连接到PC并通过Homegroup共享，也可以将其连接到PC并共享而不使用Homegroup。

将打印机直接连接到网络 (Connect Your Printer Directly to the Network)

Most printers these days have networking built in. Some come equipped with Wi-Fi, some with Ethernet, and many have both options available. Unfortunately, we can’t give you precise instructions for getting this done, since how you do it depends on the type of printer you have. If your printer has an LCD display, chances are you can find the network settings somewhere in the Settings or Tools portion of the menus. If your printer has no display, you’ll probably have to rely on some series of physical button presses to tell it whether it should use its Wi-Fi or Ethernet network adapter. Some printers even have a dedicated easy connect button that can set up the Wi-Fi for you.

如今，大多数打印机都内置了网络。一些打印机配备了Wi-Fi，一些打印机配备了以太网，还有许多打印机都提供了这两种选择。 不幸的是，我们无法为您提供完成此操作的确切说明，因为您的操作方式取决于所使用的打印机类型。 如果您的打印机具有LCD显示屏，则很有可能在菜单的“设置”或“工具”部分中找到网络设置。 如果您的打印机没有显示，则您可能必须依靠一系列物理按键来告诉它是否应该使用其Wi-Fi或以太网适配器。 有些打印机甚至具有专用的便捷连接按钮，可以为您设置Wi-Fi。

If you’re having trouble setting up a printer that connects directly to the network, the manufacturer should have instructions for making it happen. Check the manual that came with your printer or the manufacturer’s web site for information on hooking it up.

如果您在设置直接连接到网络的打印机时遇到问题，则制造商应具有相应的说明。 检查打印机随附的手册或制造商的网站，以获取有关连接打印机的信息。

使用家庭组共享连接到PC的打印机 (Share a Printer Connected to a PC by Using a Homegroup)

Sharing a printer with Homegroup is super easy. First, of course, you’ll want to make sure that the printer is connected to one of the PCs on the network and set up properly. If that PC can print to the printer, then you’re good to go.

与Homegroup共享打印机非常容易。 首先，当然，您需要确保打印机已连接到网络中的其中一台PC并已正确设置。 如果那台PC可以打印到打印机，那您就好了。

Start by firing up the Homegroup control panel app. Click Start, type “homegroup,” and then click the selection or hit Enter.

首先启动Homegroup控制面板应用程序。 单击开始，键入“家庭组”，然后单击选择或按Enter。

What you do next depends on what you see in the Homegroup window. If the PC you have the printer connected to is already part of a Homegroup, you’ll see something like the following screen. If it shows that you’re already sharing printers, then you’re done. You can skip on to step two, where you connect other PCs on the network. If you’re not already sharing printers, click the “Change what you’re sharing with the homegroup” link.

接下来的操作取决于在“家庭组”窗口中看到的内容。 如果已连接打印机的PC已经属于家庭组，则您将看到类似以下屏幕的内容。 如果显示您已经在共享打印机，则说明您已完成。 您可以跳至第二步，在此连接网络上的其他PC。 如果尚未共享打印机，请单击“更改与家庭组共享的内容”链接。

On the “Printers & Devices” drop-down menu, choose the “Shared” option. Click Next and then you can close the Homegroup options and move on to step two.

在“打印机和设备”下拉菜单上，选择“共享”选项。 单击“下一步”，然后您可以关闭“家庭组”选项，然后继续执行第二步。

If there is already a Homegroup created for other PCs on the network, but the PC you’ve got your printer connected to isn’t a member, the main screen when you start the Homegroup control panel app will look something like the one below. Click the “Join now” button and then click “Next” on the following screen that just tells you a bit about Homegroups.

如果已经为网络上的其他PC创建了Homegroup，但是连接打印机的PC不是成员，则启动Homegroup控制面板应用程序时的主屏幕将类似于以下屏幕。 单击“立即加入”按钮，然后在以下屏幕上单击“下一步”，该屏幕仅告诉您一些有关家庭组的信息。

Set your sharing options, making sure that “Printers and devices” is set to “Shared,” and then click “Next.”

设置共享选项，确保将“打印机和设备”设置为“共享”，然后单击“下一步”。

Type the password for the Homegroup and then click “Next.” If you don’t know the password, go to one of the other PCs on the network that is already a member of the Homegroup, launch the Homegroup control panel app, and you can look it up there.

输入家庭组的密码，然后单击“下一步”。 如果您不知道密码，请转到网络上已经是Homegroup成员的其他PC之一，启动Homegroup控制面板应用程序，然后在其中查找。

If you’re connecting from another PC that you’ve signed onto using the same Microsoft account as the PC that’s already a member of the Homegroup, Windows 8 and 10 won’t ask for your password. Instead, Windows will authorize you automatically.

如果您使用与已经是Homegroup成员的PC相同的Microsoft帐户从已登录的另一台PC连接，则Windows 8和10不会要求您输入密码。 Windows会自动授权您。

On the final screen, click the “Finish” button and then you can move on to step two and get your other PCs on the network connected to the printer.

在最后一个屏幕上，单击“完成”按钮，然后您可以继续执行第二步，并将网络上的其他PC连接到打印机。

And finally, if there is no Homegroup at all on your network, you’ll see something like the following screen when you open the Homegroup control panel window. To create a new homegroup, click the “Create a homegroup” button.

最后，如果您的网络上根本没有Homegroup，则在打开Homegroup控制面板窗口时，您会看到类似以下屏幕的内容。 要创建新的家庭组，请单击“创建家庭组”按钮。

The following screen just tells you a little about Homegroups. Go ahead and click “Next.”

以下屏幕仅告诉您一些有关家庭组的信息。 继续并单击“下一步”。

Choose whatever libraries and folders you want to share with the network from the PC you’re on. Just make sure that you select the “Shared” option for “Printers & Devices.” Click “Next” when you’re done making your selections.

从您所用的PC中选择要与网络共享的任何库和文件夹。 只需确保为“打印机和设备”选择“共享”选项即可。 完成选择后，单击“下一步”。

The final screen shows the password you’ll need for other PCs on your network to connect to the Homegroup. Write it down and then click the “Finish” button.

最后一个屏幕显示网络上其他PC连接到Homegroup所需的密码。 写下来，然后单击“完成”按钮。

Now that you’ve got your Homegroup set up and your PC is sharing its printers with it, you can skip down to step two and get those other PCs on the network connected to the printer.

现在，您已经设置了家庭组，并且PC正在与其共享打印机，您可以跳至第二步，并将网络上的其他PC连接到打印机。

不使用家庭组即可共享连接到PC的打印机 (Share a Printer Connected to a PC Without Using a Homegroup)

If you have computers or mobile devices on your network that run an OS other than Windows 7, 8, or 10–or you just don’t want to use Homegroup for some reason–you can always use the sharing tools that have always been a part of Windows to share a printer with the network. Again, your first step is making sure the printer is connected to a PC and that you can print to it.

如果您的网络上有运行Windows 7、8或10以外的操作系统的计算机或移动设备，或者由于某种原因而不想使用Homegroup，则可以始终使用共享工具。 Windows的一部分以与网络共享打印机。 同样，第一步是确保打印机已连接到PC，并且可以在其上进行打印。

Click Start, type “devices and printers,” and then hit Enter or click the result.

单击开始，键入“设备和打印机”，然后单击Enter或单击结果。

Right-click the printer you want to share with the network and then select “Printer properties”.

右键单击要与网络共享的打印机，然后选择“打印机属性”。

The “Printer Properties” window shows you all kinds of things you can configure about the printer. For now, click the “Sharing” tab.

“打印机属性”窗口显示了您可以配置的有关打印机的所有内容。 现在，单击“共享”选项卡。

You are informed that the printer will not be available when your computer sleeps or it is shut down. Also, if you are using password protected sharing, you are informed that only users on your network with a username and password for this computer can print to it. Credentials are a one-time thing you’ll have to enter the first time you connect another PC to the shared printer; you won’t have to do it each time you print. If you’d prefer, you can make sharing available to guests so that passwords aren’t necessary, but that setting will also apply to any files you have shared. We suggest you read up on customizing your network sharing settings before making that decision.

您将被告知打印机在计算机Hibernate或关闭时将不可用。 另外，如果您使用密码保护的共享，则会通知您只有网络上具有该计算机用户名和密码的用户才能打印到该计算机。 凭据是一次性的事情，您必须在第一次将另一台PC连接到共享打印机时才输入凭据。 您不必每次打印时都要做。 如果愿意，可以将共享提供给来宾，这样就不需要密码了，但是该设置也将应用于您共享的任何文件。 我们建议您在决定之前先阅读自定义网络共享设置 。

To proceed, enable the “Share this printer” option and, if you want, give the printer a friendlier name so that others on the network can more easily identify the printer.

要继续，请启用“共享此打印机”选项，并根据需要为打印机指定一个更友好的名称，以便网络上的其他人可以更轻松地标识打印机。

The other option you can set here is whether you would like to render print jobs on client computers. If this setting is enabled, all the documents that will be printed are rendered on the computers where people are doing the printing. When this setting is disabled, the documents are rendered on the computer to which the printer is attached. If it’s a PC that someone uses actively, we recommend enabling this setting so that system performance is not impacted every time something gets printed.

您可以在此处设置的另一个选项是，是否要在客户端计算机上渲染打印作业。 如果启用此设置，则将要打印的所有文档都将在人们进行打印的计算机上呈现。 禁用此设置后，文档将在连接打印机的计算机上呈现。 如果是有人主动使用的PC，建议您启用此设置，以免每次打印内容时都影响系统性能。

When you’re done setting things up, go ahead and click “OK.”

完成设置后，继续并单击“确定”。

Now that you’ve shared the printer, other PCs on your network should be able to connect to it. So, you’re ready to move on to step two.

现在，您已经共享了打印机，网络上的其他PC应该可以连接到它了。 因此，您准备继续进行第二步。

第二步：从网络上的任何PC连接到打印机 (Step Two: Connect to Your Printer from Any PC on the Network)

Now that you’ve got your printer connected to the network using one of the above methods, it’s time to turn your attention to the second part of the process: connecting other PCs on the network to that printer. How you do that really just depends on whether you’re using Homegroup or not.

现在您已经使用上述方法之一将打印机连接到网络，现在该把注意力转移到过程的第二部分：将网络上的其他PC连接到该打印机。 实际操作方式仅取决于您是否正在使用Homegroup。

使用家庭组连接到PC共享的打印机 (Connect to a Printer That’s Shared by a PC Using a Homegroup)

This is probably the easiest step in this whole tutorial. If you’ve got the printer connected to a PC and that PC is sharing the printer as part of a Homegroup, all you have to do is make sure that other PCs on the network are also joined to the Homegroup. You can use the same process we went over in Step One to get them joined. When PCs are part of the same Homegroup, Windows will automatically connect to any printers shared from other PCs. They’ll just show up in your Devices and Printers window automatically and any PC in the Homegroup can print to them. Super simple.

这可能是整个教程中最简单的步骤。 如果您已将打印机连接到PC，并且该PC作为Homegroup的一部分共享打印机，那么您要做的就是确保网络上的其他PC也已加入Homegroup。 您可以使用与第一步中相同的过程来加入他们。 当PC是同一家庭组的一部分时，Windows将自动连接到与其他PC共享的任何打印机。 它们只会自动显示在“设备和打印机”窗口中，并且Homegroup中的任何PC都可以打印到它们。 超级简单。

不使用家庭组连接到打印机 (Connect to a Printer Without Using Homegroup)

If your printer is connected directly to a network, or is shared from a PC without using Homegroup, you’ll have to do a little more work to connect to it from other PCs on the network. It’s still pretty straightforward, though. Click Start, type “devices and printers,” and then hit Enter or click the result.

如果您的打印机直接连接到网络，或者在不使用Homegroup的情况下从PC共享，则您需要做更多的工作才能从网络上的其他PC连接到它。 但是，它仍然非常简单。 单击开始，键入“设备和打印机”，然后单击Enter或单击结果。

The Devices and Printers window shows a collection of devices on your PC. Click the “Add a printer” link to get started adding your network printer.

设备和打印机窗口显示PC上设备的集合。 单击“添加打印机”链接以开始添加网络打印机。

Windows will perform a quick scan of your network for discoverable devices that are not yet installed on your PC and display them in the “Add a device” window. Chances are high that you’ll see your printer on the list, whether it’s directly connected to the network or shared from another PC. If you see the printer you’re looking for, then your job just got super easy. Click the printer you want to install. Windows will handle the installation, download drivers if needed, and ask you to provide a name for the printer. That’s all you have to do.

Windows将对您的网络执行快速扫描，以查找PC上尚未安装的可发现设备，并将其显示在“添加设备”窗口中。 无论是直接连接到网络还是从另一台PC共享打印机，您都有可能在列表中看到您的打印机。 如果您看到所需的打印机，那么您的工作就变得非常简单。 单击您要安装的打印机。 Windows将处理安装，必要时下载驱动程序，并要求您提供打印机的名称。 那就是你要做的。

If you don’t see the printer you want to install–and you’re sure you’ve got it properly connected to the network–click the “The printer that I want isn’t listed” link. The next window will present you with several options for helping you find it:

如果没有看到要安装的打印机，并且确定已正确连接到网络，请单击“未列出我想要的打印机”链接。 下一个窗口将为您提供一些帮助您找到它的选项：

• My printer is a little older. If you select this option, Windows will perform a more thorough scan of your network looking for the printer. In our experience, though, it rarely finds anything that it didn’t already find during its initial scan. It’s an easy enough option to try, but it may take a few minutes.

  我的打印机比较旧 。 如果选择此选项，Windows将对您的网络进行更彻底的扫描以寻找打印机。 但是，根据我们的经验，它很少会找到在初次扫描中找不到的任何东西。 这是一个很容易尝试的选择，但可能要花几分钟。

• Select a shared printer by name. If the network computer is shared from another PC, this is the best option for finding it. If you know the exact network name of the computer and printer, you can type it here. Or you can click the “Browse” button to look through the PCs on your network that have sharing enabled and see if you can find the printer that way.

  按名称选择共享打印机 。 如果网络计算机是与另一台PC共享的，则这是查找它的最佳选择。 如果您知道计算机和打印机的确切网络名称，则可以在此处键入。 或者，您可以单击“浏览”按钮来浏览网络上已启用共享的PC，并查​​看是否可以通过这种方式找到打印机。

• Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname. If your printer is attached directly to the network and you know its IP address, this is probably the simplest and surest option. Most network printers have a function that lets you determine their IP address. If your printer has an LCD display, you may be able to find the IP address by scrolling through the printer settings. For printers without a display, you can usually perform some sequence of button presses that will print the settings for you. If all else fails, you can always use an IP scanning app like Wireless Network Watcher to locate devices on your network. Check out the last section of this guide for more information on how to do that.

  使用TCP / IP地址或主机名添加打印机 。 如果您的打印机直接连接到网络，并且您知道其IP地址，则这可能是最简单，最可靠的选择。 大多数网络打印机都具有让您确定其IP地址的功能。 如果您的打印机具有LCD显示屏，则可以滚动浏览打印机设置来查找IP地址。 对于不带显示器的打印机，通常可以执行一些按钮按下操作，这些操作将为您打印设置。 如果其他所有方法均失败，则您始终可以使用IP扫描应用程序(如Wireless Network Watcher)来查找网络上的设备。 请查看本指南的最后一部分，以获取有关如何执行此操作的更多信息。

• Add a Bluetooth, wireless, or network discoverable printer. If you choose this option, Windows will scan for those types of devices. Again, we’ve rarely seen it pick up a device that it didn’t find during the initial scan. But, it still may be worth a try.

  添加蓝牙，无线或网络可发现的打印机 。 如果选择此选项，Windows将扫描这些类型的设备。 同样，我们很少见到它会拾取在初始扫描期间未找到的设备。 但是，仍然值得一试。

• Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings. This option may help you get a printer added if nothing else works. It’s mostly for configuring a local printer by specifying exact port information, but there is one setting in particular that can help with network printers if you know the model. When asked to specify a port, you can choose a Windows Self Discovery option, which is listed toward the bottom of the available ports as “WSD” followed by a string of numbers and letters. When you choose that, Windows will ask you to specify a model so that it can install drivers. When you’re done, Windows will then monitor the network for that printer. It’s a longshot, but it’s worth a try if all else fails.

  添加具有手动设置的本地打印机或网络打印机 。 如果没有其他操作，此选项可以帮助您添加打印机。 它主要用于通过指定确切的端口信息来配置本地打印机，但是如果您知道型号，则特别有一项设置可以帮助网络打印机。 当要求您指定端口时，您可以选择Windows自助发现选项，该选项在可用端口的底部以“ WSD”的形式列出，后跟一串数字和字母。 选择该选项时，Windows将要求您指定一个模型，以便它可以安装驱动程序。 完成后，Windows将监视该打印机的网络。 这是一个漫长的尝试，但是如果其他所有方法都失败，则值得尝试。

You’ll find all these options are pretty straightforward and feature short wizards for walking you through the process. Since TCP/IP is the surest way to get a printer added, we’re going to continue with that as our example.  Select “Add a printer using a TCP/IP address or hostname” and then click “Next.”

您会发现所有这些选项都非常简单明了，并具有简短的向导，可引导您完成整个过程。 由于TCP / IP是添加打印机的最可靠方法，因此我们将继续以它为例。 选择“使用TCP / IP地址或主机名添加打印机”，然后单击“下一步”。

Type the IP address for the printer into the “Hostname or IP address” box. Make sure the “Query the printer and automatically select the driver to use” check box is selected and then click “Next.”

在“主机名或IP地址”框中键入打印机的IP地址。 确保选中“查询打印机并自动选择要使用的驱动程序”复选框，然后单击“下一步”。

Type a new name for printer if the default name doesn’t suit you and then click “Next.”

如果默认名称不适合您，请为打印机键入一个新名称，然后单击“下一步”。

Choose whether to set the new printer as the default, print a test page if you want to make sure everything’s working, and then click “Finish” when you’re done.

选择是否将新打印机设置为默认打印机，如果要确保一切正常，请打印测试页，然后在完成后单击“完成”。

Hopefully, you never need to bother with most of this stuff. If your network printer is properly connected to the network, the chances are high that Windows will pick it up and install it for you right off the bat. And if your network is mostly Windows machines and you use Homegroup for sharing files and printers, things should also happen mostly automatically. If it doesn’t–or if you have a more complicated setup–at least you know you have some options.

希望您不必为大多数这些东西而烦恼。 如果您的网络打印机正确连接到网络，则很有可能Windows会立即为您安装并安装它。 而且，如果您的网络主要是Windows计算机，并且您使用Homegroup共享文件和打印机，那么事情也应该会自动发生。 如果没有，或者您的设置更复杂，至少您知道可以选择一些方法。

翻译自: https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-in-windows-7-with-homegroup/