How to Connect to a Shared Printer on a Home Network with Windows Vista

One of the more useful aspects of having a home network is being able to share a printer between computers. This article will show you how to connect to a shared printer on a home network with Windows Vista.

Things You'll Need:

• Windows Vista
• Home Network
• Another computer with a printer installed

1. 
   
   
   Step 1
   Make sure that all computers on your network are in the same workgroup. If you don't know how to do this, see my article "How to Change Your Computer's Name and Workgroup in Microsoft Windows" that's linked in the Resources section below.
2. 
   
   
   Step 2
   Make sure that all of the computers on your network have file and printer sharing enabled.
3. 
   
   
   Step 3
   If you haven't done so already, share the printer on your network from the computer that has the printer attached to it.
4. 
   
   
   Step 4
   
   
   
   Run dialog box
   
   
   
   Bring up the "Run" dialog box by by holding down the Window key and pressing R.
5. 
   
   
   Step 5
   
   
   
   Opening the Printers page
   
   
   
   In the edit box next to "Open:" type "control printers" without the quotes and then hit enter. This will bring up the Printers page in your Control Panel.
6. 
   
   
   Step 6
   
   
   
   Double-click on "Add Printer".
7. 
   
   
   Step 7
   
   
   
   Add printer dialog
   
   
   
   The Add Printer dialog will appear. Click on "Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer".
8. 
   
   
   Step 8
   
   
   
   The Add Printer dialog box will read "Searching for Available Printers...". When the printer you want to connect to appears in the list, select it and click "Next". If the printer you want doesn't appear in the list, then you can click on "The printer that I want isn't listed" and enter the information manually.
9. 
   
   
   Step 9
   
   
   
   A dialog box will appear that reads "Connecting to...". Wait for the connection to complete.
10. 
    
    
    Step 10
    
    
    
    After the connection is complete, the Add Printer dialog box will read "This printer has been installed...". If you want this printer to be your default printer, then check the "Set as the default printer" checkbox. Click "Next".
11. 
    
    
    Step 11
    
    
    
    The Add Printer dialog box will say "You've successfully added...". If desired, you can print a test page. Otherwise, click "Finish". Congratulations, you should now be able to print to the shared network printer!

reference :ehow.com