Printing to a Windows printer from a Macbook on the netowrk?

September 24, 2007 7:35 PM

I'm trying to set up my Macbook running OS X 10.4.10 to use a printer that's connected to my Windows XP Home machine over my home network and my inner geek is failing miserably. How can I get this working?

The printer is a Canon Pixma IP6700 that works marvelously on the Windows machine. The Macbook can see the printer just fine, but I cannot figure out how to tell the Macbook that this printer is a Canon. The only options I seem to have are several old Apple printers, some HP printers and a few Epson types, in addition to a driver labeled 'generic'. The Mac driver I downloaded from Canon says that it only works with a printer connected via USB or Bluetooth. Printing as it is results in either nothing or a few blank pages being fed with no printing. How/where do I load drivers for a network printer? Or am I approaching this all wrong?

posted by DandyRandy to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

When you "add" the printer for the first time try plugging it directly in to the Mac.

You might also need to install Bonjour for Windows to help them talk to each other.
posted by starman at 7:51 PM on September 24, 2007

I have successfully used these instructions to solve just this issue. Its a little detailed, but it works fantastically.

http://iharder.sourceforge.net/current/macosx/winmacprinter/
posted by dancu at 8:03 PM on September 24, 2007

see here.

seems like starman has the right idea. plug the canon printer into the macbook via usb and install drivers, then hook the printer up to the xp machine, install bonjour and you should be able to print to the canon printer when its hooked up to the xp box now
posted by hummercash at 11:02 PM on September 24, 2007

this is the most difficult thing i've ever had to do on my mac. i found these instructions and refer to them every time i need to do it.
posted by ascullion at 6:51 AM on September 25, 2007