Easiest way to print from a Mac to a Windows machine

[SDAVE]

I tried to add a printer via Advanced settings in OSX and used "Windows printing via SAMBA"

and used this setting:

smb://myname:pass@workgroup/User/Canon

Doesn't work. I am sharing my printer on my network, anyone have any clues? I googled around and the above seems to be the right way to do this. I am not using a router, both computers have static IPs.

 

[mediaguru]

Perhaps you have a driver issue.

I tried for nearly a month to get my MBP to print to a Canon Pixma ip4200 printer connected via USB to a Windows PC. After reading a good deal of incomplete and conflicting information, I was able to talk to someone who explained the problem:

In order to print from OS X to a Windows-hosted printer over a network, the printer drivers on OS X MUST support the UNIX printing subsystem called CUPS.

The problem with my Canon printer (and apparently many others) is that the manufacturer does not provide CUPS drivers for Mac OS X. The drivers are of an older variety that can only to print via USB. Based on what I was able to find out, there are three options that you have:

1. See if your printer is supported through the open-source generic driver project called Gutenprint. If it is, this may be your answer. However, not all printers are supported, and those that are may not have all "advanced features" accessible.

2. Try the proprietary CUPS drivers from PrintFab and see if they will work. I didn't go this route because some of the advanced options of the original drivers were not available, and because the cheapest version of PrintFab seemed rather pricey.

3. Connect your printer to another Mac or use an Apple Airport base station (I use the Express) as a print server. This will allow you to use the original USB-only drivers over the network via Apple's Bonjour protocol. Here is a good site with printer compatibility info for using an Airport as a print server. This option worked great for me.

Good luck!

 

[SDAVE]

Thanks for the info...I have the Canon iP6600D, which is kinda similar to your canon, but it's a higher model with the LCD and internal printing.

Windows machines share printers without a problem with each other, how come Macs are not that easy???