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MAC to PC printing finally figured out

R

ramski

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 29, 2006
3
0
As I have read in many of these and other forum threads, I shared a common frustration, which I was able to figure out. I hope the following will reduce the stress of another.

My situation: Desktop Sony Vaio PC running Windows XP Home, wired via USB to Epson Photo Stylus RX600. PC also connected to cable internet via wire to Dlink router with wireless capability. Mac iBook running OSX 10.4.8 connects via airport. Had issues getting the Mac to print to Epson, but could file share via Mac and PC (if you want info on how I went about that, contact me).

Solution: On Mac, Finder->Mac help. Search "windows printer sharing"-> select the article titled "sharing your printer with widows users"->manually add printer.

If you don't want to read through the entire article, see below. I used my PC IP address to do this.

How to manually add a Windows shared printer

Open Printer Setup Utility (located in /Applications/Utilities).
Mac OS X 10.4.x users: Choose Add Printer from the Printers menu, then hold the Option key while clicking the "More Printers" button.
Mac OS X 10.3.x users: Hold the Option key down while choosing Add Printer from the Printers menu.
Choose Advanced from the first pop-up menu.
Choose Windows Printer via SAMBA from the Device pop-up menu.
In the Device Name field, type the name you would like to use for this printer in Mac OS X.
In the Device URI field, use one of the following formats to link to the printer:

smb://user:password@workgroup/server/sharename
smb://user:password@server/sharename
smb://workgroup/server/sharename
smb://server/sharename

Notes: "user" is the name of a Windows user who has privileges to use the printer. "password" is the password of that Windows user. "workgroup" is the name of the Windows workgroup to which the computer sharing the printer belongs. "server" is the name of the computer sharing the printer or its IP address. "sharename" is the shared Windows printer's share name.

Tip: You don't need a "workgroup" when specifying the IP address of the computer (such as when the printer is on a different subnet), or if your Mac belongs to the same Windows (SMB) workgroup.

Choose the appropriate PPD or printer driver from the Printer Model pop-up menu.
Click Add.

I hope this helps anyone with a similar problem, and FYI, I have learned quite a bit from forum threads, so thanks to others that post.
 
I don't remember it being this tricky :confused: (although some of those instructions ring a bell under 10.2)

I'm pretty sure that I used to just choose Windows Printing, then browse to the printer and select its model. Now I have it plugged into my AirPort so it's even easier :D
 
unfortunately, you are dealing with someone who was an Apple user....turned to the dark side (windows)...and has since returned to trying to relearn MAC. Without giving my age, does anyone remember Apple IIE and Performa?
 
I've been trying to get this working as well. My problem is that my printer model doesn't show up under the list of printer drivers. I can find it on my Windows PC but the Mac doesn't have it in the list. I tried attaching the printer directly to the Mac and it works but when I disconnect it and plug it back into the PC the drivers don't show up in the list anymore.
My printer is a Canon Pixma iP1500.

Any tips?
 
BulkHedd said:
I've been trying to get this working as well. My problem is that my printer model doesn't show up under the list of printer drivers. I can find it on my Windows PC but the Mac doesn't have it in the list. I tried attaching the printer directly to the Mac and it works but when I disconnect it and plug it back into the PC the drivers don't show up in the list anymore.
My printer is a Canon Pixma iP1500.

Any tips?
Click to expand...

You probably have to download the Mac drivers from the Canon website first. Then try to search for it again and you should have your drivers.
 
I'm pretty sure I did download the Mac drivers from the Canon website but I don't know where it installed them. They definitely don't show up in the list.
What I'm saying is when I add the printer and I have to select what type it is under Canon it doesn't show up. I can choose Other and browse for it but I can't find the driver. I found a file called iP1500.plist and it let me choose it but I couldn't print to the printer. I just get a printer error.

I'm so happy with this MacBook and I just want this to work. I don't want to have to plug in a printer every time I want to print something.
 
Bulkhedd,
When you are going through the add new printer process on your mac, make sure you are holding down the "option" key when activating the "add printer" button. Then go to "advanced" then "windows printer via SAMBA". Choose your printer and then there should be a list of "gimp" files for you to pick your model from. I found that holding down the option key opens up an entirely different dialog box than the usual one. If you are following these steps and a "gimp" file is not present for your printer, I hate to say, I am at a loss at this time.
I am pretty familiar with both mac and xp, but trying to get them to cooperate with each other has been a chore. Right now I am struggling with my "dynamic IP addresses", which let me tell ya' is real fun. Get the computers to communicate, and fifteen days or so later when my PC's IP address changes it's like a bad marriage.
Good luck, if I come across more info that may help during my travels, I'll post.
Ramski
 
What about an issue where from OSX on a MBP CD, the HP printer is found and can print to, but when using either Citrix or WinXP via Parallels, the printer is in the dialog box, but error is the only result? Updated printer drivers are installed, connection is good [Apple prints ok, but Windows side does not]. Need this for a business-related software program that is Windows only. Same printer can be printed to from my MB C2D w/o any problems, via OSX. Ran diagnostics on the MBP Parallel Windows side, w/o any resolution - troubleshooting all parts came up empty. Right now, have a very discouraged person trying to use their new MBP, but if they can't get this to print, then their love for this Apple will decrease much fast... :( Help!!! Thanks... :)
 
I'll have to try this to connect up to my Minolta color laser printer that's attached to one of my Windoze workstations via USB. I get tired of swapping connections to get things done on my Mac.
 
File sharing

Hi, would you please explain how you did file sharing PC<->Mac. It is not immediately obvious to me.
 
ramski said:
unfortunately, you are dealing with someone who was an Apple user....turned to the dark side (windows)...and has since returned to trying to relearn MAC. Without giving my age, does anyone remember Apple IIE and Performa?
Click to expand...

Oh the good ole days.. that and simcity when it first came out :D
 
Printing from pc docs to mac

I still cannot print any PC files received on my MAC correctly...my PC
will print PDF at 100 percent without problem
But the MAC will print PDF and like docs at 80 percent of the size
Putting the percentage to 100 percent results in a like miniaturization
Tiny
Whats wrongZ??
 
akemp9 said:
Oh the good ole days.. that and simcity when it first came out :D
Click to expand...
simcity... oh yes please!

BOBBAKERPUPPETS said:
I still cannot print any PC files received on my MAC correctly...my PC
will print PDF at 100 percent without problem
But the MAC will print PDF and like docs at 80 percent of the size
Putting the percentage to 100 percent results in a like miniaturization
Tiny
Whats wrongZ??
Click to expand...
Are you sure you've got the page sizes correct? (A4 instead of letter, correct percentages in the settings) ?
 
I bought a print server on eBay for about $10 to connect between my printer and router. I think that's the best option other than buying a network printer.
 
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