How to Install and Configure Any Printer

Posted on February 25, 2010. Filed under: How To Install A Printer |

Attach the device on a flat service with no power using a local (i.e. USB or FireWire/IEEE 1394b) or network (Ethernet or RJ-45) port and then connect the power. FireWire is good for graphics, typesetting, art, and photo printing.
Turn on the computer and wait for Windows to recognize the printer (found new hardware). When the Wizard window pops up either install and update the device driver from a CD or DVD or from a driver file on your computer or from the manufacturers website for operating system (i.e. find a HP printer driver for Windows 7 on HP’s website). The wizard will take you through the set up proces. If Windows doesn’t recognize the hardware you can use the Add Hardware Wizard to troubleshoot installation and to install drivers. When you install your printer driver, you will often have to make the choice between PCI, PS or PCIL, PS, and GDI (printer language) drivers. Check your manual for which one you should choose. However, many newer printers can handle both PS and PCL (and GDI) and will automatically translate for you. However, if your printer prints garbled characters you have chosen wrong.
Some printers, such as ink jet printers require that you calibrate the device- each printer is different, but a typical alignment/calibration will ask you if you would like to calibrate now (yes or OK), the printer prints out a sheet with multiple sets of numbered lines, the software asks you which sets looks best- enter the number and click OK.
Configure options and default settings. Go to Control Panel>Printers or Hardware and Sound> Right click on your printer and then choose printing preference. From here you can choose the layout or orientation (portrait vs. landscape), the quality of the print job, paper size, two sided printing and use of color or B&W.
Now we will configure the printer properties which you can find by right clicking on your printer icon. In Windows Vista choose Run as administrator and then choose properties. Here you can choose to share the printer, set up the port that it’s on, configure when the printer will be available throughout the day and to which specific users, you can also configure the spool settings. For faster printing, you should always spool the jobs instead of printing directly to the printer. However, if the printer is printing garbage, you can try printing directly to it to see if the spooler is causing the problem. …
Print a test page.
Verify compatibility with the operating system and applications.
Educate users about basic functionality.