Windows direct printing

Installing direct printer to Windows XP

This guide is a step-by-step tutor into creating a direct connect to a network printer. The example concerns a HP Laserjet 5000 series printer (LJ5K from now on). You can not complete all the steps without administrative privileges. These changes will affect all users of the computer.

Steps

1. Download and extract the required printer driver from the package. For older printers like LJ5K, the drivers for XP are several years old, but will do.
   Link to HP download page. HP offers brand new Universal Printer Driver, which offers a convenient solution to manage all HP printers without specific drivers, but the software is too heavy and complicated in my opinion.
2. Add a new printer from the Printers and Faxes. First choose Local printer attached to this computer and then Create a new port of the Standard TCP/IP type for printing. The critical thing is the printer's IP address, for instance 196.1.113.35. If you have a firewall running, it is a good idea to add this address to your trusted hosts so your communication with the printer won't be blocked.
3. Next Windows asks you to select the driver. Choose the option Have a disk. Now find the driver you have extracted by pointing the containing directory and choose the appropriate printer file. While you can update the driver later on, I have found it problematic.
4. Windows may ask if you want to use the existing driver. Say no to that. Now you have the printer installed.
5. Next you must configure the printer, if it is not the standard configuration. Select the printer from Printers and Faxes and open up its Properties. Find the tab named Configure. The details will depend on the printer and driver combination. From this tab, go through the options, for instance, our Ps121 needs to be updated so that the driver knows that it has a Duplexing unit and an Optional Paper Source (HP500-Sheet Paper Tray). Click OK to save setting
6. Now you can go on configure the default printing settings. Reinvoke the Properties window and select the Print settings (or similar) item that resides on the first tab (General). Change the setting you like (double sided printing, paper size, default tray etc.) and click OK.
7. In recent HP drivers, you can now create additional print settings per a job by saving different presets. For instance 2 sided, 2 on page, horizontal and so forth. Click OK.
Now, everything should work as expected.