How can I share my printer but not my computer?
I have Win XP Pro, attached via a cable to the internet
modem

My wife has a laptop, connected via wireless.

I want her to share my printer. I do not want my computer to
be available on the Internet.

How is this done safely?

Thanks.

Sanford Aranoff wrote:
> How can I share my printer but not my computer?
> I have Win XP Pro, attached via a cable to the internet
> modem
>
> My wife has a laptop, connected via wireless.
>
> I want her to share my printer. I do not want my computer to
> be available on the Internet.
>
> How is this done safely?
>
> Thanks.


Sharing your printer over your home network will not make your computer
"available on the Internet." I can't imagine why you'd think it could.

Start > Printers and faxes > Right-click on the printer's icon >
Sharing. Make sure that WinXP's firewall has an exception set to allow
an exception for File and Print Sharing.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

"Sanford Aranoff" <aranoff@analysis-knowledge.com> wrote in message
news:47F58439.27BF942D@analysis-knowledge.com...
> How can I share my printer but not my computer?
> I have Win XP Pro, attached via a cable to the internet
> modem
>
> My wife has a laptop, connected via wireless.
>
> I want her to share my printer. I do not want my computer to
> be available on the Internet.
>
> How is this done safely?
>
> Thanks.

To add to Bruce's response:
If you are using another third party firewall and you have problems connecting,
you "may" need to add the IP's of each machine to the trusted zone in each of
the machines firewalls settings.

Also once you have set the printer to share, on your wife's laptop:
Click Start > Settings > Printers and Faxes.
Double click Add Printer and follow the steps to install the drivers for the
printer.

--


Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Windows Desktop User Experience }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

Sanford Aranoff wrote:
> How can I share my printer but not my computer?
> I have Win XP Pro, attached via a cable to the internet
> modem
>
> My wife has a laptop, connected via wireless.
>
> I want her to share my printer. I do not want my computer to
> be available on the Internet.
>
> How is this done safely?
>

To be even safer, you could use a manual switch!

Yes, that's right. Each computer is cabled to a box with a knob and the knob
turned to whichever computer needs to print.

Using such an device insures that no one on the internet, or your wife, can
visit your stuff.