Windows XP Printer Installation

This guide shows you how to install a departmental printer on your personal computer or other unsupported system. If you're using a GS-ITS managed system, please contact us if you need help.

Getting Drivers

You can download drivers for the departmental printers from the HP web site. Search for drivers using the model name. Our laser printer is a "LaserJet 4250" and our color printer is a "Color LaserJet 4700." We suggest you use the PostScript driver for both printers. Once you've downloaded the driver, create a directory you'll be able to easily find later, then extract it there.

Installing a Printer

Go to the Start menu, select Settings then Printers and Faxes.

Double-click the Add Printer icon.

The Add Printer Wizard will appear. Click Next.

Choose the Local printer attached to this computer radio button and ensure the Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer checkbox is not checked. Click Next.

Select the Create a new port radio button, then select "Standard TCP/IP Port" from the Type of port drop down menu. Click Next.

Enter "escher.gs.washington.edu" into the Printer Name or IP address text field. If you want to add the color laser printer, enter picasso.gs.washington.edu here instead. Port Name will be automatically entered. You can leave the default. Click Next. There will be small delay while your computer configures the port.

You will return to the Add Printer Wizard where you will be asked to identify the make and model of the printer. Click on the Have Disk... button.

Click the Browse button and select the folder where you extracted the drivers for this printer. Once you've done that, click OK.

Escher is an HP LaserJet 4250, so you would select "HP LaserJet 4250 PS" from the Printers list and then click Next. If you were installing the departmental color printer, you would select "HP Color LasterJet 4700 PS" instead.

Enter a name for your printer. In this example we chose escher, but you can enter whatever you like. Choose if you'd like to make this printer the default. Click Next.

Ensure the Do not share this printer radio button is selected, then click Next.

Select the No radio button, and then click Next.

You will see a summary of the printer characteristics. Click Finish.

Your printer is now ready for use.