Installation Issues

You may run into trouble with your printer before you even print that first test page. Installation, while normally a breeze with Windows, can sometimes turn into a hurricane. Let is examine different problems you might encounter with printer installation.

Manual Installation

When you try to add a network printer, ideally, Vista will automatically detect it. However, if it does not recognize the printer and give you the option to install it, you can manually install it by following these steps:

1. Click Start and then click Control Panel.
2. Click Hardware And Sound and then click Printers.
3. Click Add A Printer.
4. In the Add Printer Wizard, select Add A Network, Wireless, or Bluetooth Printer.
5. On the Choose A Network Printer page, click The Printer That I Want Is not Listed. The dialog box appears.
6. On the Find A Printer By Name Or TCP/IP Address page, indicate how to find the printer, and then click Next.
7. The wizard will present some additional pages. When you are finished, click Finish.

If you are still unable to find your printer, the following sections provide more steps you can try.

Printer Not Listed in the Network Folder

If the printer you want to add is not listed in the Network folder, check to make sure that your network is working properly. If, however, there is nothing wrong with the network, check these issues:

If you are connected to a domain, ensure that you are logged on with the correct permissions to access that domain's resources. The permissions you are logged on with might not allow you to access the printer to which you want to connect.

If the printer is plugged into another computer on the network, make sure that computer is powered up. Check also to see if that computer user has changed the name of the printer.

Wireless Issues

If you are having trouble locating a Bluetooth-connected printer, make sure that the Bluetooth adapter to the computer is plugged in and turned on. Also, check to make sure that the Bluetooth printer is turned on. Try removing your connection to the Bluetooth printer and then using the Add Printer Wizard again.