One is a normal printer and the other has the same name but has a ‘WS’ at its end. If you are connected to the ‘WS’ printer, this may be causing the issue of “Another computer is using the printer“. Under such circumstances, all you need to do is simply set the normal printer as the default printer. Besides, you can remove the WS.

• Another Computer Is Using The Printer Creating Print Data

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Many printers include the ability to hook directly into a network, allowing any computer on that network to print from them. Those without that feature, however, can still function over a network via a networked computer. On Windows XP, setting up printer sharing requires marking the printer as shared on the computer it's attached to, then locating that printer over the network to install it on a remote computer.

Sharing the Printer

Open the 'Start' menu on the computer directly connected to the printer and click 'Control Panel,' 'Printers and Other Hardware' and then 'Printers and Faxes.'

Right-click on the printer's icon and click 'Sharing.' If the computer has multiple printers, pick the correct model.

Click the 'Sharing' tab and press 'Share As.' Type in any name for the printer to identify it to other users on the network.

Push 'Additional Drivers' if any computers on the network use a different operating system than the computer attached to the printer. Follow the prompts to pick the extra drivers to install. If you're missing any drivers for another operating system, users printing from that system will have to install them on their end instead.

Click 'Ok,' or 'Close' if you installed additional drivers.

Another Computer Is Using The Printer Creating Print Data

Adding the Printer

Open the 'Start' menu on another computer on the network and click 'Control Panel,' 'Printers and Other Hardware' and then 'Printers and Faxes.'

Click 'Add a Printer' under 'Printer Tasks' and press 'Next' to start the Add Printer Wizard.

Select the option labeled 'A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer' and click 'Next.'

Click 'Connect to this printer' and type in the location of the printer in the format 'ComputerPrinter,' where 'Computer' is the network name of the computer attached to the printer, and 'Printer' is the name given to the printer during sharing. You can also browse the network to locate the printer instead.

Press 'Next' and wait while the setup finishes. After it completes, close the window and print a test from the shared printer to ensure it works.

Tip

• If you need to add additional drivers for your shared printer that Windows XP doesn't have, check the printer manufacturer's website.

About the Author

Aaron Parson has been writing about electronics, software and games since 2006, contributing to several technology websites and working with NewsHour Productions. Parson holds a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash.

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Those who have multiple computers in their home or workplace may want to share a printer for convenience or cost efficiency. This page contains different ways you may make a printer available to multiple computers using various methods. Before you share a printer on a network, you should decide which configuration you want to use. Below are the different setups and their advantages and disadvantages.

Wireless printer

Many of today's printers (often middle to high-end models) have the capability of connecting directly to a user's network. This attribute gives these printers the distinct advantage of ease of use as they are the simplest to set up and detect. In fact, from Windows Vista onward, printers with wireless capabilities are more or less plug and play, detectable by a computer's word processor or Internet browser. The only downside to this configuration is that it requires a wireless network to be set up.

Once the printer is configured and connected to your wireless network, you can install and connect the printer to each of your computers. Follow the steps on our how to connect to a network printer in Windows page to install the wireless printer.

Printer connected to a computer or server

The most common solution for sharing a printer (because of the ease and price) is to connect it to a host computer. Essentially, the host computer 'shares' the printer by allowing other computers on the network to print through it over a LAN (local area network) or Internet connection. The primary disadvantage of this method is that the host computer must always be turned on for other machines to use the printer. To print through another machine on your network, you must already have a network setup at your home, as well as a printer installed on the host computer.

Dedicated print server

Another option is a hardware device called a print server. Print servers enable you to connect a small appliance to your network that delegates and queues print jobs for multiple machines. They have the advantage of being able to be used when the main computer connected to your printer is turned off (network printer setup), but the disadvantage of added cost and setup time.