Installing a printer over a network

I remember (many years ago) that when installing a [Shared] printer, there was an option to "Copy driver to local PC" - the wording is an ill remembered guess but you will no doubt understand what is meant.

My current problem is that on a new Win 11 PC I can install a shared printer by this option does not appear. You may well ask "Why not just let Windows install the driver automatically"? - - - - When I first connected the printer - an OKI Dot Matrix - windows did indeed install a driver. The problem arose when trying to print a few words from a NotePad document it pondered for some time and eventually output a few lines of ">U L/F L/F". When I then installed the printer as a device shared from another PC, it did print correctly.

I'd appreciate any pointers that might resolve this issue.

Hmmm..... Thanks, that has at least pointed me to an area that I haven't previously needed to look :)

Regrettably, I'm not sufficiently accomplished for it to make me resolve the issue

I have to go to my Clients site now so won't have sight of any further assistance 'til later this afternoon.

Usually sharing a printer over a Network implies the printer is connected to the Router in some manner which is important to know about. I have 2 printers [OfficeJet and LaserJet] on my Network connected by Ethernet cables and any computer that is also connected to the Network whether Wired or Wireless/Wi-Fi can have the software for the printer/s installed using the Network choice in the setup routine and use either.

There is no 'Usually' about any network, every one is unique - the printers in question are not conected to the [Network] per se, they are connected to a PC via USB, [Shares] are set up and they do not have an Ethernet connection - that would have been a first choice but simply not available.

Having now looked at all the options available in the [Print Server Properties] I cannot see anywhere that has a bearing upon being able to copy the Printer Driver from a remote PC to the local one & consequently 'Install' it - [Locally] - which is what I need to do.

Have you considered using a raspberry pi as a wireless print server for your old printer?

No - :) - The printer - in fact the system - is not 'Mine' per se, it is a customers, I've just supplied 2 new PCs and have to link them to the existing printers - a Xerox Laser & an OKI Dot Matrix.

They are currently working with the new PC [Master] using the existing printers attached to the old PC [Server] and 'shared'.

Later this week I expect to take the old PCs out of the equation so anticipate 'issues' when I move the printer cables to the new [Master] - I may well be pre-empting a problem that doesn't exist!

Another issue would be that the new PC do not have a wireless facility - I do naturally realize that one could be added :)