Network and Internet Share Printer over Network in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to share or stop sharing a printer connected to your Windows 11 PC with other PCs on the same network.

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can share your printer with many PCs on your network. To share a printer from the PC that the printer is connected to (the primary PC) with secondary PCs that the printer is not connected to, you must set up sharing settings for the printer, connect the printer to the primary PC (either wirelessly or by using a USB cable), and then turn on the printer. Also make sure the primary PC is turned on, connected to the printer, and connected to the network.

It is required to share the printer connected to your PC before other PCs on the same network are able to add the shared printer and use.

You will need to know the network path of a shared printer connected to a PC to add the shared printer to a PC. The network path includes the IP address or computer name of the PC the shared printer is connected to, and the printer's share name.

While your computer is turned off (shut down) or goes into standby (sleep/hibernate), the shared printer connected to your computer will be unavailable to other computers on the same network.

While the shared printer is powered off, then it will of course be unavailable to other computers on the same network.

Reference:

You must be signed in as an administrator to share or stop sharing a printer.

It is required to turn on file and printer sharing on your PC to share a printer connected to your PC.

A network printer connected (ex: Wi-Fi or ethernet) to a router will allow a PC connected to the same router to directly use the printer instead of having to setup sharing.

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on Bluetooth & devices on the left side, and click/tap on Printers & scanners on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3 Click/tap on the printer (ex: "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PCL 6") you want to share or stop sharing. (see screenshot below)


4 Click/tap on Printer properties. (see screenshot below)


5 Do step 6 (share) or step 7 (stop sharing) below for what you want.

This is the default setting.

1 Open Devices and Printers.

2 Right click on the printer (ex: "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PCL 6") you want to share or stop sharing, and click/tap on Printer properties. (see screenshot below)


3 Do step 4 (share) or step 5 (stop sharing) below for what you want.

This is the default setting.

1 Open Windows Terminal (Admin), and select Windows PowerShell.

2 Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal (Admin), and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 3)


3 You will now see a list of all printers with their Name, ShareName, and current Shared status (True or False). Make note of the printer Name (ex: "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PCL 6") you want to share or stop sharing. (see screenshot below)


4 Do step 5 (share) or step 6 (stop sharing) below for what you want.

Substitute Printer name in the command above with the actual Name (ex: "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PCL 6") of the printer from step 3 you want to share.

Substitute New printer share name in the command above with the actual new ShareName (ex: "HP LaserJet Pro Shared") you want used by other PCs when adding the shared printer..

For example:

(Share printer using current share name)
Set-Printer -Name "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PLC 6" -Shared $True

OR

(Share printer and specify new share name)
Set-Printer -Name "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PLC 6" -Shared $True -ShareName "HP LaserJet Pro Shared"

Substitute Printer name in the command above with the actual Name (ex: "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PCL 6") of the printer from step 3 you want to stop sharing.

For example: Set-Printer -Name "HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477 PCL 6" -Shared $False

That's it,
Shawn Brink