MacBook Pro and my Dell Printer

[W4MAJ]

Okay Mac guys, how do I do it?

I have a MacBook Pro running 10.4.11. It connects to the Internet via a wireless connection. Here's my question:

How do I print to my Dell 720 printer that is connected to my Dell PC running XP? The printer is connected to the PC by way of a direct USB connection.

There is a wireless hub between my modem and the PC.

[n6hcm]

Quote[/b] (W4MAJ @ Dec. 05 2007,19:00)]Okay Mac guys, how do I do it?

I have a MacBook Pro running 10.4.11. It connects to the Internet via a wireless connection. Here's my question:

How do I print to my Dell 720 printer that is connected to my Dell PC running XP? The printer is connected to the PC by way of a direct USB connection.

There is a wireless hub between my modem and the PC.
you may not be able to ... does dell support printing from macosx for that printer? if not, you may have a problem.

of course, trying never hurts. share the printer from your windows xp system (i only have vista handy at the moment--otherwise i'd include some screen shots). open up the printers control panel and right-click on the printer ... you may see a "sharing" option here--if you do, choose it. otherwise, choose "properties" ...

[W4MAJ]

A lot more research after my initial post. Thanks, HCM, that helped. Now the question is whether or not Dell supports Mac. I have not been able to find a Dell printer driver for Mac.

The search continues.

[n6hcm]

it might be helpful to determine which printer languages the dell supports ... could be that (f'rinstance) a generic postscript or pcl driver could get you printing.

also, i remember vaguely something about lexmark manufacturing some early dell printers ... if this is true for your printer then maybe there would be a corresponding lexmark printer driver for macosx.

[edit: a cursory google search suggests you won't find a driver that will work for macosx for this printer. apparently lexmark-manufactured dell printers have been sufficiently diddled that they don't work with lexmark drivers.]

[W4MAJ]

I contacted Dell and they said they don't support Macs. Period. Then they said something about killing my first born for using a non-Windows computer.

[AB8XA]

Dell has Mac OS drivers for some of their printers, for example the 3100cn we have at work. Check http://support.dell.com. If they don't have one for your exact model, usually one from another printer in that series will work. To use a printer directly connected to the PC from other workstations on the network, you must first "share" that printer on the PC. Hope this helps.

[KB3NDN]

connect the printer to your macbook and worry about printing over the net from your dell http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif