The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #127188 Message #2834462
Posted By: JohnInKansas
09-Feb-10 - 04:52 PM
Thread Name: BS: Scanner question
Subject: RE: BS: Scanner question
As several have said, if you have a network that allows you to share files between computers, you should also be able to share (almost) any device connected to either (any) of the computers.
You will have to install drivers for a printer or scanner on each machine that may use it. Usually, when you install software for something like a printer or scanner and set it to be shared you should be asked if you want to install drivers for other computers. (Essentially this is just asking if you want to let other computers copy the driver when they are set up, in most cases.) If you've done this, the new computer should find and install the drivers when you "discover" the device from the added computer.
Printers usually are quite easy to share. A problem with sharing scanners is that the physical location must be where it's easy for the "current operator" to feed stuff to be scanned into it.
Sharing scanners usually is much easier if you have, or can find, a TWAIN-capable driver for the scanner. There may not be a TWAIN driver for very old (or very cheap) scanners, and more recent ones that have/had one for WinXP may not offer one usable with Vista (or later). Lots of printers/scanners come with non-TWAIN drivers, or don't install them by default; but you may be able to find an update you can download from the maker of the device.
John