Print to Windows network using "real" drivers

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Level 1

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Print to Windows network using "real" drivers

I set up my Macbook (Leopard) to print (wirelessly) to the shared printers on my Windows network. I selected my printer models from the drop down and I can print fine. However, I noticed that I do not have control of the output (i.e. "Draft vs Normal vs Presentation"; "Color vs B&W"; etc.) when I am printing a document. I figured I needed to download the "real" Mac OSX printer drivers from the manufacturer's websites (HP & Brother) in order to get "full" functionality from the printers. I downloaded and successfully installed both drivers. However, this did not fix the problem. I do not see an option to actually USE the new drivers that I installed. There are no new options in the "Print Using" dropdowns when I go to set up the Windows network printers.

Is it possible (it must be) to get full control of the printers using this setup? Do I need to install Mac drivers on the host [Windows] machine where the printers are physically connected? Do I have to do something special on my Mac so that it can use the newly installed drivers? (I imagine I wouldn't have a problem if the printers were directly connected via usb, but that is not the case.) Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

MacBook2,1, Mac OS X (10.5.5), Vista 32 Ultimate

Posted on Dec 9, 2008 8:17 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Dec 9, 2008 9:21 AM in response to domtrump

A typical Print dialog has a drop down menu usually labeled with the name of the application. That menu provides additional dialogs for handling layouts, color matching, etc. If your printer has controllable features and the printer driver enables access to them, then you can control those aspects of the print job.

There is only one printer driver per printer, hence you can only select the printer in the Print dialog, not the printer driver. Since you are sharing a printer connected to a Windows PC your control over the printer from the Mac will be affected by any limitations the Windows printing system may impose.

You obviously cannot install an OS X printer driver on a Windows computer or vice-versa. Nor will the Windows computer be aware of any features available in the OS X printer drivers. On the Windows computer you must configure the printer using the installed Windows printer driver. On the Mac you must Add the printer using an OS X printer driver. These configurations are independent of one another. When you select a printer to Add on the Mac you should see displayed in the Print & Fax dialog a list of available printers. Those shared by the Windows computer should appear as shared printers.

Features that do not appear in an application's Print dialog are either not usable by the application or not available through the printer driver. However, you could adjust such items from the printer's front panel (if it has one.)

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