By default, most IP printers will use DHCP to grab an address. That lets the printer connect to the network but unless there is some mechanism to advertise the printer on the network, the PCs won't be able to see it but can print to it if they know the IP address. Normally, a server is what populates network neighborhood though the WINS service. You didn't mention if you have a server on the network. If you just have a few PCs, the easiest way would be to assign a static IP address to the printer then connect the PCs to it manually. In XP, you would add a new printer, select Local Printer (uncheck the detect plug and play), then "create a new port" select Standard TCP/IP printer port then enter the IP address of the print. Next you will either select or load the drivers as you normally would. To properly assign a static IP address requires a few steps. First, check whichever device is running the DHCP service (if you don't have a server, it is probably your router). Make sure that some addresses are excluded. Each brand is a bit different but, in most cases, you can simply change the beginning or ending address to leave some addresses that will never be assigned by DHCP. This avoids address conflicts. On some printers, you can set the address through the front panel. On others,it is done through a web interface. For this, you will need to find its current address. Again, assuming that the internet router is the focal point of your network, see if the router's diagnostics or logs will show you which devices are connected. You may be able to find the printer's address there. Some printers will also print a diagnostic page with their current network settings. Once the IP address has been found, plug it into a browser window (
http://192.168.0.123 ). Once you load the printer's admin page, you should be able to change the IP address.
