Print from Mac to a Windows only printer?

I have my Windows virtual machine setup, and it is able to print to our office network printer. However, the printer has no driver for a Mac. Is it possible to print from Mac applications to the Windows printer through Parallels?

 

Hello world,

I 'm trying Parallels, and I encountered an issue...

my uni has a great network with both Mac&PCs, and lots of network printers that I already installed on my mac...
the problem is that one of these printers, an HP Designjet 4000 plotter, has windows-only drivers...

is possible to print from it through Parallels without having it installed on Mac OS X?
many thanks

 

Same problem here

Parallels Support Staff - could you possibly give us a response to this question?

 

Hello all,

Please sorry for the answer delay.
You can use a printer not connected to Mac if you connect it to your Virtual Machine as USB device and if you have the appropriate driver for the printer installed in the Guest OS.

To connect a printer as USB device, make sure that USB Controller is installed in VM Configuration. Set it to be connected to Guest OS (Connection options). Start Windows. If you can't see the printer connected, go to Devices -> USB in Parallels Desktop menu bar and choose the printer from the drop-down menu.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Many thanks for the quick response. I guess this technique would preclude against using such a printer over a network - it would have to be connected directly to a USB port on the Mac. Or is that not the case?

 

Hello Johnjapan,

It is possible to set a network printer in your VM. Have a look at this article.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Sorry - I should have been more specific. The difficulty is printing to a network printer which is accessible from Windows but not Mac OS. (The reason being that it's a Canon printer which can't be accessed from a Mac unless you spend $1,000 on a Postscript plug-in module). Any way around this limitation? The objective is to print Mac files directly to this printer (through the network), via the Parallels interface.

 

Hello Johnjapan,

Please sorry for the confusion. The article does not address your request.
You can try connecting the printer to your VM just the same way you would connect it to a real computer with Windows installed.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Sorry, you've lost me there. Please clarify the process you suggest.

 

I meant you should set the printer in your Virtual Machine using native drivers - the same way you would install printer on Windows computer.
Then share the printer - make it available to other computers on network.
Try access the shared printer from Mac.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Hi xenos, thanks for your interest...
my problem is similar to johnjapan's, I tried to install the printer in the guest OS but with "shared network" setting the guest OS (XP) can't connect to my school network...
I tried "bridged networking" to connect directly to the real network but it seem to not work (I'm on a MacBook Pro connected with AirPort), the connection just not work and I can't even surf the net with a browser.

 

Hello Kiwidesign,

Could you please send me the output of these commands:

a) On Windows side open Start menu, choose Run, type CMD, press Enter; in the CMD window run ipconfig /all command;

b) On Mac side open Terminal and run ifconfig command.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

hi Xenos, a clarification:
with shared networking I can perfectly access the web, but not network servers and printers.
with bridged networking simply nothing works...


Mac(10.4.11) output:

Win(XP) output:

many thanks!!
kiwi

 

Hello Kiwi,

You might have problems with wireless network connection in Bridged mode because of MAC addresses conflict. Can you try Bridged mode with wired connection?

Best regards,
Xenos

 

hi Xenos, thanks again...
I tried but there's still some addressing issues, becouse of our network complexity...
i.e. to access network in MacOS with ethernet connection I had to bring my laptop to our IT assistence guys that unlocked something in my IP configuration...

we agreed that they'll try to help me with this parallels issue when they had some time...

anyway I have a question: to use custom MAC address in the guest OS (VM advanced network configuration) I have to disable the "Parallels network adaper driver" in Parallels Tools (and so return to the default realtek one)?

 

Hello Kiwi,

You do not have to disable the "Parallels network adapter driver" in Parallels Tools. Just set the MAC address in VM Configuration. Good luck!

Best regards,
Xenos

 

Hi Xenos:

I have a similar problem: I have a printer w/no drivers for Mac, so I installed it in the guestOS(xp) and can print fine through there. The problem is that when I try to print through mac, OSX simply doesn't see the printer, even if its shared (like you said to do so) in the guestOS(xp). Can you give me a semi-detailed process on how to fix this?


The printer is connected via USB.

Thanks

 

Hello Oscar Mendez,

You can not print from Mac if the printer has no Mac drivers. You can send Mac documents to print through your VM using Shared folders.

Read about Shared folders option in Parallels Desktop for Mac User Guide, p. 168.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

This would be a great feature to add...hint hint!

 

I am currently trying Desktop 6 and am very impressed. Question in regards this thread, is a solution likely to come one day (i.e. printing from Mac via VM without Mac drivers)?

Thanks!
Ax