Windows XP Professional Product Documentation > Printing and faxing > Printing > Basic printing tasks

To connect a printer directly to your computer

Most new printers support Plug and Play, while many older printers do not. The steps involved in installing a printer that is attached to your computer differ depending on whether it supports Plug and Play.

Click one of the following links:

•	My printer supports Plug and Play
•	My printer does not support Plug and Play

If you are unsure whether your printer supports Plug and Play, consider the following:

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Does your printer use infrared technology? If it does, your printer supports Plug and Play.

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Consult the owner's manual or packaging of your printer. Most printer manufacturers advertise the fact that their printer supports Plug and Play. Look for Plug and Play on the printer's list of features.

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Check the connector on the end of the printer cable that you plug into your computer.

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If the connector that attaches the printer cable to the computer is a USB connector, then the printer supports Plug and Play.

USB connector (type A)

USB connector (type B)

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If the connector that attaches the printer cable to the computer is a parallel connector, then the printer might support Plug and Play, since the earliest Plug and Play printers use a parallel connector. If it is, the computer will inform you that it recognizes the printer when you turn on the printer and plug the printer cable into the computer.

Parallel connector

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If the connector that attaches the printer cable to the computer is a serial connector, then the printer does not support Plug and Play.

9-pin (DB9) serial connector

Share your printer

Choosing a printer name

Connect to a printer on a network

Connect to a printer using a browser

Installing devices overview

Install a device

Print a test page

Add printer drivers for other versions of Windows

Add a new infrared device to a serial port

Security permissions for printing

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