Printer that can work using both XP & Vista

sharonace

I have a new laptop with Vista Home Premium and a desktop with XP Home Edition. My printer is a Lexmark X5470 which is connected to the desktop.
I know that I would need to download a new driver to enable to print from Vista (got same one at work and had to do that), but could I get some gizmo that would enable me to print using the WiFi laptop connection and still be able to print direct from my desktop also.
If not any recommendations for a new printer that could do this using both XP and Vista.
I print about 70% black text, 25% colour text and about 5% photos at the moment. Not to fussy about top quality for the photos
Did look at upgrading the desktop to Vista a while ago but some of the programmes I use on a regular basis would not work with Vista.

davb

How do you connect to the internet at home - do you have a wireless router, and if so do both the desktop and the laptop connect to the internet through it. If so you should be able to print from the laptop without buying anything new.

sharonace

At home I normally print from my XP desktop but my new laptop is Vista. Didn't know if I could use the Lexmark with both operating systems or not.

davb

sharonace wrote: »

At home I normally print from my XP desktop but my new laptop is Vista. Didn't know if I could use the Lexmark with both operating systems or not.

Yes you can - the Vista driver is here

Margaret54

Hi all:) got new laptop at Christmas and don't know how to use my printer with it? The laptop is a Compaq notebook and my printer which I used with previous p.c is an Epson Stylus DX8450 Can any of you lovely people tell me what to do to get the printer working with the new laptop?

Jake'sGran

Margaret, it looks like davb has answered your question. I too have a laptop (downstairs) and a desktop and HP printer upstairs. As my desktop is not connected to the Internet I assumed therefore that I cannot print anything I do on the laptop via the desktop. My SIL would have told me if I could...I think.

I have been transferring letters etc on the laptop to a memory stick or DVD and then putting it in the desktop but I will be buying a wireless printer to make life easier. Stairs are a problem for me .

davb

Margaret54 wrote: »

Hi all:) got new laptop at Christmas and don't know how to use my printer with it? The laptop is a Compaq notebook and my printer which I used with previous p.c is an Epson Stylus DX8450 Can any of you lovely people tell me what to do to get the printer working with the new laptop?

You should be able to download a driver from Epson here Just select your operating system from the pulldown eg Windows 7 x86, then click Drivers & Software.

davb

Jake'sGran wrote: »

As my desktop is not connected to the Internet I assumed therefore that I cannot print anything I do on the laptop via the desktop. My SIL would have told me if I could...I think.

I have been transferring letters etc on the laptop to a memory stick or DVD and then putting it in the desktop but I will be buying a wireless printer to make life easier. Stairs are a problem for me .

I assume you have wireless on your laptop and connect to the internet through it. If your desktop has the printer, but no web access then no you couldn't print from the laptop. Assuming you have a router, you could either use cable from the desktop to the router, or get a wireless dongle for it, which would enable the desktop to have net access (assuming you want this), and the laptop to print (when the desktop is on).

Jake'sGran

Thank you very much davb. When I first got my laptop I was told I'd need a dongle or a cable for the desktop but just didn't get around to it. I am just very slow at getting sorted. By the way, I believe it was you who told me to post a Malwarebytes log but it does not look like other logs from MWB I have done in the past. (I had told you about weird things that were happening with this laptop) Will go see if I can find it.

Re the desktop and printing - I had deleted MS Office from this laptop when the trial ran out and after doing a document in notepad and putting it on a DVD to put in the old PC it came out as gobbledygook. Once again I did get good instructions on here for putting it right. It's a great forum with very helpful folks.