Web Talk

If you have your printer connected to a network,  you  might have got the following error, while trying to print a document: “Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer” or “Windows Cannot Connect to the Printer. Access is Denied”. There are different issues which trigger such an error but most of the time, it seems to be caused by firewalls which have been improperly set, antivirus infection or wrong configurations. Let’s see these three cases and how to fox this error in your Windows operating system (XP, Vista, Windows 7).

Firewall

The first thing to do after getting the error is to look at your Windows Firewall configuration. Make sure that File and Printer Sharing option is ticked (allowed). Also make sure that such option is enabled on the computer to which your printer is attached. Here is the procedure to turn on the option above.

1. Click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Click Windows Firewall.
4. Click Exceptions.
5. Thick the File and Printer Sharing option.

Antivirus

Try to turn off the antivirus, antispyware etc. If your printer starts to work…well, you will have to add special exception to your antivirus.

Configuration

1. Try to add your network printer as a local printer. To do that, click Start.
2. Click Control Panel.
3. Click the Printer icon.
4. Click Add a Printer.
5. Click Add a Local Printer.
6. Now, select Create a New Port and then type as Local Port. Click the Next button.
7. In the Port name field, type your network path for the printer you want to use and click Next.
8. At this point take your Printer CD containing your Printer drivers.
9. Follow your computer instruction. (it should ask you to install your printer drivers).
10. Done!