Sharing a printer with a Windows virtual machine using Apple Bonjour

Products

• VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to install Bonjour for Windows to enable printing to a printer shared from the Mac.

For general information about using your Mac's printers in a virtual machine, see Printing from within a virtual machine in VMware Fusion (1013997).

Environment

• VMware Fusion 4.x
• VMware Fusion 5.x
• VMware Fusion 2.x
• VMware Fusion 10.x
• VMware Fusion Pro 10.x
• VMware Fusion 7.x
• VMware Fusion 3.x
• VMware Fusion 8.x
• VMware Fusion 6.x
• VMware Fusion Pro 8.x
• VMware Fusion 1.x

Resolution

Note: This is just one of many methods of printing. For an overview of printing from a Fusion virtual machine, see Printing from within a virtual machine in VMware Fusion (1013997).

To configure a printer connected to your Mac for use with the Bonjour utility and a virtual machine in Fusion:

1. Configure your virtual machine for Bridged Networking and disable ThinPrint:
    
   1. Click Virtual Machine > Settings.
   2. Click Network (Adapter).
   3. Enable Bridged Mode. In Fusion 5.x and above, select Autodetect under Bridged Networking.
   4. Click Show All.
   5. Click Printer.
   6. In Fusion 6.x and 5.x, set printer sharing to Off. In Fusion 7.x and above, uncheck Share Mac Printer
   7. Click Close.
   8. Reboot the virtual machine.
2. Download and install Bonjour for Windows in the virtual machine. Bonjour is available from Apple at Download Bonjour Print Services for Windows v2.0.2.
    
3. Share the printer in Mac OS:
   1. Open System Preferences.
   2. Click Print and Fax.
   3. Select the printer you want to share, and select Share this printer.
4. To configure the printer in the guest operating system with the Bonjour utility:
    
   1. Double-click the Bonjour Printer Wizard.
   2. Click Next.
   3. Under Shared printers, select the printer you want to use.
   4. Click Next.
   5. Click Finish.