Understanding the Driverless Sharing Concept
When you attempt to use a printer on an ARM-based Windows device, you often encounter issues because many traditional printer manufacturers do not provide native drivers for the ARM architecture. Instead of trying to force an x86 driver to run via emulation, which can cause stability issues, you can utilize the standard Windows Printer Sharing feature. In this setup, one computer acts as the "Host" with the necessary drivers installed, while your ARM device acts as a "Client." The client does not need the specific printer driver; it only needs to know how to connect to the shared printer on the network.
Prerequisites for Network Printing
Before configuring the sharing settings, ensure both devices are on the same local network. You will need administrative access to the Host machine (the one with the Brother driver installed) and the Client machine (your ARM Windows device). Additionally, verify that network discovery is enabled on both computers so they can see each other in the network neighborhood.
Configuring the Host Machine
The first step is to prepare the computer that has the correct drivers for the Brother MFC-J4620DW. Open the Settings app and navigate to Devices > Printers & scanners. Locate your Brother printer in the list and click on it to open the management options. Select Printer properties rather than just "Manage," as this opens a different dialog box containing advanced sharing settings.
In the Printer Properties window, switch to the Sharing tab. Check the box labeled Share this printer. You can leave the share name as the default or give it a simple name like BrotherMFC. Click Apply and then OK to save these changes. At this point, the printer is visible to other devices on your local network, but they still need permission to access it.
To ensure seamless access, you may need to adjust folder and network sharing permissions. Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center. Click on Change advanced sharing settings. Under the Private network profile, ensure that Turn on network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing are selected. If you are concerned about security, you can keep password protection enabled, but this requires the ARM client to have a user account with matching credentials on the Host machine.
Connecting from the ARM Windows Device
Now, move to your Windows 10 or 11 ARM device. Open Settings and go to Devices > Printers & scanners. Click on Add a printer or scanner. Windows will begin searching for available printers. If the shared Brother printer appears in the list, select it and click Add device.
If the printer does not appear automatically, you can add it manually. Click on The printer that I want isn't listed. Select Select a shared printer by name and enter the path in the format: \\Hostname\PrinterShareName. Replace Hostname with the actual name of the Host computer and PrinterShareName with the name you configured earlier. Click Next.
Windows will attempt to establish a connection. Since you are not installing the full driver suite, Windows might warn you that it cannot find a driver. In most cases, it will use a generic Microsoft driver to render the page locally before sending the job to the Host. If prompted, confirm the installation of the generic driver. Once connected, the printer should appear in your list of available printers.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you encounter errors during the connection process, several factors could be at play. First, verify that the Host machine is powered on and not in sleep mode, as the printer service stops when the computer suspends. Second, check your firewall settings on the Host machine to ensure that File and Printer Sharing exceptions are allowed through Windows Defender Firewall.
Another common issue arises if the Host and Client are on different subnets or VLANs. Ensure that both devices are on the same LAN segment. If you are using a guest network, printer sharing is often disabled by design for security reasons. In such cases, you may need to connect both devices to the main network temporarily to set up the share, or configure static IP addresses to make the connection more stable.
For persistent connectivity problems, consider checking the event logs on the Host machine. Navigate to Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and look for errors related to the Print Spooler service. Restarting the spooler service can sometimes resolve stuck connections. Right-click the Start button, select Run, type services.msc, find Print Spooler, right-click it, and select Restart.
Alternative Approaches
If network sharing proves too unstable for your needs, you might explore other methods. Some modern printers support Wi-Fi Direct, allowing devices to connect directly to the printer's internal network interface without a host computer. However, this still requires compatible drivers. Another option is to use cloud printing services if your Brother printer supports them, though this depends heavily on manufacturer support for ARM architectures.
For users who frequently switch between x86 and ARM devices, maintaining a dedicated print server PC is the most reliable long-term solution. This keeps the heavy lifting of driver management off your portable ARM devices, ensuring consistent performance regardless of hardware differences. You can also look into third-party print management software that abstracts the driver layer, though these often come with additional costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share a printer without any computer being always on?
No, standard Windows printer sharing requires a host computer to remain powered on and connected to the network to process print jobs. Without a host running the Print Spooler service, the shared printer resource is inaccessible to client devices. For truly driverless operation without a host, you would need a printer with built-in network capabilities and direct driver support for ARM.
Does this method work for all Brother printer models?
While the sharing mechanism is universal across Windows versions, the quality of output depends on the Host machine's driver compatibility. The Brother MFC-J4620DW works well because its drivers are robust, but older or less common models might have limited functionality when routed through a generic shared driver. Always test with a simple text document first to verify basic printing capability.
Will print quality be affected by using a shared printer?
The print quality remains identical to using the printer directly because the actual rendering and processing happen on the Host machine where the full driver suite is installed. The ARM device merely sends the print command and data stream to the Host. Any advanced features like duplex printing or high-resolution photo modes depend on the Host driver configuration, not the Client device.
How do I remove a shared printer from my ARM device?
To remove the shared printer, go to Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners on your ARM device. Select the shared Brother printer from the list and click Remove. This action only removes the connection from your local device; the printer remains shared on the Host machine for other users to access.
Is it safe to share a printer on a public Wi-Fi network?
It is generally unsafe to enable printer sharing on public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks due to potential security vulnerabilities. Attackers could potentially intercept print jobs or exploit weaknesses in the printing protocol. Always use printer sharing on trusted, private home or office networks with strong passwords and updated operating systems to mitigate these risks.