How to Set Multiple Default Printers

As laptops and notebooks become more common, and Wi-Fi networks more ubiquitous, you may find that you are repeatedly connecting to0 many different networks. For example, you may connect to one network at work, to a second at a family member’s home, and to your own wireless network at home. The problem that you may run into is that when you go to print while connected to one network, your default printer may still be set for a machine located on another.

Windows 7 provides a good solution to this problem with an option to set multiple default printers depending on which network you are connected to, and it does it automatically! Before you begin the steps, make sure you know the name of the different networks you frequently use, as well as the name of the printers you wish to set as the default. For example, the Samsung CLP-510 model, which uses Samsung CLP-510D5C toner, may be listed as “CLP-510” or it may have a user assigned name such as “Office Samsung”. You can find the names of the printers available on your current network by click “Start”, then “Devices and Printers”. You also need to make sure that all printers are connected to the network. Once all printers are connected and you know their names, follow the steps below to set them as defaults.

1. Click the “Start” button and click “Devices and Printers”.
2. Click the icon of one of the printers you wish to add as a default, and notice that new headings appear in the toolbar near the top of the window.
3. Click “Manage Default Printers”.
4. Click the radio button next to “Change my default printer when I change networks” to enable the feature.
5. Select the first network in the “Select Network” dropdown menu, and the printer you wish to be the default in the “Select Network” dropdown menu. When you have both selected, click “Add” to add the entry to the list.
6. Select another network, and choose the printer you wish to be the default when you connect to it. You may wish to wait until the next time you connect to the network to ensure you have the right printer.
7. Continue adding new printers to the list for each network you frequently connect to.

Once you have added the default printers for each of your common networks, you can test it out. Connect to one of the Wi-Fi networks and attempt to print a document. If the setting is working correctly, you should find that the default printer is used automatically, with no need for user intervention. You can now enjoy faster, easier printing without having to constantly choose the right printer for every print job.

Here is a short video that shows the process visually: