John is traveling for work and is spending a week at a new branch. He needs to print an email, but he isn’t able to add the network printer to his computer. He is using a Windows 10 Pro laptop, is connected to the network, and can access the Internet. What is a likely and easy fix to John’s problem? a. The computer is not set to find resources shared on the network; use the Settings app to fix the problem. b. The computer is not set to find resources shared on the network; use the Network and Sharing Center to fix the problem. c. John did not correctly authenticate to the Windows domain; use the Settings app to fix the problem. d. The drivers for the network printer need to be updated. Use Device Manager to fix the problem
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: b. The computer is not set to find resources shared on the network; use the Network and Sharing Center to fix the problem.
Explanation:
When John cannot add a network printer despite being connected to the network and having Internet access, a common cause is that his computer is not configured to discover and access shared resources on the network. Windows has settings that control whether a device can see other devices and shared resources like printers on the network.
In Windows 10 Pro, the Network and Sharing Center is the main place where network discovery and file/printer sharing settings are managed. If network discovery is turned off, the laptop will not see printers shared on the network, and it will be unable to add them automatically.
To fix this, John can:
- Open the Control Panel and navigate to Network and Sharing Center.
- Click on “Change advanced sharing settings.”
- Ensure that “Turn on network discovery” and “Turn on file and printer sharing” are enabled for the active network profile (usually Private).
- Save changes and then try adding the network printer again.
Option a, which suggests using the Settings app, is less precise because the main sharing and discovery options are more directly managed via the Network and Sharing Center, which provides detailed control over these features.
Option c assumes an authentication issue with a Windows domain. Since John is traveling and presumably connecting to a new branch’s network, domain authentication might not be the issue, especially if he can access the Internet. This is less likely to be the first fix.
Option d points to printer drivers as the problem. Usually, drivers come into play after the printer is successfully added, and the issue described is the inability to add the printer at all, which suggests discovery or sharing settings are more likely at fault.
Thus, enabling network discovery and file/printer sharing through the Network and Sharing Center is the most likely and easiest solution to allow John’s laptop to find and add the network printer.