CONNECTING A PRINTER, SCANNER, WEBCAM, OR OTHER DEVICE
Some tasks you do with a computer, such as printing and scanning, require an extra device. You’ll need to connect this device to your computer to let them communicate and work together. Most modern printers, scanners, webcams, and other devices connect via a USB connection. With Windows 10, you can just plug in these devices and they’re ready to go. However, you sometimes need to install a device so your computer can recognize it and what it does. We’ll cover both scenarios here. Fortunately, the processes for installing different devices are very similar and fairly simple. However, if you do run into any trouble, make sure you consult your device’s quick start guide—usually a pamphlet that comes with your device—for more details.
Connecting Your Device
To get your device working with your computer, you must first plug the USB cable from the device into a USB port on your computer. Here are the steps to follow:
If your device requires power, plug the power cord into a power outlet. The other end of the power cord should plug into a matching port somewhere on your device—most likely the back or bottom. Again, check the instructions for the device if you aren’t sure.
If your device has a detachable USB cable, connect one end of the cable to your device.
Connect the rectangular end of the USB cable (shown on the right side of the image) to your computer in the correctly shaped hole. You might see a message pop up briefly in the bottom-right corner of your screen, such as the one shown here.
Most of the time, your device will then be ready to use, but sometimes you need to install an app to help it get going; we’ll cover this next.
Installing Your Device
After you’ve connected your device, you need to help your computer recognize the device so they can communicate. To do this, you might need to install a driver, which is a simple type of software that lets the computer and the device speak the same language.
Fortunately, Windows automatically installs drivers for most devices as soon as you connect them to your computer, in which case you don’t have to do anything. However, if Windows can’t find the correct driver, you might need to find and add the driver yourself using a CD that came with the device. To check whether Windows has found the correct driver, try using your new device. If the device works, then it means Windows has found and installed the driver and you won’t need to! If the device doesn’t work, follow these steps to find and add the driver:
Insert the CD into your computer’s CD-ROM drive with the label facing up. Your software installation should start automatically.
If it doesn’t, open File Explorer as you did in Lesson 13, by clicking the File Explorer icon in the taskbar.
From the list on the left side of the File Explorer box, click This PC.
Double-click the CD Drive icon listed inside This PC. The name of the drive should change to reflect the CD you inserted.
You may be asked to give permission for the driver to make changes to your computer. This is perfectly safe. Click Yes, highlighted next, to continue.
The setup process should now begin. From here, the process varies depending on your device and manufacturer, so do your best to answer the questions as prompted and click through the installation.
Once your device driver has been installed, you can begin using it. If your device still doesn’t work, consult the device’s user manual.