Connecting peripheral devices to a computer is a task that every user must cope with. Even a novice user, before working with such a complex machine, masters these skills. Increasingly, users are interested in how to connect a scanner to a laptop. What tips and tricks will help to cope with the task? What should every person know when planning to bring an idea to life?
The scanner is ...
The first step is to understand which plug-in device you are talking about. What is a scanner? Why is it needed?
A scanner is a device that allows you to translate documents into digital mode. In addition, the machine serves to make copies of the papers placed in it. It is very convenient! Most often, in practice, this technique is associated with the functions of the printer.
There are several types of scanners. For example, black and white and color. Accordingly, in the first case, copies will be only in black and white, in the second - in color. Each user decides which model to purchase. Models that work with color are popular. But how to connect the scanner to a laptop? What is required for this?
Required Inventory
In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems. Scanners connect to laptops in the same way as they do to desktop computers. But for this, the user must have a certain inventory. Which one? What is this about?
If a person is thinking about how to connect a scanner (and printer) to a laptop, he will need the following items:
- a working PC (in this case, a laptop);
- USB cable for scanner / printer;
- power cable from the connected device;
- driver disk.
No further accessories are needed. Unless any power source (free outlet), as well as a free USB-connector on a laptop. As a rule, all the necessary cables and cords along with the installation disk are included with the equipment.
Connection Instructions
How to connect a scanner to a laptop? This is easy to do. It is enough to follow a small instruction that is understandable even to a novice user. It is recommended not to violate the algorithm of actions. Otherwise, the connected equipment will work with errors.
How to connect an HP scanner or any other to a laptop? This requires:
- Remove the equipment from the box, and then place it in a place convenient for humans. It is better to immediately find a separate space for the scanner.
- In the box, the user will find a power cable, a USB cable and a driver disk (sometimes it has additional software for working with scanned images). All of these items must be removed and unpacked.
- Turn on laptop / computer. You must wait for the operating system to load.
- Connect the power cord to the scanner, then to the network.
- Connect the device using a USB cable to a laptop or computer.
- Turn on the scanner. On modern operating systems, an automatic search for drivers will begin. Usually it ends in failure.
- Insert the driver disk into the computer (DVD or CD-ROM). Following the instructions of the installer, put the necessary software to recognize connected equipment.
- As soon as the drivers are installed, the recognition of the connected scanner will occur on the laptop. You can work with the device.
It is recommended to adhere to such an algorithm of actions when implementing the task of connecting scanners or printers. You can start the driver installer first, and then turn on the connected hardware. But in this case, you have to wait until the initializer itself "asks" the user to do this.
Without disk
This is far from the only scenario. Increasingly, users are interested in how to connect a scanner to a laptop without a disk. Is it even possible to do this?
Yes. After all, the disk may get lost over time. This does not mean that the scanner or printer can no longer be connected. To do without the installation disk, you can use one interesting trick.
It is about downloading the necessary driver from the Internet. To bring an idea to life, you need:
- Go to the website of the printer or scanner manufacturer that you want to use.
- In the special menu, select the type of equipment to be connected, and then the specific device model. It is written on the scanner and on the box in which the purchase was.
- Download the executable file (.exe format).
It's all. And what actions should the user take after that? How does a scanner or printer connect to a computer if there is no driver disk?
Diskless Connection Instructions
The process as a whole is not much different from the previously given algorithm. How to connect a scanner to a laptop without an installation disk? To do this, you have to:
- Put the device in a convenient place.
- Connect the printer / scanner to the laptop using a USB cable and a power cable.
- Turn on the computer and the device you plan to work with.
- Run the previously downloaded executable file. It serves as a replacement for the driver disk.
- Following the instructions of the installer, install the hardware drivers.
This completes the whole process. The main thing is to download a driver for a specific device model. Otherwise, installing software will not bring results.