Windows 2000/XP Instructions

Unfortunately under Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP there is no easy way to "capture" a printer port from within the Printer's properties dialog. To use a network printer under Windows NT/2000/XP you must use the NET command from a command prompt (or batch file) to redirect the printer port to the shared printer on the network.
The NET command's syntax is shown below.
NET USE LPTx: \\<computer_name>\<printer_share_name> /PERSISTENT:YES
The LPTx: refers to the printer port you wish to capture, and is that defined within the Performer Series. For example LPT2: refers to Printer Port 2. The /PERSISTENT:YES option makes the capture persistant, ie when you restart Windows the port capture is retained.
For example NET USE LPT2: \\SERVER\P1 /PERSISTENT:YES will capture printer port 2 and redirect print jobs to the P1 shared printer on computer SERVER.
Notes
Of course you must share the printer before you may use it on another computer. 
Enclose the computer name and/ or printer share name in quotes if it contains spaces, eg "\\ACCTG SERVER\LASER PRINTER". 
To cancel the port capture issue the net command with a /D option, eg NET USE LPT2: \\SERVER\P1 /D 



More articles on this from Microsoft’s Knowledgebase.


Windows XP:    http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q314499

All others:  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q154498