Same model direct USB printer but new, any unique address or other ?

[WBFAir]

Hello all

At work I am having an issue where the IT people keep taking my printer. They say I am not important enough to have one an the one they give me is a floater an I'm lucky to even have it as I really shouldn't an so when ever one is needed elsewhere, they just come an take it when ever they like.

Basically I will come into my office an its just gone, an if I complain I hear things like, first of all..its not your printer...or/an we can take it any time we like an if you don't like it, to bad.

Problem is despite what they say, my job does entails a great need for a printer an does become harder to do when I don't have the one at my desk, an so my idea is to just buy a new one of the exact same model, then they can keep their damn precious printer.

Now we do have networked printers at our place, but this unit has never been on those an I don't think even could. Believe it or not it's a simple $175.00 HP Laser an all it has is a USB port on the back an a Parallel Port, an was always just been plugged directly into my PC directly via the USB plug to work.

So am just wondering, disregarding the need for drivers as they are already on there, if I plug a new version of this printer into my machine, should it just work, is there some kind of addressing that is dif from one printer to another even of the same model, or any other thing that might have to be setup on the machine as its seeing it as a new or some other printer then what I had before?

Should mention that I plug in my Android smart phone an that has never needed any approval as well as my Tablet. Also have plugged in a camera scope device an that worked.

Only thing that has never worked was a temp logging device as that tried to load the software it needed as that is how it works to provide that.

I know for sure there is no way I can put any software or drivers directly onto my machine. Hence part of the reason for getting the same as they can't say I can't do that as the drivers need to be approved.

Anyway, am hoping someone who knows printers better then me can tell me.

Thanks for any help.

 

[DMHolt57]

theoretically it will work if they will let you bring in your own hardware and the driver is already installed on the machine. The only difference would be the serial number.

 

[Mellon Head]

Every USB device has it's own unique serial number that Windows reads. There is also a product and vendor identifier encoded into the USB hardware. This is what the driver looks at to make sure that it's connecting to the right thing on power up.

Plugging in the same model printer of your own, should work, but be aware that Windows may read the new serial number of the new printer and decide to load/install the drivers again, because it sees the printer as a new device. The drivers are the same ones that you have been using, so there should be no conflict with IT, but you should definitely ask before you do this. Especially if IT won't let the drivers reload.