Is it possible to share a virus over a printer network connection?

saschwartz,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

You may want to post this in the printer forums.

saschwartz,

While it's possible to share only a printer connection, the underlying network is still present. Turning off file sharing, but not printer sharing, will minimize the risk of a worm/virus spreading through "Windows Networking", also known as "File and Printer Sharing".

The downside is that as long as there's a network connection of any sort, there are ways that worms and viruses may spread. The best defenses are to make certain that all Windows Critical Updates are installed on both machines, and that both machines have current and active antivirus software installed.

The machine that's connected to the Internet should also have a personal firewall installed on the interface that's connected to the Internet. It's almost impossible to firewall against Windows file sharing and not Windows printer sharing, unfortunately, because in many ways they are the same.

Jim

Jim,

Thank you for your response.  I was hoping I didn't have to purchase a 3rd printer for myself.  (I only have two computers...)

The company will not allow any computer with our accounting software to be networked to one connected to the internet.  That leaves me with no alternative.

Sheila

saschwartz,

The company will not allow any computer with our accounting software to be networked to one connected to the internet.

You might want them to consider whether the installation of a router would alleviate their concern. That would place the router, rather than the other computer, as the device connected to the Internet. The difference is more than a technicality, since the router would not be running Microsoft Windows. I and others recommend small routers even in cases where there's only one computer involved, because it provides an added layer of protection.

Jim