How can i set up a wireless printing network using a wired printer, connected to a windows XP computer, and sharing that printer with a Windows 7 laptop?

I want to set up a printing network without buying a wireless printer. I have a printer wired to a Windows XP desktop, but how can i share that printer with a another computer, wirelessly, that is a different, newer operating system. I know i need the driver, but only old operating systems appear in the driver list. What do i do? 

 

You can share resources (including printers) between computers that are on the same local network.  It does not matter how each computer is connected to the network (wired or wireless).  The main negative about sharing printers in this way is that the computer to which the printer is physically connected must be left on and active (not in standby or hibernation) or the other computers will not be able to use its shared printer.

Sharing files and printers with different versions of Windows

Share files and printers between Windows 7 and XP

With respect to your last sentence, it seems as if you're looking in the wrong place.  You have to install the driver in the remote (newer) computer as well as in the XP computer.  That newer computer should have its own driver. 

When using the Windows 7 Add Printer Wizard, make sure that you check the box to let Windows look at Windows Update for additional drivers. 

If you use the Windows 7 Add Printer Wizard to add a network printer, the "name" of the printer is in the form \computername\sharename where "computername" is the name of your XP computer (see System Properties) and "sharename" is the name you assigned when you shared the printer on the XP computer.

If you have difficulty with adding the networked printer to a Windows 7 machine, tell the Windows 7 Add Printer Wizard that you want to add a LOCAL printer to port LPT1.  After the printer is successfully installed, go toPrinter Properties (not Properties), then choose the Ports tab and the Add Port button.  Choose Standard TCP/IP port, click "New Port" and go through the wizard to change the port assigned to the printer.  You'll have to enter the printer's IP address at some point.  You may be able to obtain this from the printer's status page (see your printer manual), but see the next paragraph.

The problem is that it is possible that at some point, your router will reassign another IP address to the printer and your shared printer configuration will therefore break.  For this reason, it's far more preferable to set the printer with a static IP.  Typically, this is accomplished from within the printer's configuration utility (see your printer manual). 

If Windows 7 can't find a driver, check at the website of the printer manufacturer.  If there are no Windows 7 drivers, it's possible that a Vista driver will work.