Determine the Interface

• Determine what type of interface the printer uses. Some Canon label printers use a standard USB interface, while others use an older-style parallel port connection. Before purchasing a new printer, look at the back of your computer to make sure you have the right connection on your computer. A parallel port connection will be long and rectangular, and it is often red. A USB connection will be much smaller, consisting of a slot into which a flat tab will fit. Most newer computers will have more than one USB slot, while some older computers may not. Conversely some newer computers will not have a parallel port available.
  
  Any Canon label printer made after 2005 should have a USB interface, but if you are buying a Canon label printer on the secondhand market, it is important to check what kind of interface it has.
  
  

Find the Right Labels

• The labels are the most important part of your label printer, and the proper functioning of your printer will depend on the quality of the labels you use. Canon label printers will work best with genuine Canon labels, but generic labels can be used as long as they are of high quality. When loading the labels into the printer make sure the edges are straight and the sticky part of the label is not touching the inside of the printer--that could cause the printer to jam.
  
  

Connect the Label Printer

• After the labels have been loaded into the printer, connect the printer to your PC. If your new printer uses a USB interface, insert the square end of the USB cable into the back of the printer and the flat end into a free USB port on your computer. If using a parallel connection, connect the larger end of the cable to the printer and the smaller end to the computer. Then plug the computer in, turn it on and allow your operating system to install the driver for it. If the operating system is unable to find the driver, you will need to insert the CD that came with the printer. While Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP should have the necessary Canon drivers built in, older versions of Windows may not, so make sure you locate the driver CD that comes with the printer and keep in handy while the printer is being installed.
  
  

Windows 7 Installation

• To install a Canon label printer under Windows 7, first download the installation file from the Canon website and then double-click the file. The software installation will begin automatically.