To use a printer with your laptop, you must first set it up. A few laptops still feature a printer port, but most use a regular USB port. Plug in the printer, and ensure that it’s turned off. Also, set up the printer with ink and paper according to the directions that came with the printer. Connect a USB cable to the printer and to your laptop. Or, you can plug a standard printer cable into the printer’s I/O panel or into your laptop’s port replicator or docking station. Turn on the printer.