Yes, you plug the USB port of the printer into the USB port in the router.
Sharing a printer is performed from the computer the printer is directly attached to (ie. via USB).
COM port is used to configure a router but you can also get a COM port to USB port adapter which can configure a router using a USB port.
To interface a parallel printer to a USB port, you need a USB Parallel Printer Adapter, Belkin makes a reliable one that I have used for years.
Is the laptop not USB? Or is the printer not USB? Assuming it is the printer, there are components that will allow a serial or parallel printer to be used. Serial or parallel socket (female) on one end, while a USB plug (male) is on the other. There are also single parallel to USB cables for directly connecting the parallel port on the printer to the USB port on the laptop.
Yes, for a USB printer
A cable or wifi. If a cable is used, it may be classed as a serial, parallel, or USB connecting cable - depending on the type of printer.
A USB printer is, quite simply, any printer that connects to a computer using the USB interface.
switch the printer on before the router
Yes, you can. Connect to computer which is connected to your router, share the printer in its settings.
It depends on if you have a net-workable printer or not. If you have a wireless or ethernet equipt printer then you could use an wireless router that usually has 4 ethernet ports. I have my computers (six of them) hooked to an ethernet switch (and a couple connected wireless) which is hooked to a wireless router. My printer is wireless (or ethernet capable) and can be used by all my computers without doing a thing. As long as the computers AND the printer stay on the same network then they can all print. Most of my computers are Macs and I can use the "Location" feature to switch back and forth from my "internet DSL" location back to my "offline local" network. If you only have a USB printer then you could use the printer sharing feature on your computer and then it would work but you would always have to have that one computer on ALL the time. There are also USB servers that use an ethernet cable to connect to the network, you just plug the USB cable from the printer into the server and then it is plugged into the computer, ethernet switch, router, etc.
There are multiple connection options for a Network Printer. 1. The Printer can be attached to a Router and be available to all of the Network's Computers that can access that router. 2. If the printer is attached to Computer "A" (via USB or WiFi) any Computer on the Network that can access Computer "A" can be allowed to access the Printer. Of course Computer "A" MUST be up and running.
No, the USB and the router including the hub do not have to be the same brand. They can be different brands.