I have been trying to - with ZERO luck - to print to a printer that is
shared on my network. I'm able to print using any of my other laptops/
PC's (all of which are XP and Windows Server 2003), but cannot print
from my Vista Home Premium laptop.

I've domne everything imaginable. If I plug the printer in locally, it
of course sees it just fine and installs the proper drivers, so I know
the drivers are there.

Why is everything so difficult with Vista?

First of all, make sure your Network is set up properly!
Then, in Vista's Network and Sharing>Click on Add Network Device> Browse to
the XP's printer, and follow prompts to install it.
By your post, you have the Vista compatible Drivers to install on the Vista
machine.

AND, run XP's Wizard for file and printer sharing!!!!!
See below.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb727037.aspx

Have a read of the above link re Vista File and Printer Sharing.

Permissions/Share info is there as well.

If using Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro I.S., make sure file and printer
sharing is enabled in THEIR firewall (or LAN allowed, depending on how their
Exceptions are worded in their Firewall)

1st thing to do is make sure that the Workgroup Name of ALL the computers is
the SAME.

In Vista Network and Sharing:

Network Discovery: ON (So it can see the other computers)

Network set to Private (Public is for hotspots, airports, etc)

File Sharing: ON

Public Folder Sharing: ON (Vista’s Public Folder is the same as XP’s Shared
Docs)

Password Protected: OFF (unless you want to set up identical usernames and
passwords (passwords can be different) on ALL computers in your Network) If
you have it ON, you will be asked for a username and password when you try to
access a Vista computer from an XP computer, or a Vista computer.

Also, run the XP’s Home or Small Office Network File and Printer Sharing
Wizard to include Vista in your “New” Network, even if you had an XP Network
set up prior to adding a Vista computer to it(redoing the Wizard seems to
work for XP machines!).

In “My Network Places”: “Set up a Home or Small Office Network”
OR under Accessories > Communications > Network Setup Wizard > Allow File
and Printer Sharing.

--
Mick Murphy - Qld - Australia


"ansonee" wrote:

> I have been trying to - with ZERO luck - to print to a printer that is
> shared on my network. I'm able to print using any of my other laptops/
> PC's (all of which are XP and Windows Server 2003), but cannot print
> from my Vista Home Premium laptop.
>
> I've domne everything imaginable. If I plug the printer in locally, it
> of course sees it just fine and installs the proper drivers, so I know
> the drivers are there.
>
> Why is everything so difficult with Vista?
>