Cant find out why I cant access printer on xp home machine

[technog1]

I have a small network at home, where a couple of computers are
connected via a router (SMC) and I have a USB printer connected
directly to the computer running XP HOME.

The problem is that I cannot access this printer from the comp running
XP PRO.

On the xp home machine, the printer is shared and I can see the hand
icon on the printer icon.
I have "file and printer sharing" as an exception allowed in the
windows firewall on the XP Home compter.
I have verified that they are on the same workgroup.

BUT, on the XP PRO computer, everytime I try to add a printer by
browsing for it, or by specifying it as \\name_of_xp_home_machine
\printer name,
I get the following error: "Windows cannot connect to the printer.
Either....."

BTW: I can access a directory on the XP PRO machine (which is set as
shared ) from the xp home machine. Strange! I have file sharing BUT
not printer sharing.


Are there any tools to help diagnose this problem ???

I have even disabled the firewall on the xp home computer, still the
same printer error !!!

Something on the XP HOME machine is preventing access to the printer.
Could this be logged anywhere ???

Does anyone one have any ideas ???

 

[Chuck]

I have a small network at home, where a couple of computers are
connected via a router (SMC) and I have a USB printer connected
directly to the computer running XP HOME.

The problem is that I cannot access this printer from the comp running
XP PRO.

On the xp home machine, the printer is shared and I can see the hand
icon on the printer icon.
I have "file and printer sharing" as an exception allowed in the
windows firewall on the XP Home compter.
I have verified that they are on the same workgroup.

BUT, on the XP PRO computer, everytime I try to add a printer by
browsing for it, or by specifying it as \\name_of_xp_home_machine
\printer name,
I get the following error: "Windows cannot connect to the printer.
Either....."

BTW: I can access a directory on the XP PRO machine (which is set as
shared ) from the xp home machine. Strange! I have file sharing BUT
not printer sharing.


Are there any tools to help diagnose this problem ???

I have even disabled the firewall on the xp home computer, still the
same printer error !!!

Something on the XP HOME machine is preventing access to the printer.
Could this be logged anywhere ???

Does anyone one have any ideas ???

What is the complete and exact error message? Giving us "Windows cannot connect
to the printer. Either....." is a waste of time.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/01/look-at-complete-detail-in-error.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/01/look-at-complete-detail-in-error.html

Start by setting up a file share, and seeing if you can connect to that. When
you have a problem with a printer, first find out if the problem is the printer,
or the ability to share from the server itself.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-tutorial.html

One of the most common causes of this problem would be a misconfigured or
overlooked personal firewall, or other security component. Disabling a personal
firewall is often a waste of time - you may have to configure it properly, or un
install it.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-visibility.html

If you don't find a problem in Windows Networking, check the file sharing setup
on the XP Home computer.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html#Help

Or, we could look at "browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config server",
and "net config workstation", from each computer, and diagnose the problem.
Read this article, and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely
(download browstat!):
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighborhood.html#AskingForHelp

 

[technog1]

What is the complete and exact error message? Giving us "Windows cannot connect
to the printer. Either....." is a waste of time.

Ok. The exact message is "Windows cannot connect to the printer.
Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified
printer has lost its connection to the server. For more information,
click help"
This is on a dialog box with two button on it labeled OK and Help.

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/01/look-at-complete-detail-in-erro...>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2006/01/look-at-complete-detail-in-erro...

Start by setting up a file share, and seeing if you can connect to that. When
you have a problem with a printer, first find out if the problem is the printer,
or the ability to share from the server itself.

The problem is that the server is itself unavailable to the network
for "sharing", even though the I have specified a folder as a share.
My xp pro box cant see the shared folder on the xp home. However, the
reverse is possible. My xp home box can see a shared folder on my xp
pro box.


<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-
tutori...>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-
problems-tutori...

One of the most common causes of this problem would be a misconfigured or
overlooked personal firewall, or other security component. Disabling a personal
firewall is often a waste of time - you may have to configure it properly, or un
install it.

I do have Sygate installed, but disabled.

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-vis...>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/10/irregularities-in-workgroup-vis...

If you don't find a problem in Windows Networking, check the file sharing setup
on the XP Home computer.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.h...>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.h...

Or, we could look at "browstat status", "ipconfig /all", "net config server",
and "net config workstation", from each computer, and diagnose the problem.
Read this article, and linked articles, and follow instructions precisely
(download browstat!):

This is another strange thing with my xp home computer. Even though I
had installed sp2 when it came out, I didnt have browstat.exe anywhere
under Progam File/*. I had to manually install it a couple of weeks
ago.

After I added the xp pro computer to the network, I added it to the
same workgroup as the xp home computer, however, the computer was
added to a specific domain i.e XP_PRO_machiine.<new_domain_name>.com.
Whereas the old xp home is only part of the workgroup.
This has to be one of the causes. I have to figure out how to "allow"
the old xp home machine to be visible to the xp pro workgroup/domain.

Anyway, here is the output of the browstat.exe on the xp home
computer: I havent ever used this command for debugging, so any help
would be appreciated in deciphering.

Status for domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Browsing is active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus. Using \
\XP_HOME_BOX
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master XP_HOME_BOX
\\XP_HOME_BOX
There are 1 servers in domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
There are 1 domains in domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkNb


Status for domain GHAR on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{6F481101-
DDDA-4FE5-85A1-7A10E7CE795F}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: EOMS1
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 5
\\\\EOMS1 . Version:05.01 Flags: 51003 NT POTENTIAL
MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master EOMS1
\\EOMS1
There are 2 servers in domain GHAR on transport \Device
\NetBT_Tcpip_{6F481101-DDDA-4FE5-85A1-7A10E7CE795
F}
There are 2 domains in domain GHAR on transport \Device
\NetBT_Tcpip_{6F481101-DDDA-4FE5-85A1-7A10E7CE795
F}


Status for domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkIpx
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighbo...>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/troubleshooting-network-neighbo...

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP [Windows - Networking]http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[Chuck]

Ok. The exact message is "Windows cannot connect to the printer.
Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified
printer has lost its connection to the server. For more information,
click help"
This is on a dialog box with two button on it labeled OK and Help.



The problem is that the server is itself unavailable to the network
for "sharing", even though the I have specified a folder as a share.
My xp pro box cant see the shared folder on the xp home. However, the
reverse is possible. My xp home box can see a shared folder on my xp
pro box.


<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-problems-
tutori...>http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/08/solving-network-
problems-tutori...

I do have Sygate installed, but disabled.



This is another strange thing with my xp home computer. Even though I
had installed sp2 when it came out, I didnt have browstat.exe anywhere
under Progam File/*. I had to manually install it a couple of weeks
ago.

After I added the xp pro computer to the network, I added it to the
same workgroup as the xp home computer, however, the computer was
added to a specific domain i.e XP_PRO_machiine.<new_domain_name>.com.
Whereas the old xp home is only part of the workgroup.
This has to be one of the causes. I have to figure out how to "allow"
the old xp home machine to be visible to the xp pro workgroup/domain.

Anyway, here is the output of the browstat.exe on the xp home
computer: I havent ever used this command for debugging, so any help
would be appreciated in deciphering.

Status for domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
Browsing is active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus. Using \
\XP_HOME_BOX
Master browser is running build 2600
1 backup servers retrieved from master XP_HOME_BOX
\\XP_HOME_BOX
There are 1 servers in domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkNb
There are 1 domains in domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkNb


Status for domain GHAR on transport \Device\NetBT_Tcpip_{6F481101-
DDDA-4FE5-85A1-7A10E7CE795F}
Browsing is active on domain.
Master browser name is: EOMS1
Could not open key in registry, error = 5 Unable to determine
build of browser master: 5
\\\\EOMS1 . Version:05.01 Flags: 51003 NT POTENTIAL
MASTER
1 backup servers retrieved from master EOMS1
\\EOMS1
There are 2 servers in domain GHAR on transport \Device
\NetBT_Tcpip_{6F481101-DDDA-4FE5-85A1-7A10E7CE795
F}
There are 2 domains in domain GHAR on transport \Device
\NetBT_Tcpip_{6F481101-DDDA-4FE5-85A1-7A10E7CE795
F}


Status for domain GHAR on transport \Device\NwlnkIpx
Browsing is NOT active on domain.
Master name cannot be determined from GetAdapterStatus.

One of the problems here is that you have TCP/IP and IPX/SPX. Do you need
IPX/SPX? If not, get rid of it.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/fix-network-problems-but-clean-up.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/fix-network-problems-but-clean-up.html

And read my tutorial on browstat. It's not at all strange that you didn't have
browstat.exe anywhere under Progam File/*.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/browstat-utility-from-microsoft.html