Networking Help

[Laphan]

Hi All

I wondered if somebody could assist me on networking 6 or 7 WinXP machines,
which are using safecom USB wireless adaptors to connect to a safecom 125mbs
4 port ADSL modem/router.

Because the print server part of it doesn't support my HP2550 printer, I've
plugged this USB printer into a WinXP machine and shared this printer
through this PC. This PC is actually hard wired to the router so all that
is fine, but I need to get the other PCs (laptops actually) to see this
printer.

They are all set on simple networking and I used the networking wizard to
set them up so that the printer is shared.

I then went to Add Printer on the machines, let it browse and prayed for it
to see the HP printer. I''m also setting up a shared docs on each machine,
but this is not vitally important. The printer sharing is paramount though.

I've just done the same 'setup a home/office network' wizard on each
machine, but the shared docs and printer seem to be intermittanly
'appearing' as I search on each machine.

For example, the first laptop I setup saw the shared docs on the 'printer'
pc, but not the printer. The 2nd laptop saw the printer, but not the shared
docs and so on. I just done understand the erratic behaviour of it. When I
restarted the 2nd laptop and left it a while it then showed the shared docs.

Is there a belts and braces way to get each machine to see the printer and
shared docs? Does anybody have a guide/checklist I could use?

When I finish the network wizard, it says that I could create a network disk
and so on, but I don't really need to do this do I?

Thanks

Laphan

 

[Kirrin Jones]

First thing I would check on is in the Firewall applet (Control Panel)
on the Exceptions tab, make sure the option for File and Printer sharing
is checked. Also in the properties of the network adapter, make sure
that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is also present and
checked.

The erratic behavior could be caused by loss of signal.

HTH

 

[Laphan]

Many thanks for this Kirrin.

I made a point of turning the built-in and any another firewall software
whilst doing my initial installation. Once everything was OK I was going to
put things back one step at a time.

As for the connection drop, XP didn't report a connection drop. In fact all
it says is signal strength excellent, which probably makes sense as the
router is in the same room as all of these laptops.

Any other tips?

What would be the checklist for setting each machine up manually? I like to
do manual rather than auto because then I know what is set at each stage.

Thanks

Laphan


message First thing I would check on is in the Firewall applet (Control Panel)
on the Exceptions tab, make sure the option for File and Printer sharing
is checked. Also in the properties of the network adapter, make sure
that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is also present and
checked.

The erratic behavior could be caused by loss of signal.

HTH

 

[Baruch]

Hi All

I wondered if somebody could assist me on networking 6 or 7 WinXP
machines, which are using safecom USB wireless adaptors to connect to
a safecom 125mbs 4 port ADSL modem/router.

Because the print server part of it doesn't support my HP2550 printer,
I've plugged this USB printer into a WinXP machine and shared this
printer through this PC. This PC is actually hard wired to the router
so all that is fine, but I need to get the other PCs (laptops
actually) to see this printer.

They are all set on simple networking and I used the networking wizard
to set them up so that the printer is shared.

I then went to Add Printer on the machines, let it browse and prayed
for it to see the HP printer. I''m also setting up a shared docs on
each machine, but this is not vitally important. The printer sharing
is paramount though.

I've just done the same 'setup a home/office network' wizard on each
machine, but the shared docs and printer seem to be intermittanly
'appearing' as I search on each machine.

For example, the first laptop I setup saw the shared docs on the
'printer' pc, but not the printer. The 2nd laptop saw the printer,
but not the shared docs and so on. I just done understand the erratic
behaviour of it. When I restarted the 2nd laptop and left it a while
it then showed the shared docs.

Is there a belts and braces way to get each machine to see the printer
and shared docs? Does anybody have a guide/checklist I could use?

When I finish the network wizard, it says that I could create a
network disk and so on, but I don't really need to do this do I?

Thanks

Laphan

Much depends on the version of XP you have. XP Home Edition only allows
you to network five machines. If you're using Home Edition, that is
likely to be your problem.

 

[Guest]

Yes, unfortunately XP Home will not support seven connections.

A further problem you might be encountering is that wireless connections
tend to use DHCP, which means that the 'printer' computer's IP may change
from time to time. This confuses peer-sharing no end.

My suggestion would be to get a printserver-box that will support this
printer, and use LPR printing. This is independant of file-sharing, and a lot
more reliable. (The LPR client is installable as part of the Windows
add/remove section)

The 'n' model already has an inbuilt printserver, BTW. Take a look and see
if yours has an RJ45. If so you're laughing. If not, you need something like
a Jetdirect 300, or D-Link DP300 or similar.