Printer sharing problem: permissions?

[Fred Boer]

Hello:

I have a small home network: 2 computers running Windows XP Home, one laptop
running Windows XP Home, and one computer running Windows 2000 Professional.
I have a Laserjet 5M connected to the Windows 2000 box. I want to share this
printer with all other computers.

Problem: I want all users on all machines to automatically have this printer
available for use - without having to log in onto the Windows 2000 box. I
have tried in various ways to do this, but it doesn't seem to "stick", and
my family is constantly saying that they can't use the network printer. The
printer icon is available, but they are refused access.

I have the printer shared. I have added a user to the Windows 2000 box for
each possible login user on each Windows XP box. But, I'm stumped. Is there
a simple guide to how to set this up correctly? I suspect that there is some
combination of sharing settings, permissions and users that I have
incorrectly managed, but I don't what.

The pressure within my family is mounting...

Thanks!
Fred Boer

 

[Kurt]

Now you know why everybody hates XP home so much. Home does not understand
the concepts that make Windows 2000 and XP Pro so secure. On the W2000
computer enable the "guest" account. For the printer share, make sure
"everyone:" has print permissions.

....kurt

 

[Fred Boer]

Dear Kurt:

Thank you for the suggestion. I will try it tonight.

Fred

 

[Fred Boer]

Dear Kurt:

Seems to be working fine. Many thanks. Boy, it does seem weird to activate
the "Guest" account, though... what little I know of security suggests that
doing so is just not right!

Best wishes!
Fred

 

[Barb A.]

I have one XP Home machine that refuses to share its printer no matter
what I do. We have two other XP Home machines that can share their
printers without any heroic measures. Can't figure this out. I tried
activating the Guest account, also trying turning off the firewall.

I also installed the Windows 2003 Server Resource kit and ran some
commands recommended by MVP Steve Winograd on one of these newsgroups,
which I think were also supposed to activate the guest account and set
up appropriate rights, still no luck.
(they were as follows:
net user guest /active:yes
ntrights +r SeNetworkLogonRight -u Guest
ntrights -r SeDenyNetworkLogonRight -u Guest)

Any other idea? The stubborn machine is running SP1, I can't load SP2
on it, installation fails..

Barb A.