shared printer will not work?

[Lenny]

Hi,
I have this problem that I haven't come accross before and it has got me
kind on stumped so any advise is greatly recieved.
I have been running 2 computer both wired to a belkin router/modem for
internet and network sharing. One is a XP Home and one a Windows 98se. I
have a Epson D68 printer connected to the XP (Antivirus only (Macafee) and
Windows firewall enabled) and this is shared for all users. My windows 98
has been sharing this printer and a few files for a long time with no
problems but it is time to upgrade. So I have bought a cheap XP machine from
Dell and set it up, deleted the existing Mcafee system works and added AVG.
I have both computers on the same workgroup and have also run the XP wizard
for sharing files and the new machine can 'see' all the shared files on the
other XP machine and also see the printer. I have added the shared printer
to the new machine's printers and faxes but from the new machine it will
not print. The print goes into the job cue and sits there never to be
printed. I have uninstalled the printer and reinstalled it on both machines,
still no luck. If I install the printer with a USB cable onto the new
machine and then share that one with the older XP it still will not print
via the shared machine. It will only print from the machine that it is
attached to. I have tried disabling all the firewalls, no change. I have
another printer upstairs on another machine and both of these problem XP's
can see, share and print to it so why can't they share this one printer
between themselves? The 3rd machine upstairs can also see the Epson on
either machine but again it will not print. ( I have tried to print test
sheets and a word documents.).
Please help.
Lenny

 

[Brian A.]

In Printers and Faxes:
Right click the printer and select Sharing.
Select "Share this printer".
Type in a name for the printer.
Click Apply.
Click the Security tab. (if present)
Select the user you want to set permissions for.
Select to allow or deny permissions.
Click Apply.
To further set permissions click the Advanced button. (if present)
Select the user you want to set permissions for.
Set permissions for the user/s of printer.
Click Ok when done.
You can go one step further via Effective Permissions tab.
Ok out when done.

Click Start > Settings > Control Panel
Double click the Windows firewall applet.
Click the Exceptions tab.
Put a check in "File and print sharing".
Click Ok.

 

[Lenny]

Hi,
I have done all that and given everybody full permisions to access the
printer and change the printer settings. The firewall aslo has the tick in
the "file and print sharing" tab but still I am having no joy getting it to
print.

 

[Brian A.]

Did you check the BIOS to be sure the ports are enabled?
Did you check the printers properties for port settings?

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

 

[Lenny]

Hi Brian,
Not to sure where to start on this one. Surely the Bios settings shouldn't
have changed between the changing of the computers? Also what ports need
enabling on the Bios? As for the printer port settings it is USB001 Virtual
printer port for USB.

 

[Lenny]

Here is a bit of an update to see if we can get to the bottom of this.
Both machines are windows XP Pro with no passwords set up.
The print that has been sent to the printer appears in the print cue (both
computers) but just will not print. If I press Restart it still just sits
there.
Very stuck,
Lenny

 

[Frank]

XP Pro with no passwords setup.....This jumps right out
at me. I have never been able to share anything in XP
without using user and password on both boxen.

 

[Lenny]

Hi Frank,
I know that everything should have passwords for the security but I have
never had this problem before and the printer was sharing just fine 3 days
ago on the same XP machine when the second machine was a 98.

What could have gone wrong - what should I check on the new XP Pro machine
to make the printer work?

Completely stuck!
Lenny

XP Pro with no passwords setup.....This jumps right out
at me. I have never been able to share anything in XP
without using user and password on both boxen.

 

[Brian A.]

See if anything here helps:
How to troubleshoot network printing problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314073

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/j_helmig/guidprnt.htm


--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Frank]

I don't have a W98 machine here so I can't be sure. All
I ever remember doing is going to the box that has the
printer attached. Printer Properties > sharing > share this printer.
Windows assigned a share name.
WXP box add printer > network printer or a printer attached to
another computer. Let windows do its thing it may take a while.
Windows is a pain in the whatever when it comes to drivers
from 4.x to 5.x. sorry I can't help more.

 

[Lenny]

Thanks Brian,
This seemed to have done the trick but why did this method of sharing work
and not the usual way?

1. Click Start, click Run, type control.exe in the Open box, and then
click Printers and Faxes.
2. Double-click Add a printer, and then click Next.
3. Click Local printer attached to this computer, and then click Next.
4. Click Create a new port.
5. In the Type box, click Local Port, and then click Next.
6. Type the share name. For example:
\\PrintServer\ShareName
7. Continue the wizard and install the appropriate driver for the
device.

 

[Lenny]

Hi Frank,
Thanks for the reply but I didn't have any trouble with the 98 it is only
since adding the XP machine that is has caused trouble and the windows
Wizard doesn't work, however Brian has come up with a sugestion below that
has worked.
Cheers
I don't have a W98 machine here so I can't be sure. All
I ever remember doing is going to the box that has the
printer attached. Printer Properties > sharing > share this printer.
Windows assigned a share name.
WXP box add printer > network printer or a printer attached to
another computer. Let windows do its thing it may take a while.
Windows is a pain in the whatever when it comes to drivers
from 4.x to 5.x. sorry I can't help more.

 

[Brian A.]

Thanks Brian,

You're welcome.

This seemed to have done the trick but why did this method of sharing work
and not the usual way?

Dunno! What's your "usual way"?

1. Click Start, click Run, type control.exe in the Open box, and then
click Printers and Faxes.
2. Double-click Add a printer, and then click Next.
3. Click Local printer attached to this computer, and then click Next.
4. Click Create a new port.
5. In the Type box, click Local Port, and then click Next.
6. Type the share name. For example:
\\PrintServer\ShareName
7. Continue the wizard and install the appropriate driver for the
device.

Well, the above is not my usual way, but it's not far off. I install the
printer and then in the printer properties I set up the UNC port, which has
always worked. <Knocking on wood>

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[Lenny]

my usual way is to just use the wizard. I don't need to type the share name
as I can see the printer in the list and I click on that.

 

[Brian A.]

I guess the Wiz decided to dummy up this time without the UNC, perhaps even
cofiguring an improper port. At least you have the final result you were after,
good luck and enjoy.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375