USB Printer Sharing Help Needed

[James]

Hi

I have installed a USB printer on one PC (XP SP1) and need to have
other PCs print to it on our network but am having some problems.

Normally when sharing a printer that is connected via parallel port I
can connect by adding a new local printer and setting up a new port
for the printer (e.g. \\PC1234\LabelPrinter). I do this so that the
printer is automatically present for all users of the PCs and users do
not have to connect themselves.

However this doesn't work for USB printers as it appears for all users
but only works when I'm logged in. Is there a way to connect to a
shared USB printer and have it appear for all users?

Regards and thanks
James

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Hi

I have installed a USB printer on one PC (XP SP1) and need to have
other PCs print to it on our network but am having some problems.

Normally when sharing a printer that is connected via parallel port I
can connect by adding a new local printer and setting up a new port
for the printer (e.g. \\PC1234\LabelPrinter). I do this so that the
printer is automatically present for all users of the PCs and users do
not have to connect themselves.

However this doesn't work for USB printers as it appears for all users
but only works when I'm logged in. Is there a way to connect to a
shared USB printer and have it appear for all users?

Regards and thanks
James

I have a shared USB printer on another machine and I can access it from my
machine at all times, regardless of the log on / log off status on the other
machine. Did you share it directly or did you go through the process of
creating an extra port of the purpose of sharing? Sharing it directly is the
recommended way of doing it.

While on some other PC, click Start / Run, then type \\YourPCName{OK}. Now
double-click "Printers and Faxes". You should be able to see your USB
printer, independently of any logon session on your own PC.

 

[James]

Hi

Thanks for your response but I think there is a bit of confusion here.
Yes I can connect to the printer fine by going to Run and typing \
\PCname etc but the problem with this is that the printer would only
be there for the logon that did this.

How can I, on a number of PCs, connect to a USB printer shared on
another computer in a way so that any user of those PCs automatically
have access to the printer? i.e. PC1 has the USB printer, PC2 and PC3
and PC4 all have it set up so that if *any* user logs into them they
are automatically connected to the shared USB printer

I can do this fine as above if the printer uses a parallel connection
but not USB...

Regards
James

 

[Malke]

Hi

Thanks for your response but I think there is a bit of confusion here.
Yes I can connect to the printer fine by going to Run and typing \
\PCname etc but the problem with this is that the printer would only
be there for the logon that did this.

How can I, on a number of PCs, connect to a USB printer shared on
another computer in a way so that any user of those PCs automatically
have access to the printer? i.e. PC1 has the USB printer, PC2 and PC3
and PC4 all have it set up so that if *any* user logs into them they
are automatically connected to the shared USB printer

I can do this fine as above if the printer uses a parallel connection
but not USB...

You need to install the printer on all the computers that will use it
through the share. Your last statement indicates that you originally
installed the parallel port drivers and now need to go back and install the
USB drivers.

Malke