A
AA Smith
I have recently focused on (hopefully found) the cause of the problems
described in the section below. This involves a 6-computer (all running
WindowsXP Pro SP1) network connected by a LinkSys 4-port router and a 7-port
hub. Apparently, this is a NETWORK PROBLEM on only one of the 6 computers
in this LAN. Some of the computers that work properly network-wise all have
3 connections shown on the Network Connections dialogue. They read as
follows:
Local Area Connection Network Bridge Enabled, Bridged 3COM
EtherLink 10/100 P.
Network Bridge (Network Bridge)2 Network Bridge Enabled MAC
Bridge Miniport
1394 Connection Network Bridge Enabled, Bridged 1394
Net Adapter
The computer that simply cannot access the hard drive nor the printer on the
computer to which the printer is attached does not have all 3 of those
connections; it only has the Local Area Connection.
However, there is one other computer on this network that has the same
Network Connection (Local Area Connection only,) yet that computer has no
problem whatsoever accessing the hard drive and printer on the computer that
has the printer attached.
Nevertheless, I sincerely believe this is a NETWORK PROBLEM because the same
computer that cannot access the hard drive and printer on the computer where
that printer is attached will not install another Network Printer properly.
We also have a Hewlett Packard OfficeJet G85 All-in-One (AIO) Printer,
Scanner, Copier & Fax attached to the network by an HP JetDirect 170X server
which is plugged into the 7-port hub. In order for this AIO device to be
accessed by computers in the LAN, HP Drivers must be installed from an HP
Drivers CD for the G85 printer. Though various versions of those drivers
are around, I DO have the HP CD with drivers specifically for Windows XP.
And they install properly on all of the other 5 computers, and they used to
install properly on the 6th computer as well, but they won't now for some
reason. A critical part of that installation involves the driver
installation software searching the network for the G85 AIO device. It
always finds and installs the G85 on the other 5 computers, but it cannot
find the G85 on the same computer that cannot access the HP ScanJet 4 Plus.
A solution to this most perplexing network problem has thus far evaded me.
So, I shall indeed greatly appreciate your help in resolving this problem.
--
With kindest regards,
Dick Smith
============================================================================
===================
In a 6-computer (all running WindowsXP Pro SP1) network connected by a
LinkSys 4-port router and a 7-port hub, I have one HP LaserJet 4 Plus
printer connected to one computer. It works fine as a local printer on the
computer it's attached to. It also works fine on 4 other computers in this
network. I had no trouble Adding it as a network printer on those 4
computers, and it
works fine on all of them. However, as it now stands, one computer will not
let me add it because it keeps insisting that "The printer name is invalid.
Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer has
lost its connection to the server. For more information, click Help" As
usual Help is not helpful because it doesn't even address the subject of
network printers. The error message is very strange because the printer
name was GENERATED BY THE Add Printer Wizard, Browse for Printer dialogue on
the other 4 computers--not by me typing it.
Out of utter frustration, I finally reinstalled WindowsXP Pro on the one
computer that would not let me add the printer and had the WinXP
installation delete the only partition on that hard drive, add a new
partition for WinXP, then format the entire hard drive (not the quick
format) before reinstalling XP Pro. The first thing I tried to do after the
reinstallation finished was to install the printer (which is attached to
another computer on this LAN.) However, to my utter amazement, I got the
very SAME ERROR MESSAGE after the format and reinstallation of XP Pro that I
got beforehand. Yet, the computer IS properly networking in every other
regard. It sees (through My Network Places,) all other computers on the LAN
AND it can access files and folders on all of them.
Moreover, I find that this computer can't access any data on that computer's
hard drive either, regardless of the fact that it's setup to share files
with users on the network and my User Name is listed on that computer's
remote access entries. At the same time, this computer CAN access data on
all other computers on this LAN.
I shall very greatly appreciate your help on this frustrating problem.
described in the section below. This involves a 6-computer (all running
WindowsXP Pro SP1) network connected by a LinkSys 4-port router and a 7-port
hub. Apparently, this is a NETWORK PROBLEM on only one of the 6 computers
in this LAN. Some of the computers that work properly network-wise all have
3 connections shown on the Network Connections dialogue. They read as
follows:
Local Area Connection Network Bridge Enabled, Bridged 3COM
EtherLink 10/100 P.
Network Bridge (Network Bridge)2 Network Bridge Enabled MAC
Bridge Miniport
1394 Connection Network Bridge Enabled, Bridged 1394
Net Adapter
The computer that simply cannot access the hard drive nor the printer on the
computer to which the printer is attached does not have all 3 of those
connections; it only has the Local Area Connection.
However, there is one other computer on this network that has the same
Network Connection (Local Area Connection only,) yet that computer has no
problem whatsoever accessing the hard drive and printer on the computer that
has the printer attached.
Nevertheless, I sincerely believe this is a NETWORK PROBLEM because the same
computer that cannot access the hard drive and printer on the computer where
that printer is attached will not install another Network Printer properly.
We also have a Hewlett Packard OfficeJet G85 All-in-One (AIO) Printer,
Scanner, Copier & Fax attached to the network by an HP JetDirect 170X server
which is plugged into the 7-port hub. In order for this AIO device to be
accessed by computers in the LAN, HP Drivers must be installed from an HP
Drivers CD for the G85 printer. Though various versions of those drivers
are around, I DO have the HP CD with drivers specifically for Windows XP.
And they install properly on all of the other 5 computers, and they used to
install properly on the 6th computer as well, but they won't now for some
reason. A critical part of that installation involves the driver
installation software searching the network for the G85 AIO device. It
always finds and installs the G85 on the other 5 computers, but it cannot
find the G85 on the same computer that cannot access the HP ScanJet 4 Plus.
A solution to this most perplexing network problem has thus far evaded me.
So, I shall indeed greatly appreciate your help in resolving this problem.
--
With kindest regards,
Dick Smith
============================================================================
===================
In a 6-computer (all running WindowsXP Pro SP1) network connected by a
LinkSys 4-port router and a 7-port hub, I have one HP LaserJet 4 Plus
printer connected to one computer. It works fine as a local printer on the
computer it's attached to. It also works fine on 4 other computers in this
network. I had no trouble Adding it as a network printer on those 4
computers, and it
works fine on all of them. However, as it now stands, one computer will not
let me add it because it keeps insisting that "The printer name is invalid.
Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer has
lost its connection to the server. For more information, click Help" As
usual Help is not helpful because it doesn't even address the subject of
network printers. The error message is very strange because the printer
name was GENERATED BY THE Add Printer Wizard, Browse for Printer dialogue on
the other 4 computers--not by me typing it.
Out of utter frustration, I finally reinstalled WindowsXP Pro on the one
computer that would not let me add the printer and had the WinXP
installation delete the only partition on that hard drive, add a new
partition for WinXP, then format the entire hard drive (not the quick
format) before reinstalling XP Pro. The first thing I tried to do after the
reinstallation finished was to install the printer (which is attached to
another computer on this LAN.) However, to my utter amazement, I got the
very SAME ERROR MESSAGE after the format and reinstallation of XP Pro that I
got beforehand. Yet, the computer IS properly networking in every other
regard. It sees (through My Network Places,) all other computers on the LAN
AND it can access files and folders on all of them.
Moreover, I find that this computer can't access any data on that computer's
hard drive either, regardless of the fact that it's setup to share files
with users on the network and my User Name is listed on that computer's
remote access entries. At the same time, this computer CAN access data on
all other computers on this LAN.
I shall very greatly appreciate your help on this frustrating problem.