Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Hi, I've recently set up a small home wireless network using a Belkin Wireless Modem/Router F5D7632.

I can connect to the internet using the wireless connection fine without problems.

I've gone through the setting up process for the network and sharing the printer many times & yet I still cannot print from any computer that is not directly connected to the printer via USB.

I read the excellent article by Stuartbe File and printer sharing made easy & I have successfully pinged on all computers.

Other things like All computers have the same network name, different individual names etc. seem to be correct.

The problem seems to me to be when I try to double click on the icon (that refers to the computer connected directly by USB) from say my laptop from "the show workgroup computers" I get this message "\\Pri (the computer name) is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the network administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions"
The network path is not found.

I've consulted friends who have successfully set up their networks but nobody seems to be able to help.

All personall Firewalls are switched off.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Do you know the IP address for the printer can you ping to that, it seems to me that you may need to add a tcpip port instead of computer name.. but wilress printer sharing is not my forte

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Not really my ground but on the pc directly connected to the printer,click start ,printers and faxes,right click on your printer and select sharing,highlight share this printer and give it a name.
Just an idea and :welcome: to the site

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Thanks for the reply but the printer is connected directly to the desk top & doesn't have an IP Address.

As for adding a tspip port, I dont know how to go about doing this.
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Thanks for the reply but this is something I've already done.

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Before you set up your wireless network was there any other network in place? I've had the same sort of networking issue with XP that was only resolved with a clean install of XP. I spent weeks searching for a resolution prior to surrendering myself to a new install but at least my network is behaving now and I can access all resources that I need to get to.

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

What operating systems are you using on all your PCs?

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

One other thing, you say all personal firewalls are off, what firewalls and how are they turned off? A number of thrid party firewalls need to be turned off by telling them in the options not to start at windows start up for them to be turned off without locking network settings down.

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

What's the name of the PC and share name of the printer?

When setting up a printer...

You can right-click and connect, which would be a bad idea OR
You can install a new printer, choose "local port" and specify the path to the printer in the form \\print-server\printer-share-name

Security tab - does everyone have the right to print? Are both PCs members of the same workgroup?

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

There was no other previous network in place.

I've read of other people saying that reinstalling Windows is the final solution.

I was hoping to avoid this.
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Desk Top is XP Pro

Laptop is XP Home

I have heard that this can be a problem

Laptop is directly connected to Modem/Router & Desktop is connected to Modem/Router via Belkin Wireless USB Network adapter.

This may sound like a wrong way round sort of set up but it's the only way it can work here.

I have made some progress in that the Desktop can access the shared files of Laptop now but the Lap cannot access the Desk to where the USB Printer is connected.The error message is now.
"\\Pri (the computer name) is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the network administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions"
Access is denied.

The problem would appear to me to be with the Desktop?
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Having talked to a guy from the Belkin Support line he informed me that this wireless router/modem has it's own firewall & additional ones would not be neccesary & indeed could provide problems.

So I removed completely my Zone Alarm firewalls on both machines & disabled the personal windows firewall on both machines.
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The name of the Desktop PC is Pri & the shared Printer is just called Printer.

Everyone does have the right to print & both machines are on the same workgroup MSHOME (default)
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Thanks for your help guys. I'm not exactly a computer genius but I thought I knew a little.

I never imagined that setting up a network would be so difficult.

I'm almost to the point of giving up now & just lugging the laptop to the location of the printer & plugging the fcuker in & keeping the network just for internet access.
But it seems such a waste!

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Making a little more progress now.

When I double click the icon of the desktop from the laptop on view workgroup computer screen, I no longer get the access denied message.

Now I get a box called connect to (desk computer name) with a username in grey with the Desktop name/Guest (in grey too) & a
Password box (in black).

But I've tried the known password, removed/changed the password on the Desktop but I still am able to progress no further.

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

OK, you are runnung XP Pro on desktop.
To be able to share anything on this PC the remote user name has to be set up on XP Pro with the same password on BOTH PCs ( Identical name and password). Trying to do what you are doing requires XP Pro to authenticate the user trying to connect.
Set this up & you should be OK

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Thanks for the reply bonzoe. I'm really not sure exactly how to follow your instructions & I've spent all day on it & I'm going out of my mind.

My main reason for wanting to network is that my printer is connected directly to the desktop so my `work around` solution for printing from the laptop is to save to a shared folder on the network & then print from the desk top.

It would be great to have the networking both ways one day.

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Not familar with XP Home so not sure how you set up users and passwords. I have 2 XP Pro pcs sharing a printer and files. XP Pro will only let known users share, so easiest way is to have User1 with Password1 and User2 with Password2 set up on both PCs. This way when User1 is on PC1 and User2 is on PC2 each PC will recognise BOTH users ie PC1 will allow User2 to access shared resources.
HTH

Re: Problems with Printer sharing on network
 

Windows XP Home uses
control panel,
"user accounts"
to set up user accounts and passwords.
If it refuses to play ball after this I would highly suggest a clean install in case it's a setting locked up in the registry etc that is causing the problem.