HELP: Windows printer sharing - problems

[blackbeltninja]

Hey guys

Hoping someone can give me a hand here.

We have an office with 4 machines in it, 1 printer. I'm trying to share the printer between the 4 machines. Downloaded the instructions from MS as to how to do it in Windows, did the procedure (I've done it before), it seems to think everything is done, but I can't see the machine or its printer on the network.

Any ideas? I've put all the machines into the same workgroup and enabled printer and file sharing on all of them. They can't see each other (the shared docs folders don't pop up when you browse the workgroup) and I can't see any of them. Doing the exact same thing in my office, everything is beautiful and working perfectly between the 8 machines in here and our printer. I've gone as far as naming the machine in the other office with the printer and trying to access it directly instead of browsing the workgroup, and still no joy.

Any assistance would be appreciated - I'm tearing my hair out, here. Server machine in the other office is running XP Pro 32, the three others running Win 7 64 Enterprise. My office - all XP Pro 32 (I can't get the XP machines in my office to see that XP machine either, so I don't know what is going on).

All ideas and advice would be appreciated.

thanks
-d-

 

[looseliam]

I know there's problems sometimes seeing shares betweein XP <=> 7.

IIRC, under folder options -> view at the bottom of the list there's an option to 'enable simple sharing'. Make sure that isn't selected. I've heard firewall settings can cause problems, but I've never personally encountered it with windows firewall.

Even though you can't 'see' it, can you still access shares and printers using the UNC path? Try start -> run \\ip_or_hostname <enter> to see if you can access the computer in question.

Also, is there a master browser on the network, or are all workstations competing in elections? If no master browser exists, you may want to disable 'computer browser' service on all machines except that which is serving the shares/printers.

Have you considered a networked solution direct to the printer?

 

[Corny]

Good advice from looseliam so far. Also .. did you install the 64bit drivers on the xp machine, too? This might be necessary, instructions are available from MS online somewhere.

 

[blackbeltninja]

I know there's problems sometimes seeing shares betweein XP <=> 7.

IIRC, under folder options -> view at the bottom of the list there's an option to 'enable simple sharing'. Make sure that isn't selected. I've heard firewall settings can cause problems, but I've never personally encountered it with windows firewall.

Even though you can't 'see' it, can you still access shares and printers using the UNC path? Try start -> run ip_or_hostname <enter> to see if you can access the computer in question.

Also, is there a master browser on the network, or are all workstations competing in elections? If no master browser exists, you may want to disable 'computer browser' service on all machines except that which is serving the shares/printers.

Have you considered a networked solution direct to the printer?

Well, I wondered about the XP/7 differences, but as I said, I can't see it from my office with another XP machine. Even \\name isn't working. It is driving me nuts. It can see my office computer; I can't see it. I can get some of them to see each other, but none can see the one which should be the server.

Not sure about the master browser - never heard of the concept.

We are stretched for budget, hence printer-sharing. But it's having it's own suite of problems. Not even sure I can get it work under Win7, because the drivers are different. Trying to load the 32-bit drivers as spares into Win7 (it gives you that option when you share the printer) doesn't seem to work - keeps telling me I have the wrong driver files; they're coming straight off the install CD which shipped with the sodding printer. Allegedly the disc has 32 and 64 bit drivers fro XP, Vista and Win7 on it.

Trying with another printer which I downloaded brand new 64 bit win7 and 32 bit XP drivers - same story. Whichever machine I install it on, it won't take the other drivers. Even installing the printer on each machine separately and then trying to share it off one of them, it says the drivers are incompatible when they attempt to connect.

I'm all out of ideas. Sadface.

-d-

 

[looseliam]

\\computer_name only really works with a WINS and/or DNS severs having the host names registered. Are you able to access the shares/printer via \\ip_address?

Also, for shits-and-giggles, turn off firewall on all the computers to see if that changes anything.

The master browser maintains a list of computers and shares on a given subnet.

Here's a little util I use to scan teh network: http://scottiestech.info/download/LANscan_v1.3.zip Info Here

Run the programme and see if all computers show up. Also see what shows-up as 'master' if any.

With what kind of printer are you working?

 

[blackbeltninja]

Sorry - forgot my own thread. Crazy last few weeks on my side.

Firewalls are all off. \\ip-address - the print server can see all the other machines with shared folders, none of them can see it or its shared folders (or printer).

Will try your utility when I'm in again on Monday - thanks for the tip. The Printer is either a Lexmark e260 or an elderly HP baby laserjet 1022, whichever one I can get to be seen on the sodding thing.

-d-

 

[looseliam]

If it's a HP 10xx you're in for problems. I have a 1020 and it's been nothing but problems. It was working fine with XP then stopped working. I connected it to my server and shared it via cups but then that, too, stopped working. It will not work with W7 to save its life and sometimes I can get it to work on an old laptop running XP.