connecting laptop to desktop pc for shared printing

I

imanovice

New Member
Hello,
Is there any kind people out there with a lot of patience who could help a pc novice set up my laptop for shared printing using my very basic set up?
I suppose the first question is do I need any specific hardware to perform this task.
My setup is this:
My printer is currently connected to my desktop pc with USB cable. The pc is running on windows XP home. The pc is wirelessly connected to my broadband router with an inventel network adapter.
My laptop is wirelessly connected to my broadband router with a belkin wireless networking adapter and i can connect up to the internet no problem. It is running on windows vista.
On my desktop I have set the printer for sharing and on the laptop searched for network printers but keep getting the message"no printers found"
Please help.
 
your half way there already. exactly where i forgot. hit f1 or help will easily get you there. you have to assign same work groupname on all computers. the default is mshome. it could be family or what ever. also assign computer names that are all diffirent. my laptop name is called laptop. mine is jerry, wife is wife and so on. then you will no who's is who's. then share printer and it will find new printer on you home network. it will work fine with the laptop wireless.

one caution. you could do everything i suggested and not work. take down your firewall 1st while ya set it up. get it working 1st. then put it up. somewhere in the software firewall will be an option to share printer.

let me know.
i'll check back.
tremmor
 
Thanks Tremmor,
With your help I'm almost there. I dissabled my firewall on my desktop and laptop and carried out the search for network printer. This time the laptop found my printer. However when clicking next to install I am getting the message "windows cannot connect to the printer access is denied.
I have checked both pcs are on the same workgroup. i.e they are both named workgroup and they are named differently. i.e laptop and desktop.
I have also tried a couple of things from the help menu i.e START then typing \\desktop and aslo tried START then typing \\desktop\EPSONSty(EPSONSty being my printer share name). On both occasions I am getting access denied.
Almost there, thanks for the help so far. Hope we can sort it. Speak to you tommorrow.
 
You need to make sure that the computers are under the same work group name. This will then allow the computers to talk to each other.

To test this under (if you have folders shared) you should be able to see the files / folders that are shared.... no i'm not sure if there is any difference with vista or anything but try that.

Search for the printer and see what you get this time?
 
make sure your logged in with admin rights.
control panel, user accounts, and either add account with admin rights or change your account with admin rights. you should have this anyway.

in fact, create more than one account with admin rights.
you'll find out why later if ya run into issues.
cheers
 
Thanks guys for all your help.
It looks like i'm in for another long day after a sleepless night!!!
I have rebooted both machines and shared folders between both machines with no problems. I am logged on as administrator on both machines but still cannot access the printer from the laptop.
I also have an issue with my firewall that I am going to have to look at as when it is on I cannot network at all. However for these tests I have disabled it completely.
 
theres others here that no. a couple options though.

goto help again or 'f1'.
search: 'share printer.
Try enable file and printer sharing using network setup wizard.

again: search: troubleshoot
file and printer troubleshooting

one more:
http://support.microsoft.com
 
Well after lots of stress and help from you guys and lots of internet searching I stumbled across a site where other people have experienced the same problem so I have attached the extract to help any of you who experience the same problems/frustrations I did.

Printer Sharing Problem in Windows Vista
My overall experience with Windows Vista release code has been very favorable. I'm now using it on all of my PCs that are capable of running it successfully. Windows Vista has allowed me to do everything I used to do with Windows XP and much more. However, I had one lingering problem that I wasn't able to resolve until today - accessing a Windows XP shared printer from a Windows Vista PC. I searched for a solution and tried every recommendation without success but I always got the same message - "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Access is denied." In searching for a solution on the Internet, I encountered several users who were just as frustrated as I was. I knew I wasn't alone.
I give credit to [email protected] who posted the following fix on microsoft.public.windows.vista.networking_sharing.
Here it is:
Problem: A Windows XP PC on the network has a shared printer attached that other PCs running Windows XP can use. However, Windows Vista PCs on the network (even though they can connect to and access files on the Windows XP PC) get an "Access is denied" message when they try to connect to the printer.
Fix: Add the printer to the Windows Vista PC using the Control Panel and set up the printer (the one that you want to access as a network printer) as a local printer - Control Panel/Printers/Add a Printer/Add a Local Printer/Use the existing port LPT1:, etc. Do not set up the new printer as a network printer yet.
After the driver in installed, go to Printers, right click on the new printer and select Properties/Ports/Add Port. Make sure that Local Port is selected from the list and then select New Port. When the Enter a Port Name field comes up, manually add a new Local Port as follows: \\computer_name\shared_printer_name as the port name. For example, if the computer name for the Windows XP PC sharing the printer is "johnPC" and the shared printer is "HP LaserJet" enter \\johnPC\HP_LaserJet then select OK. Now return to the port list and select the newly created post as the active port for the printer. To test the printer, open Word and print to the newly created printer. Hopefully, you will be as happy as I was. Now you can Consider It Fixed!

Once again may I say a big thanks to all of you who gave me some sound advice.
Regards
Imanovice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top