[HELP] Printer Sharing Problems

[jiminy-cricket]

I am having a problem printing on a home network. The printer (Epson Stylus C66) is connected by USB to a desktop and is also installed as a shared printer on another desktop (connected through a wireless card). The network is set up and running properly - the second desktop can connect to the internet via the "main" desktop and file sharing between the two PCs operates normally. The printer can be seen on both PCs - on the main desktop it is set up to share while on the second desktop it shows as an installed printer. When I send a print job from the second desktop to the "main" desktop it appears in the print queue on the "main" desktop with status as “printing” and owner as “guest” but the job never starts to print. OS is Windows XP Professional, SP2.

I have tried the following:-
(1) Reinstalling printer on both machines.
(2) Installing latest Epson driver.
(3) Setting printer to print direct rather than spooling.
(4) Checking that print spooling service is started and set to automatic at startup.

None of the above has made any difference - can anyone help please?

also can you make the printer available to print even when the attached desktop is switched off or does the connected desktop have to be switched on for you to print? if you can have the desktop switched off could you please tell me how to set this up?

thanks in advance,

Jamie

 

[Law]

1)Go to printers and faxes in control panel. Right click on your printer, go to sharing. When open go to security tab, if the "Everyone" group is not listed, then click Add, if it is listed skip to step 2. Click advanced then find now, it will list some users and groups. Scroll down until you see the Everyone, select it by clicking on it then click Ok the Ok again. Then click apply then OK to exit. Now try and print. If not working go to step 2

2)Go to control panel/Administrative tools/Computer management. Open up local users and group then select users. Verify that the Guest account is enable and not marked with a red x. Otherwise you will have to enable it, right click on Guest, go to properties and uncheck "Account is disable". Do this for both computer if your running XP Pro.

3)Go to control panel/administrative tools/local security policy. Open up local policies then select User right assignment. Search for the policy call "Access this computer from the network", double click on it, you should see the "Everyone" in there, if not you will have add it like in step1 if it's there leave everything alone. Now look for the policy call "Deny access to this computer from the network" make sure there is nothing listed there, double click on it and remove anything in there especially the "Everyone". Do this for both computer.

4)Go to your network connection in control panel. Right click on your local LAN and go to properties, verify File and Print sharing is installed in the list, double click Internet Protocol TCP/IP, then click advanced, go to WINS tab and verify that NetBIOS is set at Default. If not then set it and click ok to save. Do this for both computer.

5)Right click on "My Computer" properties, go to computer name tab. Make sure both computer are in the same workgroup. Else click change and enter the same workgroup. Do this for both computer.

6)Disable any firewall or security program running, reboot machine. Do this for both computer.

7) Try printing now.

 

[Law]

You must have the computer with the printer attached always on to print. If you wanted to be able to print without relying on that computer, you can convert it to a network printer which will connect to your router or switch. Usually you can buy a router with a USB print support or use a converter that convert USB to Rj45 to connect and to the router or switch and also have features to manage the printer via a webbrowser.

 

[jiminy-cricket]

cheers for that mate, i got it working in the end thank god!

could you tell me more about this way of printing without my computer being switched on?

my model of modem/router is a belkin ADSL Modem with Wireless G Router model number: F5D7632uk4

thanks in advance

 

[Law]

Could I ask which part of the step help fix the problem?

You need something like this http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=816&sku=28802

If you want to convert the USB printer into a network printer that attaches to your router. Or buy a router with print support since that converter is pretty expensive. You can try searching on google for lower prices.

Heres a router with USB printer support http://www.dlink.com/products/resource.asp?pid=272&rid=821&sec=0