Need some printer sharing understanding, please

[paul1149]

Hi, new to the forums. Looks like a great place, and my compliments on a definitely exceptional vbb theme.

Now to my problem. I had a dickens of a time getting my HP officejet to be seen by other machines on my home network, but I finally learned that I had to have all the machines in the same Workgroup. A quick trip to the laptop's MyComputer properties rectified that, and now my desktop and laptop see the printer and can use it fine. Both machines are WinXP home, the network is wireless, the router is a Linksys WRT54GS and the printer is an HP officejet 7410.

I take it that the laptop had to join the desktop's workgroup because the printer is listed subordinate to the desktop. But I installed the printer directly onto the wireless router using the router's wireless WPA encryption key, so why should it be dependent on the desktop machine? The router itself sees the printer in its DHCP client list (though the printer doesn't have a name there).

It was nice quickly downloading the printer driver from the desktop to the laptop, but I'd rather that the printer be independently available to the whole network.

Secondly, after I renamed the workgroup on the laptop to conform to that of the desktop, upon rebooting I no longer had the Add a Printer wizard under Control Panel/Printers and Fax. This eventually will be a big problem.

So what I'm looking for is a little theory and a little practical help. Thanks much.

 

[Lexluethar]

Yes when sharing a printer that is bound to the network only through a computer I believe you have to have both computers on the same workgroup.

As for directly sharing the printer - is this a network ready printer or one that had to physically be connected to the computer in order to print?

If it is a network printer the likely issue with it not printing is you adding the printer. If it is a network printer you have to go through the add printer wizard (or manually if the wizard doesn't start) and select a different interface for the printer (network instead of local). before doing this though you will need to ensure the printer is setup properly for your network (meaning it has a valid IP and is actually connected and authenticated with the network).

 

[paul1149]

Yes when sharing a printer that is bound to the network only through a computer I believe you have to have both computers on the same workgroup.

As for directly sharing the printer - is this a network ready printer or one that had to physically be connected to the computer in order to print?

If it is a network printer the likely issue with it not printing is you adding the printer. If it is a network printer you have to go through the add printer wizard (or manually if the wizard doesn't start) and select a different interface for the printer (network instead of local). before doing this though you will need to ensure the printer is setup properly for your network (meaning it has a valid IP and is actually connected and authenticated with the network).

I guess it makes a bit of sense that to get to a printer connected through a computer, you have to be on the same workgroup. In any case, I understand and accept that that is the way networks and workgroups work.

The printer should be network ready. I placed it on the network via its own interface - it searched for wireless nets, I selected mine and then hand-entered the WPA key. So I thought the printer should be quite independent of any computer. But on the laptop the printer is seen as "HP7410 on <desktop name>", and it's graphically under the desktop in MS Windows Networks. This is workable, but it means the desktop will have to be on for anyone else to print.

Then there's the issue of losing the Add a Printer wizard. I don't see any way to reinstall this printer. Properties for the printer are all grayed out on the laptop.

Thanks for your response.

 

[Lexluethar]

Okay, so you do have a network printer. You are correct it should be completely independant of any computers at that point.

I personally would do the following in this order:
1. remove printer from network
2. remove the printer from both computers
3. restart both computers to ensure the printer is gone
4. add the printer back to the networ (again ensuring you add it correctly and it has a valid IP)
5. add the printer to the laptop (selecting network printer, you may have to add it manually)
6. add the printer to the desktop (selecting network printer, you may have to add it manually)

 

[paul1149]

Sounds like good advice. Maybe somewhere there is an artifact that says the printer belongs to the desktop computer. Where, I don't know.

But before I try to reconfigure I need to get my Add Printer function back, or else I'll be stuck with nothing on the laptop. I need to do some searching on that.

Thanks,
p.

 

[Lexluethar]

It isn't going to recognize that a new device is installed if that device is already installed. From what you said earlier the printer is already installed on the laptop - therefore it isn't going to give you the 'add new hardware' wizard because it is already installed.

Uninstall the printer from the laptop. Restart it. Then add it through 'add printer' in the control panel.

 

[paul1149]

The printer is off the desktop, but where it is has nothing to do with not having an Add New Printer icon. I did find that function on the File menu of the printer folder, so I can go ahead. Maybe this evening I'll be able to give it a shot.

 

[patonb]

I have the HP 6400 series wireless network printer.

And I did what you said you did... Except I run WEP, yha i know it's crap but i by media players only wep.

I don't always have it on as i hate the fax ringing, and everytime I use it I have to add a new printer due to it being setup based on IP. But don't have to add a new device each time.

Maybe try a new driver.

I'm running Vista now, but my xp installs, and 1 laptop, all seen it as its own device.

When you set iut up, did you set it via an ip address?

 

[paul1149]

I'm surprised at this. Can't you assign a fixed IP to the printer, both in the printer and in the router? I think my driver is HP's latest, so I think jogging the setup is the best chance. When I set mine up, the router assigns local IPs via DHCP, so I don't worry about them.

 

[patonb]

Yha mine to, but i have 3 devices that cycle on and off so their ips change, thus the printers not always the same ip.

I'm sorta lazy, and dont print from my printer much, more fax and copy, so I haven't gone and looked into it a set IP.. I run a wrt54gL router.