Networking a Printer

[Octavious]

I've got a basic knowledge of home networking but this has been throwing me for an annoying loop for some time now...

I've got my house wired with an in home network, and the networked printer is in the kitchen (super convieniant). The issue is actually a family members network. Both PCs run windows XP so I've set them on the same workgroup, lets call it MSHOME since thats the generic BS. Also, both run on the same wireless network for the home, some standard linksys secured wireless crap that I had to change the passwords from the generic for them ... (anyway off linksys rant)

With windows XP, basically as long as i've allowed sharing of printers I should be able to go Printers & Faxes > Add Printer > Browse > \\PC-Name\Printer-name. In this case, \\FAMILY\hpoffice.

However, the laptop I am trying to add this printer to isn't finding the printer when I browse. I had some issues fixing their internet awhile back because Geek Squad set it up some backwards way that took 30min to figure out wtf they did.

Does anyone know why this would be occuring or a fix for this issue ? The printer is ~4yrs old, but I shouldn't have a problem networking to the thing if it is connected to their always-on desktop. Thanks for any help and I apologize for any terrible grammar, it's 6am and i'm doing server installs.

diagram for great justice:

(Main PC & Printer Works, Laptop can't find printer)

Main PC -- Router -- Laptop
|
Printer

[Furtwangler]

just because I'm not sure if I understood everything you wrote, on the desktop that the printer is connected to you have right clicked on the printer and hit share and given it a name?

Can you see other files on the desktop from the laptop?

[Bardicrune]

There are a few issues that I can think of:

1. Driver for that model printer is not network compliant. I've seen a few lowend HP deskjet models that don't support windows printer sharing.

2. Firewall on one of the PC's preventing netbios traffic.

3. Try using the IP address of the Host PC instead of the PC-Name. (eg. \\192.168.1.2\hpoffice)

[Octavious]

Thanks Guys, I didn't consider the firewall issue Bard i'll have to take a look at that. Usually if they're on the same workgroup i've never had a firewall problem but we'll see. And to answer the first guy, I can't connect to the desktop from the laptop at all.

[The Stig]

Is the "Print Spooler" service running in Services (Start-> Run -> services.msc)?

That normally cause printers to not be picked up unless it's running, networked or local.

[Furtwangler]

what happens if you try to go to my network places and hit show workgroup computers? if it shows the computer what does it say when you try to connect to it? if it shows nothing make sure that you have the workgroup typed out properly and that file/printer sharing is enabled on both computers (properties of the network connection)

[Octavious]

what happens if you try to go to my network places and hit show workgroup computers? if it shows the computer what does it say when you try to connect to it? if it shows nothing make sure that you have the workgroup typed out properly and that file/printer sharing is enabled on both computers (properties of the network connection)

I've got both on the same wireless network for them, which is some wierd ass linksys name like L-5042AFkjl something. After that, they're both on the workgroup named DGNETWORK, initials of my uncle+network.

I can't even browse the desktop from the laptop to connect to the printer. I do a browse on My Network Places and it finds nothing. The Desktop is named something god awful (i blame geek squad) y-tar-bvp030867 and the laptop is similar with y-bpv030867. So in theory I should be able to go and add printer with \\y-tar-bvp030867\hpofficeshared and it's not finding anything. Nor does it find the PC when I do a browse on DGNETWORK.

I'm going to be figuring this out later this weekend but i've got a few solutions to try and disable the firewall and connect. I have never been so irritated with geek squad, they set this stuff up so wierd, they used the wifi card on the desktop when it's like 2ft from the router. I bought him an ethernet cord and direct corded it to the router, his speed picked up tremendously.

[The Stig]

Is the "Server" service enabled too? If that's disabled you normally cannot share anything.

[Octavious]

Is the "Server" service enabled too? If that's disabled you normally cannot share anything.

Hm I'm not familiar with what your saying, maybe i'm missing what your asking. Printer & File Sharing is enabled on the desktop computer, which would allow me to find it browsing the workgroup yes? I should be able to directly name the computer as the 'server' with \\server\printer and server being the desktop name.

[Norellicus]

Print spooler has to be enabled to even print locally, so that should already be on.

Server service should turn on when sharing is enabled, that's one of the things it does when it first asks "Are you sure you want to enable file and print sharing?"

My money is on software firewalls on the workstations blocking NETBIOS requests (required for the systems to see eachother on a windows workgroup). Set the local intranet IP range, or just the specific IPs of your workstations if you prefer, as "trusted" hosts (the nomenclature here varies by developer), should show up np.

[Octavious]

My money is on software firewalls on the workstations blocking NETBIOS requests (required for the systems to see eachother on a windows workgroup). Set the local intranet IP range, or just the specific IPs of your workstations if you prefer, as "trusted" hosts (the nomenclature here varies by developer), should show up np.

Do you mind explaining the bolded part in a little more detail? I'm familiar with it but I thought I did this already. Obviously I didn't do something correctly since it's not working though lol. I tried browsing for the direct IP of the machine too but it didn't work...i'm going to first try the firewall deal since it might be Windows Defender being retarded. Also, they have Norton on both machines (i know fuck me in the ass norton) so i've tried disabling the firewall to allow the printer sharing but its not lead me to a solution yet.

[The Stig]

Print spooler has to be enabled to even print locally, so that should already be on.

Good point, I forgot about that (I hate printers with a passion =p, I never print, and if I do print I print at work where it all works magically!)

Octavious: A service in services.msc named "Server", accessed via Start-> Run -> services.msc needs to be running before stuff can be shared.

The description for the service is:

Supports file, print, and named-pipe sharing over the network for this computer. If this service is stopped, these functions will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

[Octavious]

Good point, I forgot about that (I hate printers with a passion =p, I never print, and if I do print I print at work where it all works magically!)

First I would like to thank everyone for the info, I'm going to try a flurry of solutions out tomorrow night and see what I can get figured out. I'm centering around firewall issues and I'm going to check the service you just listed Stig.

I also want to second that I freaking hate printer networking, its a bitch to setup. Seriously, they need to make it a lot easier then it is. I've got a lexmark at home and I love that thing, wifi printer for the wiiiiin.

while I don't really like inkjets, I don't do much printing for it to matter and its super convieniant. Screw complicated crap! D:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA280_.jpg

[Norellicus]

Only way I can explain it is via my own firewall; I use ZoneAlarm. In it, you can define "zones" for various purposes; by default when it's installed, your local NIC is considered "Trusted", while everything else is defined as "Internet", the two labels have differing security settings in terms of what sorts of traffic they allow, based on source and destination addresses. All I do to allow file/print sharing is add another zone; within the zone parameters, I set my entire internal IP range as "Trusted" (the internal address space 192.168.x.x can't be used by internet addresses, so there's no chance of accidentally allowing something I don't want to), and the Trusted zone automatically permits NETBIOS traffic to pass.

When I first figured this out I happened to look at the log, and it was completely flooded with blocked requests for NETBIOS information, lol.

You'll have to decipher where these same sort of settings are on your own firewall, I know Norton especially is not exactly friendly about it. I think Windows Firewall has a pretty easy to find "exclusions" list though.