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connecting to shared printer in XP

AnonymousAnonymous
edited September 2004 in Software
ok so my printer is connected and shared upstairs on 486A, so i want to setup my p4 to connect to the shared printer, but everytime i do it says something about not being able to connect or the printer has lost its connection to the server..... so my question... whats going on?! and more importantly how do i fix it?

Comments

  • BODBOD
    hav u got the right driver? cos sumtimes the machine the printer is connected to can store drivers for different os'es
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    yeah... i have all the right drivers... it just woln't connect
  • QQ
    It looks like Windows Indeterminate Networking strikes again.

    How exactly are you sharing it, on what OS, and how are you trying to connect to it, from what OS?

    -Q
  • wingzeroisminewingzeroismine
    And the 486 is on correct? When I first set up my network I had some printer troubles, but then they sorta fixed themselves....
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    err i guess i left out some vital info huh? well okay here it is....

    486A and B run windows 95A and the printer is shared on 486A... 486B can print just fine.

    the problem is when i want to print from my pentium 4 which runs windows XP home. but when i go to tell it where to print to it doesn't have the same thing 95 did so i look in the help and support center and i follow its instructions and everything goes fine then says in can't connect to the printer
  • QQ
    OK, so what are the instructions that you follow?

    -Q
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    to go to add printer then select "a network printer or printer shared on another computer" so i did that then it says i should restart but after that it says it can't connect.
  • QQ
    It says you should restart? Does it ask you for an IP or UNC path? What EXACTLY are the steps?

    -Q
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    your supposed to enter the path to the shared printer which is:

    \\486A\z11$

    and then it asks to restart and then it says it can't connect.... i'll post more exact information later
  • QQ
    Try removing the $ from the printer name on the machine that hosts it, restarting everything, and then trying again.

    -Q
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    okay i'll try that.... and here's detialed information i promissed
    XP help and support center wrote:
    To connect to a printer that is attached to another computer
    A printer has to be shared before you can connect to it.

    Open Printers and Faxes.
    Under Printer Tasks, click Add a printer to open the Add Printer Wizard, and then click Next.
    Click A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer, and then click Next.
    Connect to the desired printer using one of the following three methods. Click a method for instructions.
    Browse for a printer.

    Click Browse for a printer, and then click Next.
    In the Shared printers list, click the printer you want to connect to.
    Notes

    In the list, printers are indicated by an icon of a printer followed by its name. An icon of a computer indicates a computer that has at least one printer connected to it. To see the printer, double-click the computer icon.
    When you click a printer icon, its name appears in the Printer box.
    Click Next.
    Type the printer name.

    Click Connect to this printer.
    In the Name box, type the printer name using the following format:
    \\computer_name\printer_name

    Click Next.
    Connect to an Internet or intranet printer.

    Using a printer
  • SurfinShell23SurfinShell23
    Try going to start, run, "//486A" on the xp machine.
  • BashBash
    ctry this:

    go into My network Places, goto View Workgroup Computers, try and see if 486A is listed, if it is, go into that, then find the printer (if it is displayed) and right click it, it should say "install..."
  • SurfinShell23SurfinShell23
    Yea, that's what I was leading to with "//486A" in the run box. If My Net Places --> View Wkgrp Computers doesn't work, try the run thing.
  • BODBOD
    check that both machines have the same protocols installed
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    let me be clear that this is not a networking issue... all machine connect to each other and work fine... i can even go on the internet with the 486s (notice thats where i was when i started this topic?) its just a matter of connecting to the shared printer... i haven't tried removing the $ yet but i will later
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    UPDATE!!!!!!!

    okay been awhile since i delt with this issuse.... mostly cause my printer ran out of ink lol ^_^

    anyways yeah i had to remove the $ thing and select connect in the my network places.... and it works good ^_^
  • FatTurtleFatTurtle
    BlueSun wrote:
    UPDATE!!!!!!!

    okay been awhile since i delt with this issuse.... mostly cause my printer ran out of ink lol ^_^

    anyways yeah i had to remove the $ thing and select connect in the my network places.... and it works good ^_^


    hmmmmmmm. it probally didn't like the $ in the name, stupid windows networking.
  • SurfinShell23SurfinShell23
    Yay! It works!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • BODBOD
    Tomchu wrote:
    One thing you have to remember when printing out of a printer on another machine ...

    Connect to the IPC tunnel first. Type \\computername, log in as a user that has permission to print, and then you should be able to print fine. If you're trying to print before connecting, it usually errors out with something stupid.

    yea, i got "Mozilla Firefox could not print due to an unknown error" yesterday

    lol
  • SurfinShell23SurfinShell23
    Yea... I just set all my passwords the same to avoid that.
  • BODBOD
    i had tho, for some reason it wouldnt let me print just because i hadnt logged onto the server lol
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