Question for the computer experts...
 

I have 4 computers in my house (one is my daughter's new Mac Powerbook, the other 3 are PCs) - 2 are hooked up to the network wirelessly, and 2 are wired directly to my Linksys router connected to the cable modem.

I'd like to be able to use one printer for all the computers in the house. I understand that I can use my main computer as the host/server for this, but I have no idea how to set it up for this. Can anyone post a quick walk-through? I can't imagine that it's all that complicated. I know, I could probably find the answer browsing around the MS website or computer forums, but hey, no one compares with this great group of folks at X5world...

search/google on "sharing a network printer" it's very straightforward.

Do you have XP Home or XP pro?

and thanks for avoiding the "G" word :)

Here's a quick tutorial:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...utt_july2.mspx

what's the "G" word? :dunno:

"G"eek.

I had the same problem, purchased the Belkin wireless print server. I think it was $99 with a $30 rebate. Easy setup and never looked back. Good luck.

Which computer is the printer connected to. On the other computers, add new printer and set them up to one located on the computer with the printer.

I have the same setup and just added new printer by using the network. I should find the printer for you over your network.

Hey Guys - really appreciate the help so far. OK - It appears that my main PC is shareable over the network, but I can't get the other computers to see it at all. I'm very novice at this, so I really appreciate your help and patience...

I found the printer on the main computer and made it shareable following the directions in the link that Gresch (thanks!) provided, and I think my main computer is shared properly (but I'm not 100% sure - how do I check?). But when I go to one of the other computers and try to add a printer, I get an error message saying it can find it.

So what do I need to do next?

And BTW, Gresch - I had to laugh when you wrote this... I'm very careful about using the "G" word - I actually work for a large software company, but I'm just a manager... I know how to use the applications, but when it comes to this IT stuff (even this simple IT stuff), I'm lost... Thanks again!

I think the "G" word stands for "guru". :) Or maybe even "genius".

I think I'll be buying a wireless print server. That seems to be the easiest solution for having two laptops and not wanting to have the primary computer always running. If someone sees a good deal for a wireless print server, do share.

enable simple file sharing, this will allow your to share your printers and your files to your other computers and they will be able to see it, by default, both the guest and the simple file sharing is disabled.

Don't know if this will solve the problem but it does work very well.
http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/ And yes it works for PC also.

right click on My Computer on all of the PC's (not macs) and go to properties. Then click on the "computer name" tab. Make sure that all of them are in the same workgroup, the default name is WORKGROUP. If they're not, rename them so that they are and then reboot them.

you can also determine if all of the computers can see each other by pinging them.

go to start> Run and type CMD in the command box and hit enter

when the DOS box opens type

IPCONFIG /ALL and hit enter

the IP address for the computer that you're on will be displayed along with other IP info.

write that ip address down.

Go to one of the other PC's and go to START>RUN
type CMD in the command box and hit enter

then type

ping <IP ADDRESS that you wrote down> and hit enter

You should get 4 lines of "reply ......" and then some summary info.

Do that on all of the PC's (ping the PC with the printer attached) if the ping test is successfull at least you know that IP is working ok and that htey can see one another.

let me know how that goes.... and then we'll go from there

OK - did that, but when I ping the main computer, I get 4 "request timed out" messages. I only have 2 computers in the house right now - the main computer and my son's laptop (MS), so I'm just working with these 2 right now. I figure if I can get these 2 to see each other, I'll figure out how to get the rest.

OK, so what's the next step?

just to recap:

You went to the 2nd pc and typed in Ping <ip address of computer with printer attached> and it times out?

if so, can both machines get to the internet?
Did you try pinging the 2nd machine from the main machine?

make sure you're typing in the right IP address too. it's easy to thumb.

Interesting...

Yes, both machines can get to the internet, and when I ping the 2nd machine from the main machine, I can see it...

Turn the firewall off on the NIC card on the main machine.

Sorry for the ignorance - how do I do that?

Just found Windows firewall and it is already set to off...

Start>Control Panel> Network Connections

Right Click on Local Area Network Connection then select properties
then click on the advanced tab
then click on the settings tab
turn the firewall off

click ok until all of the dialogue boxes are gone

try to ping that machine from the laptop again

Same thing - request timed out...

go to both machines and run IPCONFIG /all and tell me what the ip addresses are. They should be exactly the same except for the last 3 numbers, for example they should match in 192.168.2.XXX in fact they should be the same all the way up to the last number (usually)b

The main computer's name is Fatboy - it's IP address is 192.168.1.108
The other computer, Corvette, is 192.168.1.107

somewhere on the network, probably the linksys or one of the computers, there's a firewall keeping them from seeing one another then, because those IP's are fine.

when you do an ipconfig /all does it give the same IP address for "gateway" for both? can you ping the gateway from both machines? The gateway is the router and both machines can get to the internet so this should work.

I do get replys from the gateway ping (192.168.1.1 - same for both) from both machine... ??

ok, that's good.

What OS is the main machine? XP home or Xp pro?


(i've got about 5 minutes left before I have to go to dinner with the girlfriend.... sorry)

XP - & no problem - I already owe you big time...!

Check your Private messages

Thanks again Gresch! Really appreciate your time & effort! We'll chat again soon hopefully. Wish I could send you & your GF a drink on me tonight - enjoy dinner!

Just replied to your PM...

Could it be the built in Microsoft firewall in XP Service Pack 2? Oh well I don't want to add to the confusion here, I'm sure gresch has ya all set :thumbup:

To add to this confusion, I added my laptop and wife's computer's MAC address to the my router. He may have to add his mac addresses to his router.

Also can each computer ping each computer? For instance; I have a laptop and a computer. My laptop can ping my wifes computer and my wifes computer can ping my laptop. Also both of these can ping the computer with the printer and that computer can ping the other two. :trustme:

Gee, this thread is getting almost as long as the the "Welcome Michelle" thread.

lol hurry up and fix the network and we'll even make it a DIY!

lol... that's a testament to the wonderful folks here, though. This is obviously not my question/thread, but thanks, gresch, for taking the time to help X5Jay. :thumbup: :)

Juan

X5Jay - On the main computer, go into Control Panel > Network Connections, right click on the LAN connection, and select Properties. When the Properties window comes up, click on the last tab and see if Internet Connection Sharing is disabled. If it IS, then it's the culprit.

Actually, don't do that. That has nothing to do with being able to share a printer among computers in the same workgroup. Rarely if ever should that option be enabled, but that's another thread ;)

We tried the ping tests, the main computer and the laptop can both ping the router and he can ping the laptop from the main computer, but the laptop can't ping the main. I have a feeling after thinking about it while out to dinner that he might have a 3rd party fwall that I neglected to ask him about... maybe. Both machines can access the internet so it's not a routing problem. The basics aren't working here, so we have to get a ping working first and move on from there.

we disabled that :thumbup:

What's worked well for me is just to have all of the shared printers as Network printers. Both of my laser printers (HP LaserJet 4 and an Apple Laserwriter 16/600 PS) have LAN connections, and my HP multifunction color injet printer has both wired and wireless LAN capabilities. So each device has its own IP address on my home network and I don't have to worry about printing "through" another computer (and whether that computer is off or on).

Eventually I will be going that way also. I find a bit annoying when my other computer is off and I have get and turn it on. I'm going wireless print server as soon as they start dropping the prices. I don't :loco: see me paying $149.00 (Linksys print server) just to print, when I don't print that much anyway.

Now getting to the issue at hand. He might be surfing the Internet through neighbors SSID in his neighborhood. Therefore, he thinks everything is fine. But he may not realize that he is not going through his own router. If he lived in Denton Texas, I could HOOK :thumbup: him up, but I suggest that he goes down to Best Buy and ask for book that has basic wireless set up. Or he could read up a little to understand how it works, OR surf the net for more info. It can be done, hang in there.... :scared:

BTW, I think this would be a great DIY. As a matter of fact I've been in the computer business for a looooooooooooooooong time. Programming, database, network etc :yawn:

Hope this helps dude

Problem solved. The computer with the printer attached had a software firewall installed in addition to the XP SP2 firewall, after a bit of hunt and peck we got it turned off and everything is working.

WooooooooooooHOOOOOOOOOOOOO
 

:excited:

Gresch is THE man! Thanks again, Gresch!

Also, sorry for spending so much board resources as we went back & forth - we should have connected up on the phone sooner...

And thanks to everyone else who offered assistance - very much appreciated! As usual, this place is the best!

Hope you all found it entertaining!

Edit: Gresch - BTW - I found on Norton how to turn the firewall back on and still allow access from the other computer - all I had to do is list the IP address of the other one and allow access!

Spending so much of the board resources???? Dude, that's what it's here for :thumbup:

Thanks Jeff!

That's great, glad it's working.

OK - hold on to your boot-straps everyone - I'm going to start working on my daughter's new Mac later this afternoon - and I've got zero experience with this one... I'm off to start reading the manual now while I'm waiting for her to come home with the machine... :thumbup:

Juan can help you there.

Here's a start. http://tinyurl.com/2tcab

And the wireless solution.
http://tinyurl.com/d8ygt

ick. Norton. ick ick ick..............


McAfee better at not messing with da network settings!

Can I be honest?

Norton and McAfee both suck when it comes to firewall protection, and virus scanning.

I prefer Nod32. It's relatively inexpensive, and it's insanely quick. Also it doesn't bloat up like the other security suites.

I'm sorry I didn't try to help earlier, been busy with other crap.

If you're a computer person, can you please contact me on AIM or something. I think a few of us need to get together and write a X5World FAQ on regular computer maintenence. :)

Count me in. :thumbup: