Sharing Printer Problems

[Ithryndil]

I have set up a home network and am now trying to set it up so that the second computer can print off of the printer attached to my computer. I have gone into Printers and Faxes and chosen to share the printer and gave it a share name. However, when I try going on the second computer to add it using the share name I get the following message:

"Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer has lost its connection to the server. For more information click Help."

I know the share name was typed in correctly, and my computer has a solid connection to the internet, so I am not sure why it won't let me add it. Thanks for the help.

[Ithryndil]

If it helps both computers are running Windows XP MCE and are in the same workgroup (MSHOME).

[Ithryndil]

I think I have found out this problem is caused by my main computer requiring a username and password when I go to workgroup computers on the secondary computer. However, nothing seems to work. I have used administrator as the username and no password. I then have used the only password I have ever had. In addition I have used my current username and no password along with my current username and the only password I have had. Anyone have any ideas?

[johnwill]

Turn off any firewalls for debugging. If the firewall is the problem, you'll have to configure it to allow access to "trusted zone" addresses. Note that some firewalls must be completely uninstalled to stop them from affecting your networking.

Hold the Windows key and press R, then type CMD to open a command prompt.

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following commands:

PING each remote computer by IP address, and if successful, PING by name. Open a command prompt as described above and type.

PING <ip address>
or
PING <computer name>

Where:
<ip address> - is the x.x.x.x IP address
<computer name> - is the computer name

A failure to PING is almost always a firewall configuration issue. Any failure to PING needs to be corrected before you go any farther.

Note: You can obtain the IP address and computer name of a computer by opening a command prompt (DOS window) and typing IPCONFIG /ALL. This should work for any Windows version. The IPCONFIG /ALL display will provide a wealth of useful information for debugging your network connection.

Check your Services are Started on all PCs:

• COM+ Event System (for WZC issues)
• Computer Browser
• DHCP Client
• DNS Client
• Network Connections
• Network Location Awareness
• Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
• Server
• TCP/IP Netbios helper
• Wireless Zero Configuration (XP wireless configurations)
• WLAN AutoConfig (Vista wireless configurations)
• Workstation

Note: You can check the services in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services.

All of these services should be started, and their startup type should be automatic.

If a service is not running, open it's properties and check the dependencies. Check each of the dependencies and see which one is preventing the service from running. Checking the event log is also a good idea here, there may be clues to what is failing.


All computers should be in the same workgroup for computer browsing to function properly. File & Print Sharing has to be enabled on any computer you wish to share files or printers from. You also need to actually share the resource in question from My Computer, right click on the drive/printer/folder, and select sharing.

If you encounter difficulties accessing computers that are visible in Network Places (Network and Sharing Center in Vista), make sure the computer being accessed has an account with the same name/password as the system connecting to it uses to login.

[Ithryndil]

I was able to ping each computer by ip address and name. Also the only thing in either computers Services list that was not started was Wireless Zero Configuration because I am using the program that came with the wireless adapters for each computer...RALINK.

Also, on the Main Computer when I go to My Network Places I am able to see both the Main Computer's shared documents and the Secondary Computers shared documents. However, up until I created a username password for the Secondary Computer, I was only able to view the Secondary Computers shared documents in My Network Places.

Before I did this, when I tried to add the printer, nothing would show up under the Main Computer when I ran the utility from the Secondary Computer. However, on the Main Computer, when I run the add a printer utility I could see the printer on the Main Computer, and something on the secondary computer as well.

Now, though, the Secondary Computer can see the printer on the Main Computer, however, it still says:
"Windows cannot connect to the printer. Operation could not be completed."

So, I am still at the point where I cannot use the printer from the Secondary Computer...

The Secondary Computer belongs to my girlfriend. In an attempt to create a user on both computers, I believe I have messed up her computer. When I created a new user, the Administrator account disappeared. That was the account she was using. In fact, she's been using it for quite some time and all of her music, etc... was organized on that account. The files are still there, but there are certain things I don't think I can merely duplicate unless she can simply go back to using that account as her main account. Thanks for your help!

[Ithryndil]

Does anyone have any idea what I can do about this? Thanks!

[johnwill]

If the admin account was the only account, it probably disappeared when you added a new account, boot in Safe Mode to access the admin account. You should always create at least one other account with administrative rights on the computer. This is in case the account profile gets corrupted, you always have the admin account to fall back on.

[Ithryndil]

Well, the new account on the secondary computer is an admin account. All of her files are present, just...all attached to the admin account. Anyway...I still haven't been able to figure out why the secondary computer can't add the printer attached to the main computer.

[johnwill]

Let's see this for each of the computers.


Hold the Windows key and press R, then type CMD to open a command prompt:

In the command prompt window that opens, type type the following commands, one at a time, followed by the Enter key:

Note that there is a space before the -n or the /ALL, but there is NOT a space after the - or / in the following commands.

NBTSTAT -n

IPCONFIG /ALL

Right click in the command window and choose Select All, then hit Enter to copy the contents to the clipboard.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.

[Ithryndil]

Ok...I will do what you stated, but first...I followed these set of instructions on another forum:

(Issue on asking a password when accessing the shared printer)
Try doing this on your computers:

- Click Start/Run and type "control userpasswords2" without quotes
- Uncheck "Users must enter a username and password to use this computer". Make sure to select the Username you want this option to be applied. Type the password when prompt or leave it empty if no password is set for that account and click OK.
- Restart the computer and you should be able to get into it from the network without entering any password at all.

(Issue on the shared printer)
- Re-install the driver of the printer on both computers
- Create a new Workgroup by using Network Setup Wizard (both computers) on the Control Panel
- Restart the computer

On the computer attached to the printer:
- Turn off the printer for about 30 sec and then turn it back on
- Go to Printers and Faxes on the Control Panel (Look for the name of your Printer and make sure it is online, if not check the connections between the computer and the printer)
- Right click the Printer installed and click "Sharing..."
- Under the Sharing tab select "Share this printer" and the Share Name=Printer then click OK
- You would see a hand below the printer icon

On the laptop:
- Go to Printers and Faxes on the Control Panel
- Click Add a Printer
- Select "a network printer, or a printer attached to another computer" then hit Next
- Select "Connect to this printer (or to browse for a printer)" and hit Next
- On another window, Double click the name of the computer (computer that has the printer attached), click Printer then Ok. (If you have a message box, just hit Yes)
- Click Yes to set the Printer as your default Printer, then Finish
- Try print a sample document and it should work...

-------------------------------------------------------

This sort of worked. I was able to connect to the printer and print a test page from the secondary computer. However, after restarting the secondary computer...it seems I have to manually connect to the printer. The printer is listed under the Printers and Faxes page. In addition, whenever I try to print something now, the program freezes up and gives the hated "Not Responding" message. More specifically, this happens when I go to File > Print...I don't even get to the print screen.

[Ithryndil]

Ok, these results are for the main computer:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>NBTSTAT -n

Local Area Connection:
Node IpAddress: [0.0.0.0] Scope Id: []

No names in cache

Wireless Network Connection 2:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.101] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
GREGSCOMPUTER <00> UNIQUE Registered
GREGSCOMPUTER <20> UNIQUE Registered
MSHOME <00> GROUP Registered
MSHOME <1E> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : GregsComputer
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.az.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1A-4D-74-62-A1

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.az.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : RT73 USB Wireless LAN Card #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-FD-07-91-A1-C9
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.101
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.85.98
68.87.69.146
68.87.78.130
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, January 15, 2009 2:32:48
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, January 16, 2009 2:32:48

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>


---------------------------------------------------------------
This is for the secondary computer:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\a>NBTSTAT -n

Wireless Network Connection 6:
Node IpAddress: [192.168.1.100] Scope Id: []

NetBIOS Local Name Table

Name Type Status
---------------------------------------------
KATHALEEN <00> UNIQUE Registered
KATHALEEN <20> UNIQUE Registered
MSHOME <00> GROUP Registered
MSHOME <1E> GROUP Registered
MSHOME <1D> UNIQUE Registered
..__MSBROWSE__.<01> GROUP Registered

C:\Documents and Settings\a>IPCONFIG /ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Kathaleen
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.az.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection 6:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.az.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : RT73 USB Wireless LAN Card #6
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-FD-07-91-B0-18
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.100
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 68.87.85.98
68.87.69.146
68.87.78.130
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Thursday, January 15, 2009 2:29:04 P
M
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, January 16, 2009 2:29:04 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\a>

[Ithryndil]

Bump.

[johnwill]

Try reloading the print drivers, the freezing up sounds more like you have an installation issue.