Unable to find network printer XP/Vista

[450xdad]

I'm at my wits end here, and hoping someone can give me some direction. I'm having trouble with my Vista machine finding the printer attached to the desktop. It worked fine when they were both running XP. But, I recently upgraded my HP to Vista.

Subject PC's:

• Dell Desktop running XP with Dell printer connected via USB
• HP Laptop Running Vista

The desktop is connected via Network cable to router, LAptop connects via wireless. Printer is connected via USB to XP machine. When going through the "Add Printer" process, and I select "browse" option, I am prompted for a username and password. I have tried all sorts of combos but nothing works.

1. I have ensured that the workgroup name is the same
2. Sharing is enabled in the printing preferences on XP machine
3. Printer drivers are installed on the Vista machine
4. I have ensured that BOTH machines have the same user names and passwords.

Just to ensure I all the proper drivers, I temporarily connected the vista machine via the usb cable and ran the setup process. The printer is now showing under the printers section. When I right click on printer icon with green checkmark and choose "properties".

*Click "Sharing" tab....Two options here.....

*"network and sharing center" (link in blue) takes me to.....

control panel>network and internet>network and sharing center
File Sharing= ON
Public folder sharing= ON
Printer Sharing= ON ("password required"...no other option here)
Password protected sharing= ON

[johnwill]

This is a procedure that I've had success with installing Vista printers when the normal install didn't work.

1. Temporarily connect the printer to the Vista machine and install it as a local printer using the proper Vista drivers.
2. Disconnect the printer and move it to the XP machine it normally connects to and make sure that it's configured as a shared printer.
3. Open the Printers and Faxes folder on the Vista machine, right click on the printer and select properties.
4. Create a new Local Port for this printer with a name of the full network path name to the shared printer, i.e. \\computer_name\printer_name.