Wireless Printing
Here is the situation - Desktop computer with Windows XP and an HP printer attached via USB cable. Initially we had one laptop with Windows 7 that could access the printer on the wireless home network. The motherboard in the laptop had to be replaced and after that repair was complete I verified the connection to the printer and printed a test page. Now a new laptop has been purchased so I have the original desktop cabled to the Internet, the printer connected with the USB cable and two laptops running Windows 7 both connecting through a wireless router.
After verifying the connection to the printer with the first laptop and printing a test page I then made the connection to the printer with the second laptop. It found the printer and connected to it but when I tried to print a test page nothing printed. There were no errors just no output from the printer. Then I went back to the first laptop and I can no longer print from it. The printer is still showing as installed but I get the same thing - no output from the printer.
All 3 computers are in the same workgroup - MSHOME - the printer is set to share and sharing is turned on on both laptops. What am I missing here? Why have I lost the ability to print via the wireless connection?
Thank you!
Robert
After verifying the connection to the printer with the first laptop and printing a test page I then made the connection to the printer with the second laptop. It found the printer and connected to it but when I tried to print a test page nothing printed. There were no errors just no output from the printer. Then I went back to the first laptop and I can no longer print from it. The printer is still showing as installed but I get the same thing - no output from the printer.
All 3 computers are in the same workgroup - MSHOME - the printer is set to share and sharing is turned on on both laptops. What am I missing here? Why have I lost the ability to print via the wireless connection?
Thank you!
Robert
Can you still print from the machine it's connected to? Do you see any jobs hung in the print queue? Does this printer have a built in print server or is the machine it's connected to acting like the print server (sharing out the printer)?
I would hook the printer directly to the network, set it up with a static IP, then print that way.
As to why it's not printing:
-Can you confirm which laptop the printer is physically connected to? It sounds like the second (new) laptop.
-When sending a test page with no output, can you see any jobs stuck in the print queue?
-Verify that the print queue is not set to work offline: File > uncheck "work offline".
As to why it's not printing:
-Can you confirm which laptop the printer is physically connected to? It sounds like the second (new) laptop.
-When sending a test page with no output, can you see any jobs stuck in the print queue?
-Verify that the print queue is not set to work offline: File > uncheck "work offline".
I recommend to not use normal Windows printer sharing but to use LPD/LPR.
There will be 4 basic steps to resolve the issue
1- Setup the USB printer on the Windows XP PC
2- Install TCP/IP Print Server (LPD) on the Windows XP PC hosting the USB printer
3- Install LPR port monitor on the Windows 7 workstation(s) from which you want to print
4- Setup a Windows printer on the same workstation from step 3, but use LPR printing.
Step 1 - Setup the USB printer on the Windows XP workstation, if it is not already setup and printing normally.
Step 2 - Enable LPD on the Windows XP computer (This will allow you to have another way to get the job into the USB attached print queue)
a- GoTo Start, Click on Run
b- Type appwiz.cpl in the "Open" box and hit Enter
c- Click on Add/Remove Windows Components in the left pane
d- Highlight Other Network File and Print Services & Click on Details
e- Check the box next to Print Services for UNIX
f- Click on OK
g- Click on Next
h- Click on Finish
i- GoTo Start, Click on Run
j- Type services.msc in the "Open" box and hit Enter
k- Start the TCP/IP Print Server service
Step 3 - Enable LPR on the Windows 7 workstation(s) that will need to print
a- GoTo Start and type appwiz.cpl in the search box and hit Enter
b- Click on Turn Windows features on and off in the left pane
c- Click the + sign next to Print and Document Services
d- Enable the feature for LPR Port Monitor
e- Click OK
f- You may be prompted to Restart
Step 4 - Setup a printer to use LPR on the Windows 7 workstation(s)
a- GoTo Start | Devices and Printers
b- Add a Printer
c- Add a Local Printer
d- Select Create a new Port
e- Select LPR Port from the drop down menu
f- Click Next
g- In the top field ("Name or address of server providing LPD"), enter the DNS name OR the TCP/IP address of the Windows XP workstation that hosts the USB printer
h- In the bottom field ("Name of printer or print queue on that server"), enter the name of the desired Windows printer from the PC hosting the USB printer
i- Click OK
j- Continue onward with a normal Windows printer setup by picking the desired print driver and naming the printer until finished
k- Open the newly created printer's properties
l- GoTo the Ports tab
m- Uncheck Enable Bidirectional support if it's enabled
n- Click Apply
o- Click on the General tab
p- Send a test page
q- Click OK to close
Notes:
1- This methodology will allow the desired Windows 7 workstation(s) to print to the USB connected printer on the Windows XP PC without having to modify the permissions, use a guest account or even share the printer via normal Windows sharing.
2- LPR uses 11 ports by default so if a sending workstation needs to send more than 11 print jobs within two minutes, let me know and I can explain how to increase the # of available ports. Without the change there would be a delay on the 12th print job of a couple minutes, but it would still print. I only mention this because if this user prints lots of small jobs in a short period of time, it will be necessary. I have found that this is not necessary for 97% of all of the workstations that I have encountered.
There will be 4 basic steps to resolve the issue
1- Setup the USB printer on the Windows XP PC
2- Install TCP/IP Print Server (LPD) on the Windows XP PC hosting the USB printer
3- Install LPR port monitor on the Windows 7 workstation(s) from which you want to print
4- Setup a Windows printer on the same workstation from step 3, but use LPR printing.
Step 1 - Setup the USB printer on the Windows XP workstation, if it is not already setup and printing normally.
Step 2 - Enable LPD on the Windows XP computer (This will allow you to have another way to get the job into the USB attached print queue)
a- GoTo Start, Click on Run
b- Type appwiz.cpl in the "Open" box and hit Enter
c- Click on Add/Remove Windows Components in the left pane
d- Highlight Other Network File and Print Services & Click on Details
e- Check the box next to Print Services for UNIX
f- Click on OK
g- Click on Next
h- Click on Finish
i- GoTo Start, Click on Run
j- Type services.msc in the "Open" box and hit Enter
k- Start the TCP/IP Print Server service
Step 3 - Enable LPR on the Windows 7 workstation(s) that will need to print
a- GoTo Start and type appwiz.cpl in the search box and hit Enter
b- Click on Turn Windows features on and off in the left pane
c- Click the + sign next to Print and Document Services
d- Enable the feature for LPR Port Monitor
e- Click OK
f- You may be prompted to Restart
Step 4 - Setup a printer to use LPR on the Windows 7 workstation(s)
a- GoTo Start | Devices and Printers
b- Add a Printer
c- Add a Local Printer
d- Select Create a new Port
e- Select LPR Port from the drop down menu
f- Click Next
g- In the top field ("Name or address of server providing LPD"), enter the DNS name OR the TCP/IP address of the Windows XP workstation that hosts the USB printer
h- In the bottom field ("Name of printer or print queue on that server"), enter the name of the desired Windows printer from the PC hosting the USB printer
i- Click OK
j- Continue onward with a normal Windows printer setup by picking the desired print driver and naming the printer until finished
k- Open the newly created printer's properties
l- GoTo the Ports tab
m- Uncheck Enable Bidirectional support if it's enabled
n- Click Apply
o- Click on the General tab
p- Send a test page
q- Click OK to close
Notes:
1- This methodology will allow the desired Windows 7 workstation(s) to print to the USB connected printer on the Windows XP PC without having to modify the permissions, use a guest account or even share the printer via normal Windows sharing.
2- LPR uses 11 ports by default so if a sending workstation needs to send more than 11 print jobs within two minutes, let me know and I can explain how to increase the # of available ports. Without the change there would be a delay on the 12th print job of a couple minutes, but it would still print. I only mention this because if this user prints lots of small jobs in a short period of time, it will be necessary. I have found that this is not necessary for 97% of all of the workstations that I have encountered.
ASKER
All I am trying to do is share this printer on a home network. It worked before but now it doesn't. I really don't see why I need to set it up with a static IP since it is connected to the desktop via USB.
-Can you confirm which laptop the printer is physically connected to? It sounds like the second (new) laptop.
As I have already said, this printer is physically attached to the desktop computer via USB. It is set to share and the two laptop can see it and it can be installed on both.
Can you still print from the machine it's connected to? - Yes
-When sending a test page with no output, can you see any jobs stuck in the print queue? - no jobs stuck in queue
-Verify that the print queue is not set to work offline: File > uncheck "work offline". - Printer is online.
-Can you confirm which laptop the printer is physically connected to? It sounds like the second (new) laptop.
As I have already said, this printer is physically attached to the desktop computer via USB. It is set to share and the two laptop can see it and it can be installed on both.
Can you still print from the machine it's connected to? - Yes
-When sending a test page with no output, can you see any jobs stuck in the print queue? - no jobs stuck in queue
-Verify that the print queue is not set to work offline: File > uncheck "work offline". - Printer is online.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.