jimras Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I have a home network. Two desktops running XP SP3 on both that are wired thru a router. I also have a Laptop that iw running Vista home premium SP1 that connects wireless thru the same router. I have printers connected to both laptops and I have file and printer sharingenabled on ALL 3 computers. I can not connect to either printer with my laptop. If I try to print, I get the message that thereis no printer to print to. If I go to the control panel, I can try to add a printer, and I can "see" the two printers on the network, but I can't get either to install to my laptop. Does anybosy have any ideas for me to be able to print from the laptop??Thanks...........jim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Since you can see the printers, it seems as you have the permissions set properly to share them. What method are you using to install the printers to your vista computer? During the install, do you get any errors? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimras Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I go to control panel and then to printers. I click on the "add a printer" and choose networked printer.I then choose the "my printer is not shown here" and refresh the network. Then I double click on my desktopcomputer and choose the printer and click on OK and I get a box saying that it can't install the printer and to makesure that I have the name right and that it is connected to the network.It IS connected---it IS turned on. I just don't know what's up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Have you installed the drivers for your printer on the affected machine? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shanenin Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Vista printer sharing is flakey. Two things I would try. I would first install the printer using the usb port to your vista laptop. Do this to make sure the drivers are installed. After the printer is installed, delete the printer from "printers and faxes", this will still leave the drivers available for vista. Now when you try and install the network printer, do it a non intuitively way. Instead of choosing installing a network printer, choose, install a local printer, then create a new port, type is "local". Then it will ask you for the name of the port. Enter both the computer name and share name of the printer in this format.\\computer_name\printer_share_nameIt may also help, but I am not sure if it is necessary, you may want to make sure all computers are using the same workgroup name. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimras Posted January 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I will give all that a try. I will have to wait for a bit, however, because my CPU coolerdecided to quit last night and I have to wait for a replacementGood thing I have a laptop, too.Thanks Shanenin, for all your helpjr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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