Wireless Printing - Comments Page 3

Bob, I have one more question before attemtpting to go wireless with my printer. The printer I have is an HP Photosmart 7150. It's an older printer (not the new wireless type) but it is a good printer. My operating system on the Desktop that it is hard wired to (not usb) is a Compaq Prasario with the XP operating system. The wireless PC's are 2 XP's and One Vista. Am I "Good to GO" with your wireless instructions or do I need anything else, or am I missing anything? Again, thanks for your help and great informational site!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Should work... give it a go.

After I tried for a week to get a new laptop to wirelessly access my 2 printers, I mentioned it to my brother-in-law who works with computers. He suggested downloading the free program "Network Magic" from the website of the same name. It does all the troubleshooting for you. I was up and connected to both my printers in 5 minutes by following the steps outlined.

Bob, Using the MS Wizard for XP is fine but it does not take into consideration the Norton Firewall. In order to see the network, I had to disable the Norton Firewall, and then the other computers on the network could be viewed. The printer. Because the network was set up after Norton was installed, is another issue. The IP address of the computers to use the Printer must be identified as "Trusted" computers on the network otherwise the Firewall w/have to be shut off in order for them to use the printer. A few workarounds, but it it did work. Thanks - BTW, will this all work as seamlessley on my VISTA HOME laptop.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I avoid Norton products like the plague... this failure to play nice with other programs is a major reason.

Desktop win2k - laptop winXP - printer on desktop - laptop connects through wireless router. Workgroups are the same, printer real name and shared name are the same and short (hp). Server in Services activated. NetBEUI added to config on desktop. File and printer sharing enabled on both. Printer sharing enabled on desktop. Seems I covered it all, yet browse for printer shows no desktop on network. Naming the server and printer (\\desktop\hp) fails too. HP says I don't need to install drivers on the laptop, since I only have win2k drivers installed on the desktop. Any ideas?

Hi Bob! Just wanted to say thanks for the info about the Bonjour software... I have a PC laptop, but we just got a MacBook & an Airport wireless router that the printer plugs into. We're not really networked, we just access the internet through the router. I was getting very frustrated trying to get my computer to find the printer via the router, found your page, clicked the Bonjour link, downloaded & installed it, and in seconds, I was good to go! Thanks for the help! :)

Solved: You need to enable NetBIOS under Advanced WINS in TC/PIP for file and printer sharing.

Hi Bob, I am trying to set up a home office and all I want to do is link my laptop with wireless to a combined printer/scanner/fax wirelessely. It will be in the same room but I cannot run cables directly from the PC to the printer without a lot of cabling.

I already have a D-link wireless router attached to a PC in another room that gives me wireless access to the internet for my laptop.

What is the best way to connect my wireless laptop to this standalone printer? Thanks for your help.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Unless the printer itself can connect directly (wired or wirelessly) to your network router, you can't do what you want. Not all printers are network ready. Look for a network jack on the printer.

Everything was working until I got onto the control panel and to "browse for printers. my laptop wouldnt pick up any printer signals. none of my printers where showing under the network. what should i do? (btw, your directions are very clear! i'm sure this is a problem with my computer and not your technique)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Did you check that the network name is the same on both/all computers?

I have a wireless network with a desktop being the server computer. This computer has a printer connected to it, not the router. I can see my laptop from the desktop, but can't see the desktop from the laptop. When trying to add the printer to my laptop, it doesn't show any networked printers, even though it is being shared through the desktop. Both computers are running XP. Any suggestions? My printer does not have ethernet cord to plug directly into router.

Hi I need help printing wirelessly. The main desktop unit is running Vista with hardwired printer. the laptop is connected thru linksys router and is running XP, Other desktop connect same way.

It is running XP as well. I can see the connection to the to the main computer from either secondary machines, but I can not access the printer at all. Is there something I need to do or select on any of the machines to make the connection work. Do I have to add driver to my main desktop or what. Please help if you can and thank you. PS I am using a Brother MFC 5440CN printer. thank you all. Need step by step if you can help....

EDITOR'S NOTE: Did you mark the printer as Shared?

There is no space where my computer is to put the printer for my laptop & other computers in the house to connect to. Is there a way to connect to the printer wirelessly without it being attached to a computer in the first place? I saw the expensive printer adapters but cant work out with a normal 'cheapish' usb adapter will work without buying it!

EDITOR'S NOTE: You'll need a Wireless Printer Adapter. It picks up the wireless signal, and connects to your printer's USB port.

I have an HP Photosmart printer with a USB connection that I can connect to my USB on my laptop or desktop. I'd like to eliminate the wire. I had Circuity City Firedog installers come out and hook up my system.( my old desktop, to my new laptop and new printer) I was told that I need to buy a second router (a print server router about$90)in order to print wirlessly. I already have a wireless router that they connected to my desktop, that my laptop reads from. Do Ihave too have To routers? Is there some other way to do this without purchasing a printer router. My desktop is Windows XP and my laptop is Windows vista.

EDITOR'S NOTE: You'll need something like a wireless printer adapter to do what you want.

I successful connected 1 destop(xp home) with a laptop (xp pro) to the same a printer in my home. However, I print a document from my laptop, the printer doesn't print any thing (message on my my laptop said " document has failed". Please give me any advice what can I do? I would greatly apprecited any help!

I have file and print sharing checked as an exception in windows firewall- yet I can only print from my laptop if I turn the firewall off completely. Please help

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you have a router, you probably don't need the Windows firewall. See http://askbobrankin.com/do_i_need_a_firewall.html

Hi Bob. I have Lexmark printer connected directly to desktop with XP via USB. I want to be able to print to my laptop which has Vista and my other desktop which has XP. I'm unable to print to either for some reason. When I try and add the printer it doesn't show up on either pc. The printer is shared, and all pcs are on the same workgroup. I don't know if this will help you out, but I have a Linksys router with WEP. What could be stopping the printer from showing up??

EDITOR'S NOTE: I had a similar problem trying to share a Lexmark printer. Wish I knew the answer...

I did the steps on the wired computer, and when I go to add it on my wireless, it doesn't find anything. I made sure I was searching on a network, and it still doesn't find the printer. Both systems are XP, the printer is Canon MP160. Any help???

I have my printer on my wired computer running Windows XP Home on my network. When I go to my wireless laptop running Windows Vista Home Premium to Set Network Printing, I find the shared network printer listed but when I select it and click Next, I get the following message "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Access is denied." Please help. Thanks.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Is there a firewall on either computer? Check the printer sharing settings.

Can I print documents from my laptop when the desktop which is connected to the printer is switched off? I have a wireless connection and I'm sharing the printer between the laptop and the desktop.

EDITOR'S NOTE: No, the desktop must be powered on. To do what you want, you'll need a printer that can plug directly into the network router.

Thanks Bob. I followed your instruction to the letter. It worked successfully from the first attempt.

I am running Windows XP and I have a wireless router connected to a Dell Workstation. The workstation can see my laptop as connected to the network but when I try to view the Workgroup Computers I get an access denied message to MSHome. Not sure what I need to do on the laptop or workstation to get it to accept my communication with the workstation. My ultimate goal is to share files and the printer.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you are using the same workgroup name on both computers (MSHOME) and cannot get it to work, try creating an administrator account on both computers with the same name and password. Some people have reported that this works, even though it's not supposed to be required.