Networking printer

I have a two computer network in my home. Computer A is hooked up to an HP Officejet v40 all-in-one printer/scanner/copier/fax machine ( a non-network printer). I have been told Computer B should be able to send print jobs to the printer as long as Computer A is on. Computer A is wired to the router and Computer B is wireless. I have tried everything I can think of (enabled file and print sharing) and still cannot communicate print jobs. Computer B keeps spitting out message that it needs a driver. I have even installed the printer software on that computer, but it is still looking for a driver. What driver could it be looking for??? The message doesn't say. I can 'see' computer B in My Networking Places and Computer B can 'see' me.

 

Hello golddust. Welcome to MajorGeeks.

Are you running the same operating system on both computers?
If you are running XP, on the comp that is hooked up to the printer, can you get to the printer properties and on the sharing tab - have you hit the sharing button and named the printer? Try that first.
Below that on the same tab, there is an Additional Drivers choice if your operating systems are different.
Hope that helps.

 

We are both running XP with sp1. Printer is marked shared. Printer is named. Still can't communicate to printer. Funny thing is I can print from her shared files at my computer. Just can't get the signal to transmit from her computer to mine for printing.

 

I'm scratching my head, too.
(I was going to say check the wireless connection properties to see if File & Printer Sharing is there, but if you can get to Comp B files that should be enabled.)

Have you gone to the HP site to see if there is updated driver for your printer? That might get the driver issue settled.

 

Firewall would be the first place to check. And since we all love links http://www.ezlan.net/ Good place to start to help you out.

Also make sure the usernames are the same on both machines, Most likely using 'Simple File Sharing' in Folder options if Pro (home does not have that feature).

Also, may I ask why you have not updated to SP2 on both machines?

 

What happens if you go to start: run and type \\"<computer A's name>\<printer's share name> from computer B?

You might check the additional drivers tab mentioned earlier, just to make sure the xp drivers are available, and that hardware specific drivers are available.

Also, what is the exact error message requesting the driver? does it ask you to insert a CD?

 

Click Start > Control Panel > Printers and Faxes
Click File
Click Add Printer
Click Next
Chose the Option " A Network Printer, or a Printer Attached to another computer
Chose " Connect to this Printer "
In the Blank Message Box
you need to type the path of the Printer

That is Eg : \\ComputerA\Printer-Name

Then click Next

Click Finish

It Might give a message " Do you wish to make this Printer the Default Printer " if you have added any other printer in the system

Click Yes ( If you wish it to be that way )

Restart Comp


Then Try to Print,

 

Thanks for the help everyone. I've been spending so much time following the events going on in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina that I haven't been to my old boards for a while. Finally got the printer to share! Unbelievable as it seems, I marked my wordprocessing software Word 97 "shared" and now my daughter can send all her print jobs through from her pc to my pc's printer. Amazingly enough, even print jobs from her e-mail program or website pages will print also.