Printer

Running Microsoft Windows XP Home edition version 2002, service pack 2 on a DELL 8600 laptop, Intel (R) Pentium (R)M processor 1400 MHz, 585 MHz 256 MB of RAM. Linksys router and adapter installed. Is there a way that I can print from my laptop. The printer is connected to my desktop which is a DELL 3000 but should the network allow me to print from both computers? How do I program to do this? Thanks

 

To share a printer on the network, please do the following:

1. Go to the machine that has the printer installed locally.
2. Click Start --> Printers and Faxes (this is also in Control Panel)
3. Right click the printer icon
4. Select 'Sharing'
5. Select the radio button beside 'Share This Printer'
6. Apply your settings.

This will make the printer available to everyone on the network. Now to add this printer to the laptop, please do the following:

1. Right-click My Network Places
2. Select 'Explore'
3. Expand 'Entire Network'
4. Expand the name of the Workgroup you are using.
5. Expand the name of the desktop machine.
6. Right-click the printer
7. Select 'Connect'

Windows should automatically install this printer on the laptop. Then you can print to it as if it were a printer connected directly to the laptop. If you have any problems with any of this, please make a note of any error messages, and post back.

 

I'm running Windows XP home edition.

I performed the first six steps on my host computer.

I couldn't find "my network places"

I think I completed steps 3 through 5. I couldn't right click a printer icon anywhere that gave the option to "connect"; step 7.

Can you expand on your instructions please. Thanks

 

Have completed everything down to number 6 on the second list. I've tried right clicking various printer icons but none give the option to connect. Where can I find this? Thanks

 

To show My Network Places on the desktop, please do the following:

1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop
2. Select 'Properties'
3. Select the 'Desktop' tab
4. Press the 'Customize Destop' button
5. Check the box next to 'My Network Places'
6. Apply your settings.

The icon should now appear on your desktop.

Were/Are you able to see the host computer when you browsed the network on the remote computer?

If not, let's make sure that all computers are in the same workgroup. To do so, please do the following:

1. On each machine, right-click My Computer
2. Select 'Properties' (skip the first two if you can press windows key + break)
3. Select the 'Computer Name' tab
4. Under 'Workgroup' type a name that is identical on all machines.
5. Apply your settings.
6. Restart the computers

Now, try browsing the network to the other computer again.

 

Neither of my computers can access the printer now. When I try to print from my desktop I am given the name of my laptop. I checked on both and both names are different and as I entered them. What do I do now? Thanks

 

I think we are getting close but I still cannot get my printer to work with my lap top. Keep on getting the message Printer is not ready to print and to check asll connections and make sure asll devices are turned on. Of course they are as most of the wiring is on my desktopl. I do have the sharing hands under the printer icon and have clicked share on both computers. It was not printing on either computer for awhile and I found that the default was sit to the wrong printer. Changed that and it prints on my desktop now but still not on my laptop. The printer and everything is listed on my laptop like it should work. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

Before you try to use the printer, try "ping" the desktop. If you can't do this, you will not be able to print. Are you connected to the network with wireless or wired on your laptop? Also, your Desktop has to be "On" in order for you to print on that printer.