Network headache

[riscbroker]

Probably another noob question, but here goes:

1 PC, XP Pro, with NIC, no wireless card
2 laptops, Vista, with wireless
1 laser printer, no network card, no wireless card, connected via USB to PC
Telkom Wireless router

Client was using this setup with a DLink wireless router that apparently failed, he has now replaced the router with a Telkom sourced wireless router. ADSL Internet access on the PC via NIC to the router and laptops via wireless has been set up and works, PC prints fine via USB and the client wants the two laptops to be able to print wirelessly to the same laser printer. He maintains that the laptops were printing wirelessly to the laser printer previously, and all that has been changed is the router. Is this possible or practical in the current setup? If so, how?

 

[Snormossel]

Get yourself a print server, connect the USB to the print server and then to the router. Everybody will be able to print and then no need for the the printer to be installed on one PC.

 

[riscbroker]

Thanks Snormossel, that will do the job nicely. What puzzles me is the client's insistence that the laptops were previously printing to the laser printer without any other devices being present, the only change being the router that has been swapped out. Is that possible?

 

[|tera|]

Thanks Snormossel, that will do the job nicely. What puzzles me is the client's insistence that the laptops were previously printing to the laser printer without any other devices being present, the only change being the router that has been swapped out. Is that possible?

As far as I can see this is pretty easy to achieve, without a print server.

Switch on the Desktop, share the USB printer (or any printer) as a shared device. Add a network printer on each laptop, search for it and add and print.

My bro has a true network printer at his home connected to the router, which is a bit different, but the printer in his office is not a network printer, but is shared and accessible across the network (as long as the computer it's shared from is actually switched on and logged into it's operating system).

 

[Snormossel]

The printer can be shared between all the PC's with out the print server, but if that one PC is off then nobody can print.

Is your IP addresses the same as it was with the D-Link?

 

[|tera|]

The printer can be shared between all the PC's with out the print server, but if that one PC is off then nobody can print.

I agree a print server would be the best solution, but dependant on time/costs involved, I'd just share the printer (by the way, you just right click it and click share)

 

[riscbroker]

Hi Teraside, I have shared the printer currently attached via USB to the XP PC but when I try to add a networked printer to either of the laptops they search and don't find anything......The laptops are only on wireless so my logic says that the XP PC would need a wireless card for this to work?

 

[|tera|]

Hi Teraside, I have shared the printer currently attached via USB to the XP PC but when I try to add a networked printer to either of the laptops they search and don't find anything......The laptops are only on wireless so my logic says that the XP PC would need a wireless card for this to work?

Not at all. You need to enable File and Print Sharing on the XP system. Whether it connects via LAN or Wifi, no matter, it's a network.

I'm a bit off XP to be honest, I'm using Vista on my laptop and I'd lie if I told you where to enable the option.

Try to ping the XP machine from one laptop, if the ping test fails then the laptop's aren't "seeing" the XP machine.

 

[riscbroker]

Thanks very much guys, I think it will be an IP address issue, I will check that when I see the client again Monday.

 

[|tera|]

Thanks very much guys, I think it will be an IP address issue, I will check that when I see the client again Monday.

start>run>cmd (press enter) ipconfig /flushdns >press enter > ipconfig /release >press enter >ipconfig /renew >press enter.

Do this on all systems and try it again.

Alternatively, the problem could be this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953761