Printer Sharing in Vista

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Can no one help me here?  I thought this was the place to get support?

Please be patient. You started your post on a weekend with a great deal of information to digest and try to follow. Additionally, you are using two different Internet Security products which can complicate the formation of a resolution to your issue. Everyone here (with the exception of the Symantec employees) volunteers their time and knowledge.  I am sure an answer will be forthcoming soon. In the mean time, please elaborate on the following:  

 
  That is I go to the search bar in Start and type in “\computername”. This should bring up her computer with the printer there according to MS.  However that is not happening.  â€¦ Network Discovery is on and both of them recognize the other as being in the same network. 
 
 How have you confirmed that they recognize each other on the same network? It appears that you have focused solely on the NIS firewall yet you cannot see your mother’s computer on yours; have you researched the settings on your McAfee firewall? What about the router settings?

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They both recognize the other computer. When I go to the Networking and Sharing Center and click "View Full Map" whenever both of our computers are on it shows that we're part of the same network.

 

An icon for both computers. 1 line that connects mine to the router. One that connects her to the router. And then a line from the router to the Internet.

 

And I understand Phil. It is a lot of stuff to digest. I apologzie if I sounded rude. It just felt like I was being ignored or something and I wasn't sure why...

 

As for whether or not its Norton specifically I only think thats it because of what I'm trying to do. If the printer was connected to my laptop and she were the one trying to connect to my computer and I was having issues I would assume that McAfeee is probably having the same issue.

 

Which is why my first question is when it comes to Printer sharing do you usually have to configure the firewall on both computers OR just the one that is connected to the printer?

 

Thanks once again for the reply and please take all the time you need. I appreciate your efforts.

 

PS Will Norton have a beta available for the upcoming year's release of NIS?  I read an article somewhere that had an interview with one of the execs who said that you guys are working on making it leaner and less of a system resource hog.  If Norton gets its stuff right I'll definitely buy it because you guys seem to be the most indepth when it comes to giving the user options, scanning, and providing the results/information on everything.  

 

Right now I have the McAfee 2009 Beta but to be honest I'm not at all impressed. It seems so boring and not at all informative. Plus it seems so cluttered with a bunch of useless options/subfolders, etc. 

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-14-2008 02:56 PM

Not to worry. No one gets ignored here; as you can see your message has been viewed over 250 times.  No one wants to post a useless reply, so sometimes it takes some thought to provide the right answer. I have always received good information here.

 

I can assure you NIS 2008 is no resource hog. It is probably the lightest, yet most trustworthy programs on the market. If you were to purchase it now, Norton offers their subscribers free upgrades when available (i.e. NIS 2009) so it's a win-win situation.

 

Now back to pondering your issue - hopefully someone will beat me to it and post a good resolution shortly. In the mean time I would check into your McAfee Firewall settings and the router settings. Just because the machines can "see" each other doesn't mean they can "talk" to each other.

 

Phil

I did not read in your post if you "added" the printer to your Vista laptop.

 

Check this link even though it refers to XP and Vista printer sharing, the "add printer solution" may be of help you. The solution is in post #2.

 

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7589_102-0.html?hhTest=1&forumID=62&threadID=232132&messageID=2395292

 

Keep us posted.

You are getting good advice here and the pointer from PhilD is spot on.

 

I do support over on Compuserve (free access now; you don't have to be a member) and time and time again I've seen that trick of Adding a local printer on the PC that does not have the printer attached does the trick. Mostly I've seen it when one is XP and one is VISTA but I suspect it would be true if both are VISTA.

 

As for myself, I've used the Network Wizard every time and found it very straightforward in allowing me to pick from diagrams or descriptions what I want to set up -- I don't remember Private Network but rather using Home Network with access through a gateway( I think that was the description for a router).

I'm reading the thread over at cNet right now. So far I don't see anything...

 

Is the information I provided  enough?  Does it make sense?


CassilineKnight wrote:

I'm reading the thread over at cNet right now. So far I don't see anything...

 

Is the information I provided  enough?  Does it make sense?


 

Did you see the reference to Add a printer on the one the printer is not plugged into?

 

Networking is my weak point so I'm happy to leave it to PhilD and others .....

Okay I just tried this...from the cNet forum thread member Kaufmann...

 

 "I had the same problem and here's what I did to fix it:

Go to Control Panel. Choose printer. Then choose Add Printer.

Choose Add a local printer. Click on Create a new port. The default in the drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.

A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name. Type in the \\computer name\printer name ie. My computer's name is basement and the printer name is EpsonSty so I typed in \\basement\epsonsty

Yahoo! It worked. Go figure! I guess Microsoft thinks printers on a intranet are local.

I hope this helps, I scoured many forums b4 finding this fix. Microsoft's support docs and HP's tech support were no help."

 

Typed in everything as he said I should.  The name of my mom's computer is her FirstInitialLastName-PC and the printer on my computers is "HP Deskjet D4100 series"  I entered it in with spaces and I added the
-PC" when I typed in the computer name.  Do you think that makes a difference?

 

Anyways when I did all that I got an error message.   "The netwok path could not be found

 

So again I think they're recognizing each other but  they can't speak to one another due to the firewall on my mom's computer and possibly mine.

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-14-2008 07:18 PM

<< The name of my mom's computer is her FirstInitialLastName-PC and the printer on my computers is "HP Deskjet D4100 series"  I entered it in with spaces and I added the -PC" when I typed in the computer name.  Do you think that makes a difference? >>

 

Yeah you hit two gotchas there -- there is a length limitation and no spaces ..... I'm not certain of the length restriction -- maybe 12 chaaracters? Hopefully PhilD or someone here does.

 

<< FirstInitialLastName-PC >>

 

Do you  mean that literally or that it is like CKnight-PC ? in your case?

 

As I said Networking and dealing with firewalls is not something I've had to mess with but if you get the names right first then you should be able to get the networking. Turn off the Firewall while working on it is always a solution -- you can unplug the ethernet to the router/modem if you are worried.

2 Likes

I mean like your example.

 

Like for instance "JDoe-PC"

 

Also does capitilization matter you think? I'm gonna give it one more try.

As pointed out in the cnet posting, the address to the printer IS case sensitive. Did you also use the backslashes as indicated by the author?

Here's an afterthought: As huwyngr pointed out, the spaces and address length may be your problem. Try renaming the printer through your mother's computer making it a bit shorter and with no spaces. Then use that EXACT name in the syntax provided by the cnet article.

 

Keep us posted.

Well I typed it in exactly as it is but still nothing. No spaces and with the proper capitals and lowercase letters.

 

EDIT: 'll try shortening it ...

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-14-2008 08:13 PM

I changed the printer's name to "DeskjetD4100"  and my mom's computer's name is "7 Letters-PC"

 

I'm at my wits end here you guys...

4 Likes

Okay, let's try taking out the "-PC".  Maybe it doesn't like the dash being there.

 

Sorry, but I'll be off-line for a bit as I have to edit some video; but I promise to check back in about 2 hours.

Okay I'll try that...thanks for the warning.

 

Tried it without "-PC" and still getting the message, "The Network Path was not found"

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-14-2008 08:59 PM
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One more variable -- all lowercase .... Oh Yes -- both pcs have the same workgroup name in the network?

 

No spaces no non-aphanumerics and KISS !!! Like djd4100 -- as I see it these are codes for the computer to remember and work with. When you see the printer say in the Printers Folder it will have a name that is more civilized.

 

Liike one of mine shows there as: 

HP LaserJet 2200 Series PCL 5e

I would also do whatever you have to do to disable both firewalls -- I would even uninstall both Norton on the laptop and McAfee on the desktop if necessary and disconnect from the internet by unplugging the cable between the router and your outside (cable modem / DSL?)

 

Let me just get this clear:

 

 -- the desktop and printer are connected by a cable to each other and work fine.

 

 -- the desktop can see and talk with your laptop

 

 -- but 

-- can the laptop see and tallk with the desktop?

 

 -- but it can't see or print to the printer connected to the desktop? 

Going back to your first message:

 

<< Her comp and my lappie are both connected to the same private router that I bought. >> 

 

-- by wire or is it a wireless connection?

 

<< Her computer is connected to a printer. >>

 

 -- by wire? 

 

<< I'm trying to set up Printer sharing so I can print from my computer wirelessly using that printer of course. >>

 

Now you mention wireless so that is why I ask about wire and wireless.

 

One basic "trick" with wireless network connections and devices is to get them working with wired connections first and then switch to wireless so that is something you could try if you have some ethernet cable to take the place of your wireless connections until everything works as you want it.

 

Then install/activate the firewalls and then replace the wired connections by wireless where you want to use that, bearing in mind that wireless is theoretically slower than wire.

 

Sorry about that. In brief -- if the next alteration does not fix it go back to square one by

 

deleting the network

 

Get the desktop and printer working flawlessly with short uncomplicated names

 

Get the laptop connected to the desktop by wire and then use the Add Printer routine to get the laptop and desktop working.

 

Replace the wire with wireless where you want that

 

If still OK install/activate the firewall etc

 

Connect this local network to the internet and "Rest and be thankful"

Message Edited by huwyngr on 07-14-2008 09:40 PM

I'm sorry but that sounds like way too much trouble than it should be.

 

I mean all I should have to do is configure the firewall on her computer to allow the incoming traffic from my laptop?  I'm not expert or anything on computers but it seems pretty clear to me that that's the issue here...

 

Yet I've been doing all these random things you've asked me to do per that website and nothing has worked.  

 

Furthermore I've posted what I think is a lot of information regarding the situation with the Norton Firewall's default settings.

 

To clarify some points.

 

1) My laptop is connected wirelessly to a NetGear Router

2) My mom's computer is connected wirelessly to the same NetGear Router

3) Network Discovery is on for both computers. Both computers have been turned to "Private Network".  And furtheromore upon clicking view network both computers show the other computer as being a part of the same private network....

4) HOWEVER when I try to set up print sharing by searching for her network it says that it cannot reach it.  So while they recognize each other I do NOT think they're able to communicate at all.

 

Now all I want to know is what do I need to do with Norton's firewall in order to allow print sharing. You guys are the experts.  I would assume that you know something about the firewall works or even what those rules I posted a while ago even mean.

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-14-2008 09:53 PM