Printer Sharing in Vista

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
21

I can understand your frustration. 

 

Unless you see a name in red we are all volunteers here and so far as I am concerned I can only share what I have experienced. We can't see your computer which makes it doubly difficult.

 

On NIS 2008 to deal with the firewall

 

Open the "Home" -- Norton Protection Center and click on the NIS TAB

 

Click on Settings  / Web Browsing

 

Click on Personal Firewall / Turn Off and OK your way out.

 

I don't know what you do in McAffee.

 

A point about the following that you have not answered:

 

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.

 

In 3 you say what you see when you click View Network but can you open say a text file on the hard drive of the desktop from the laptop and vice versa.

 

Apart from anything you are trying to set up in the Firewall & Network settings you may need to go into VISTA itself and set up File and Printer sharing

Message Edited by huwyngr on 07-14-2008 10:11 PM
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I know to get to the firewall options for both services easy enough.

 

Its just that once I get there I don't know what I should for 100%. I don't want to tamper with it and leave our network open to bad people.  

 

Also I have gone under Network and Sharing Center for both computers and turned "Print Sharing" on with NO Password required. So I've done everything with Vista I can to get it to work.  So its down to the firewall or firewalls that's the problem.

 

I guess I'll just wait for one of Norton's employees to come on here and help.  Thanks for trying though I guess.

23

I'm just checking back in and I am sorry to hear you have had no success. However your post has generated a lot of activity and hopefully someone from Symantec will be able to help you.

 

I agree with huwyngr: Physically UNPLUG from the internet, turn off both firewalls and see if you can reach the printer. That will help you narrow down if it is a firewall or Vista issue. By the way, have you checked to be sure that the Windows Firewall is not also on with the NIS and McAfee Firewalls on?

 

Unfortunately, Vista redid the "plumbing" on how file and printer sharing work, so it's not as easy to diagnose as with XP.

 

Have you searched in the Vista Community groups?

 

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.mspx

 

Please keep us informed as to how you are doing with this.

24

Okay what do you mean by "physically unplug" from the internet?  And I thought I had to have internet access to reach the other computer and find its printer? Or is it different if you're within a network.

 

But yeah if you're still reading this and are online tonight I'll definitely try it.  Just let me know how to unplug the internet.

25

When I say physically unplug from the internet, I mean disconnect the cable that takes your router to the outside world. That could be an Ethernet cable if you're on broadband cable or a telephone wire if you are on DSL or dialup.

 

If you drop your firewalls to do this test, you don't want to be connected to the world wide web.

 

If your network is set up properly, your computers will still be able to see each other - that's INTRAnet as opposed to INTERnet. You do not need to have INTERnet to use your INTRAnet network.

26

Hi CastleKnight,

 

Saw the thread - you have my sincere sympathies.  

 

In a perfect world, what you want to do should be a non-issue.  It's an imperfect world but at least you have company to help ease the pain a little :)

 

So ... where are you up to with this?  I've had some useful experience sorting these things out - won my share of tough ones and lost a couple.  Each is an opportunity to learn.  Well, that's the theory.  Personally I reckon you are doing well if you refrain from throwing equipment out the window. :)

 

I'm in OZ (Australia) ... perhaps the time difference might work in your favour?  (Hey, just looking for positives wherever I can.)

 

I spent three of the worst days of my life with several MS tech support folk - all trying to solve a problem like this.  It was solved in the end.  Truthfully ... I can't say that any particular individual "solved" it ... we bounced ideas off each other and tested different approaches simultaneously.  I came to the conclusion that with some networking problems - it is best to accept the Tuesday solution and just walk away as quickly as possible. 

 

The Tuesday solution is the day the problem was solved but no-one could recall what it was (or why) that fixed things.  An act of God perhaps?  Some celebrated - I wondered how I might recover that lost part of my life  :)

 

Catch up with you later,

 

 

27

@ mccullet

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Right now I'm still stuck.  They've suggested that I unplug my internet and disable both firewalls and then try adding the printer so I can see if it is Vista or truly the firewall or firewalls.

 

I'd love to get your help with this but right now I'm at class using a school computer.  I'll be back with my laptop sometime in the afternoon.  I'm gonna find out the time difference between here (I live in NC) and Australia.  I'm usually up late anyways so if you're free at that time thats excellent. 

28

<<  I don't want to tamper with it and leave our network open to bad people.   >>

 

As Phil D has confirmed -- unplug your cable connecting the internet side of the router to the "modem".

 

I'll drop out now since you have two offers of help from people and as I've said I'm not strong on network problems -- I guess I'm lucky <s>

 

I'm still a little concerned at the term you use "Private Network" -- I usually refer to what I have as a LAN -- Local Area Network -- and I'm afraid that the Private Network you have set up might be something so secure that it defeats what you want to do!

 

I very strongly recommend that you stop trying to troubleshoot what you have now and go back to two independent machines by deleting the network you have and starting again with the Network Wizard -- it asks you some simple questions like does (the computer you are working on) connect directly to the internet or through a "gateway" such as another computer (server) or a router and it shows you very clear illustrative maps of what they are talking about.

 

You should end up back in a similar situation to the one you are in at present but without barriers and able to Add Printer on the PC that does not have the printer directly connected to it.

 

I'm in XP at the moment and VISTA does differ but I've just looked up "Private Network" in HELP and it does not seem to be the same network diagram as in a LAN. In the Private Network one PC has two Network Interconnection Cards one of which goes to the Internet and the other goes to a network hub to which other computers are connected. Your physical setup as you describe it (and mine) has none of the computers directly connected to the internet but all of them connected to the router which connects to the modem that connects to the network. I doubt that VISTA is different in this respect.

 

I suggest you look up "Network Setup Wizard" in your VISTA HELP and see what it says which includes, in XP, the following:

 

If you select This computer connects to the Internet through a residential gateway or through another computer on my network on the Select a connection method page, the Network Setup Wizard will open the Windows Firewall ports needed to discover a residential gateway and ensure that Internet Gateway Device Discovery and Control is running.  

which would seem to deal with the question of the right ports being open.

 

Sometimes the best thing you can do is to start all over again!

 

You live in a nice part of the world -- I live in Florida now but spent a lot of time in the Carolinas, mostly based in the Greenville-Spartanburg area because of the textile industry so not far south of Charlotte. <s>

Message Edited by huwyngr on 07-15-2008 11:48 AM
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Umm why would I disconnect my router from the Modem? Wouldn't that just cause all the router settings I have on there to be gone and deleted? Wouldn't that make me have to reset it.

 

Also I looked up Private vs Public and I think you're wrong...

 

http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/3667576

 

It's long but scroll down and it talks about what that means in Vista. Here's the exact quote...

 

 

Network Location Choices:
In Windows Vista Home Premium, you have two options for Network Location: Public and Private, and you must choose the Network Location the first time you connect your PC to the network. The network location is what determines your Microsoft Vista firewall settings.

  • Public: If you're connecting to a network in a public place, for example a coffee shop or airport, you'll choose a Public location type. Choosing public will limit discovery of other computers and is designed to keep your computer from being visible to others on the network. Public offers the most security.
  • Private: Private networks is what you will need to select for home, small office or work networks. Choosing private will automatically configure the firewall settings to allow for communication.

TIP: Securing your Private Location Type: For your home network, if you want to enable communication between your PCs and network devices, such as a printer, you will need to choose the private location. It is important to remember that for each instance of sharing you are basically opening up a hole in your firewall to allow access. Close the ports and and removing sharing from folders and applications that are not needed.

30

huwyngr,

 

Don't drop out just yet. You always seem to come up with good common sense thoughts. I've caught myself in the past trying to over-complicate a diagnosis without first checking to see if "the power plug is in".

 

Those latest ideas you had about "private network" and starting over may be the best resolution to the problem; especially if there is no printer sharing once the firewalls are temporarily dropped.

 

As you, I also think that Windows should open the proper ports without the need for manual intervention. In the wrong hands, manually opening ports could be an invitation to disaster.

 

Phil

31

Did you just just read what I posted?

32

Yes I did, but a little thing like work got in the way for a moment.

 

You want to disconnect the router from the modem if you want to test the network with the firewalls OFF.  That will not cause you to loose your router settings. Most routers will retain their settings unless you press a reset button.

 

PLEASE, do not drop the Firewalls until you are disconnected from the internet. Once you have done that, if you can connect to the other printer, then it was a firewall issue.  If you still cannot connect to the printer, then it is a Vista or router issue.

 

Of course, you could also try the advice that huwyngr just posted. If you check around these forums, you'll find that he is well respected.

Message Edited by Phil_D on 07-15-2008 12:48 PM
33

OH I just read what you said regarding the Inter vs InTRAnet...

 

I'm going home right now and I'll try that. However I've got to go to do some work for my uncle this afternoon so I may not be able to let you know what the result is.

 

And just to summarize you want me to disconnect the router from the modem.

 

And then check to see if my computer and my mom's are still a part of the same network right? And then try to add a printer from her icon on the network page right?

 

If I can do that then that means that the firewalls are the problems correct? If NOT then there's something wrong with Vista on mine or her computers right?

 

Do I have that correct?

 

PS The other way you're talking about is the cNet way that he was referencing? With the "\\computername\printername" right? To do that I need to still unplug the router right and disable the firewalls correct? So it's basically the same thing...

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-15-2008 12:57 PM
Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-15-2008 01:00 PM
34

<< Umm why would I disconnect my router from the Modem? Wouldn't that just cause all the router settings I have on there to be gone and deleted? Wouldn't that make me have to reset it. >>

 

For the reasons everyone is explaining.

 

In my experience and of others here not only does disconnecting the ethernet link not cause the settings but neither does unplugging the power supply to the router. My linksys and I imagine all routers have an eprom which stores the settings -- what may get reset is the things that IPCONFIG /renew would do and that is just to refresh the dialog with your ISP but I've never had a problem.

 

As I said I'm not in VISTA at the moment so I'm happy to be corrected on the terminology.

 

It's entirely up to you whether you follow the suggestions here or not but whatever you decide to do please let us know how it works out. Until you take the Firewalls (including the Windows FIrewall as was reminded) out of the equation you cannot tell if you have a problem with Norton or whether it is a problem with VISTA for which goodness knows there are enough.

35

Yes, you have that correct.

 

We want to see if you can use printer sharing with both firewalls down. That will help diagnose where the problem lies.

 

Not meant to be insulting, but I must remind you to DISCONNECT from the internet BEFORE turning off the firewalls.

 

Also , have you checked to be sure that neither computer is using the built in Windows Firewall? Running the Windows Firewall along with a third party (NIS or McAfee) can cause connectivity and networking issues.

 

Oooooops, look like I was typing at the same time huwyngr was posting.

Message Edited by Phil_D on 07-15-2008 01:33 PM
36

Thanks for the kind words but I don't think I can add anything more in the way of suggestions. Troubleshooting without hands-on is difficult enough .....

 

I'm wrong about Private Network it seems but I do most of my work in XP because that is what my wife is used to and with Fast User Switching she can get to her desktop for something urgent without me having to reboot.

 

According to the bit from the XP HELP using the Network Setup Wizard does open the required ports but .....

37

No conflict I think but CK writes:

 

<< And just to summarize you want me to disconnect the router from the modem.

 

And then check to see if my computer and my mom's are still a part of the same network right?  >>

 

AND between the first and the second to disable all firewalls -- Windows, Norton and McAfee.

38

I just did all that. And I was unable to find any computer.  I unplugged the router. Clicked on "Disconnect from Home" from the taskbar down right just to make sure I was completely cut off from the Internet.

 

Then I disabled McAfee on my laptop. Disabled Norton on her desktop.

 

Then I clicked on Start, Network. And it said there was no network to be found...just as I expected.

 

Unless you guys are want to tell me how to set up this Intranet stuff I'm lost.

 

Also just to make sure you guys know when the computers are back to their original state with the "Home" network I can access my laptop THROUGH her computer when I click on "Start", Network, and my Computer name's icon.

 

However when I'm on my laptop and I click on "Start", Network, and HER computer name's icon it says "unable to access "mom's computer".

 

So what now...I think its clearly Norton but if you want me to set up this intranet thing please leave instructions or w/e and I'll try it out.

Message Edited by CassilineKnight on 07-15-2008 02:56 PM
39
CassilineKnight wrote:

I just did all that. And I was unable to find any computer.  I unplugged the router. Clicked on "Disconnect from Home" from the taskbar down right just to make sure I was completely cut off from the Internet

 

 

When you clicked on "disconnect from Home" you disconnected the computer from your home network. All you have to do to be safe is to unplug the connection from the router to the modem.  The power to the router must remain on for your Home network to function.

You stopped your network manually by the click in the taskbar.

 

I don't know why you are jumping to the conclusion that it is Norton's fault. We haven't even been able to get to the point where we can determine if it's the Firewalls or Vista.

 

Try it again by re-establishing your HOME network, leave the connection to the internet unplugged and see if you can see the two computers and use printer sharing.

Message Edited by Phil_D on 07-15-2008 03:32 PM
Message Edited by Phil_D on 07-15-2008 03:39 PM
40

I think it's Norton because if I can use her computer to browse thru MY files without any problem yet I'm running a tight as nails firewall over here and yet I can't do the reverse on my laptop obviously there's something going on with her desktop that's preventing my computer from connecting with hers....

 

But I'll try what you suggested and report back.  It'll probably be in 2 hours or so depending on how quickly I finish what I'm doing here.