Printer Sharing on Win XP Pro Workgroup

[kantaru]

I have three laptops, 1 PC and another PC that serves as the main data repository (server) all connected to a Linksys 4 port Wireless router. They all can communicate with each other, they can all see the shared data drive and they can all see the two printers I have shared from the 1 PC. When I configured the laptops, they were all working fine, printing lovely to both printers from any of the laptops. A couple of days later the group who uses the "network" go to use the printers and they start to clog up or start a print and the printing hangs for that laptop and the job cannot be cleared and remains in teh buffer.

I am confident that the setup is correct but is there something else I need to configure to ensure buffered documents are easily cleared. The printers are connected USB

Rgds
Tony

 

[linney]

cancelled print job won't go away & holding queu hostage
thread779-642863

How to clean up printer drivers

http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders/CleanPrinterDrivers.htm

printing issue in XP Pro
thread779-929941

 

[kantaru]

Linney,

Its pretty interesting to read that there could be a problem with running shared printers over USB, which is what the two printers are using to connect to PC1.

A quick question that has just occured to me. I installed the printer software and drivers on PC1 (where the printers are physically connected to ) but I did not on the laptops that need to print to them. The questio I have is, should I do that? If so, what's the process? As I try and do that by right clicking on the printer icon and any options are greyed out.

Cheers
Tony

 

[linney]

The laptop's should be OK if they are all running XP. They will use the printer driver you have installed before connecting and sharing the printer in the first place with the laptops

If they had been running another version of Windows (say 98), you would install those drivers on the (physically connected to the printer) XP system, even if they were 98 drivers.

"add printer drivers for other versions of Windows" is the relevant Help and Support article.

 

[bygeek]

Sharing two printers on one machine can consume a lot of resources, particularly if you're sending large print jobs. What kind of resources (processor speed/type, ram, etc.) are on the "server"? Is someone also using that machine? I'd suggest you invest in a usb print server to connect to your router so that it won't have to rely soly on the available resources of the pc.

 

[kantaru]

The PC, although setup for a user/s it is never used as such, so it is sitting there idle and in essence working as a print server. The locking up or not being able to print from some of the laptops seem to be either small docs aswell as large ones. What I haven't checked is the print spooler service on that PC is running, is this worthwhile checking or is it that I am barking up the wrong tree.

I have thought of a USB print server, but the PC is in fact acting like a print server so it could be throwing cash at problem that could lay somewhere else

 

[dglienna]

I'm thinking that the IP address changed on the server. You should always start it up first, so that it gets the lowest IP. Turn off everything, wait 30 seconds, then turn on (in this order) Modem, Router, Main system, additional systems.
Then, delete the printer on the other machines. Find the main system, and add the printers by clicking on them. Repeat for other machines. That should solve the problem.

-David
2006 Microsoft Valued Professional (MVP)

 

[linney]

Have you looked at these two troubleshooting guides in the Help and Support program?

File and Printer Sharing Troubleshooter.

Printing Troubleshooter.

Have you tried using System Restore to go back a couple of days to when everything worked?

This thread will help you with possible print spooler problems.
XP Printing Issues
thread779-1122140

 

[kantaru]

Do you have the File & Printer Sharing Troubleshooter URL?

 

[linney]

There is no URL, just type "File and Printer Sharing Troubleshooter" in the Search box of the Help and Support Center program in XP.

Resources for troubleshooting printing problems in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308028/en-us?FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

How to troubleshoot home networking in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308007/en-us?FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

How to troubleshoot network printing problems in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314073/

 

[kantaru]

Sorry I misunderstood you. I have done that already, still no luck.

 

[linney]

Anything mentioned in any of the Event Viewers on any machine?

Have you tried deleting all the printers and setting them up again from scratch and the sharing?

 

[scottew]

A shared printer on a PC is entirely different than a true print server. If you don't want to invest in a print server, I would give all your PC's on the network a static ip address so you don't have to worry about the ip address changing.

 

[kantaru]

I have tried deleting and re-installing the printers several times but they all end up having some printer problems.

Can you allocate an IP address to a USB connected device? Didn't think you could but I might be wrong.

 

[scottew]

I would recommend a regular ethernet (RJ-45) print server. Give it a static ip address and reconfigure all the computers.