I am totally baffled by this networking thing...

I have a three computer wireless network. One computer connects to a router
by cable, the other two wireless.
Sharing the internet was simple; install the software, the hardware, and it
works.

Now I want to share printers. I have spent 6 hours using Microsoft wizards,
and I cannot find any evidence I have accomplished anything. The best that
can be said is that I haven't hurt anything. I have created network
floppies and taken then to other computers; I have created USB disks and
taken them to other computers... I don't know what else to do!

Is there a simple explanation somewhere on the internet of how to set up a
wireless network? The '"help" section on Windows XP was written by a
sadist.

John wrote:
> I have a three computer wireless network. One computer connects to a router
> by cable, the other two wireless.
> Sharing the internet was simple; install the software, the hardware, and it
> works.
>
> Now I want to share printers. I have spent 6 hours using Microsoft wizards,
> and I cannot find any evidence I have accomplished anything. The best that
> can be said is that I haven't hurt anything. I have created network
> floppies and taken then to other computers; I have created USB disks and
> taken them to other computers... I don't know what else to do!
>
> Is there a simple explanation somewhere on the internet of how to set up a
> wireless network? The '"help" section on Windows XP was written by a
> sadist.
>
>

I'm no expert, but here's what I've learned: sharing an internet
connection, sharing files, and sharing printers are all slightly
different things on my home network.

In my case, the printers are attached in the old fashioned way to one
PC. (One is on the old parallel printer port, LPT1, and the other is a
USB.) Therefore, this PC needs to be powered on for any other PC on the
network to use them. For me this is not a problem.

Next, the printers need to be installed on the other PCs almost exactly
as if they were attached to them - Control Panel/Printers/Add New
Printer. When the printer install routine asks for it, you might need
to install the printer driver CD-ROM that came with the printer. And
when it asks you where the Printer is connected, you need to tell it
that the printer is a network share.

Good Luck,
Doug

"Doug Ellice" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:eZKdnTRwQ8qqhDDcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> John wrote:
>> I have a three computer wireless network. One computer connects to a
>> router by cable, the other two wireless.
>> Sharing the internet was simple; install the software, the hardware, and
>> it works.
>>
>> Now I want to share printers. I have spent 6 hours using Microsoft
>> wizards, and I cannot find any evidence I have accomplished anything.
>> The best that can be said is that I haven't hurt anything. I have
>> created network floppies and taken then to other computers; I have
>> created USB disks and taken them to other computers... I don't know what
>> else to do!
>>
>> Is there a simple explanation somewhere on the internet of how to set up
>> a wireless network? The '"help" section on Windows XP was written by a
>> sadist.
>
> I'm no expert, but here's what I've learned: sharing an internet
> connection, sharing files, and sharing printers are all slightly different
> things on my home network.
>
> In my case, the printers are attached in the old fashioned way to one PC.
> (One is on the old parallel printer port, LPT1, and the other is a USB.)
> Therefore, this PC needs to be powered on for any other PC on the network
> to use them. For me this is not a problem.
>
> Next, the printers need to be installed on the other PCs almost exactly as
> if they were attached to them - Control Panel/Printers/Add New Printer.
> When the printer install routine asks for it, you might need to install
> the printer driver CD-ROM that came with the printer. And when it asks
> you where the Printer is connected, you need to tell it that the printer
> is a network share.
>
I expect you are correct, but when I try, it can only find the printer
attached to that computer. Presumably my network is screwed up somehow.
Thanks though.

John wrote:
> "Doug Ellice" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:eZKdnTRwQ8qqhDDcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>John wrote:
>>
>>>I have a three computer wireless network. One computer connects to a
>>>router by cable, the other two wireless.
>>>Sharing the internet was simple; install the software, the hardware, and
>>>it works.
>>>
>>>Now I want to share printers. I have spent 6 hours using Microsoft
>>>wizards, and I cannot find any evidence I have accomplished anything.
>>>The best that can be said is that I haven't hurt anything. I have
>>>created network floppies and taken then to other computers; I have
>>>created USB disks and taken them to other computers... I don't know what
>>>else to do!
>>>
>>>Is there a simple explanation somewhere on the internet of how to set up
>>>a wireless network? The '"help" section on Windows XP was written by a
>>>sadist.
>>
>>I'm no expert, but here's what I've learned: sharing an internet
>>connection, sharing files, and sharing printers are all slightly different
>>things on my home network.
>>
>>In my case, the printers are attached in the old fashioned way to one PC.
>>(One is on the old parallel printer port, LPT1, and the other is a USB.)
>>Therefore, this PC needs to be powered on for any other PC on the network
>>to use them. For me this is not a problem.
>>
>>Next, the printers need to be installed on the other PCs almost exactly as
>>if they were attached to them - Control Panel/Printers/Add New Printer.
>>When the printer install routine asks for it, you might need to install
>>the printer driver CD-ROM that came with the printer. And when it asks
>>you where the Printer is connected, you need to tell it that the printer
>>is a network share.
>>
>
> I expect you are correct, but when I try, it can only find the printer
> attached to that computer. Presumably my network is screwed up somehow.
> Thanks though.
>
>
By far the best way to share a printer is to put it on a cheap print
server attached directly to the network rather than to attach it via a
PC. You save huge amounts of hassle setting things up, and you don't
have to worry about the PC being powered on and running properly when
you want to print.

JMHO, of course.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

You are welcome to email me if you'd like to work through your network
configuration one-on-one.

(E-Mail Removed)

"John" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:8Z9rd.5656$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Doug Ellice" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:eZKdnTRwQ8qqhDDcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> John wrote:
>>> I have a three computer wireless network. One computer connects to a
>>> router by cable, the other two wireless.
>>> Sharing the internet was simple; install the software, the hardware, and
>>> it works.
>>>
>>> Now I want to share printers. I have spent 6 hours using Microsoft
>>> wizards, and I cannot find any evidence I have accomplished anything.
>>> The best that can be said is that I haven't hurt anything. I have
>>> created network floppies and taken then to other computers; I have
>>> created USB disks and taken them to other computers... I don't know
>>> what else to do!
>>>
>>> Is there a simple explanation somewhere on the internet of how to set up
>>> a wireless network? The '"help" section on Windows XP was written by a
>>> sadist.
>>
>> I'm no expert, but here's what I've learned: sharing an internet
>> connection, sharing files, and sharing printers are all slightly
>> different things on my home network.
>>
>> In my case, the printers are attached in the old fashioned way to one PC.
>> (One is on the old parallel printer port, LPT1, and the other is a USB.)
>> Therefore, this PC needs to be powered on for any other PC on the network
>> to use them. For me this is not a problem.
>>
>> Next, the printers need to be installed on the other PCs almost exactly
>> as if they were attached to them - Control Panel/Printers/Add New
>> Printer. When the printer install routine asks for it, you might need to
>> install the printer driver CD-ROM that came with the printer. And when
>> it asks you where the Printer is connected, you need to tell it that the
>> printer is a network share.
>>
> I expect you are correct, but when I try, it can only find the printer
> attached to that computer. Presumably my network is screwed up somehow.
> Thanks though.
>

John wrote:

> I have a three computer wireless network. One computer connects to a router
> by cable, the other two wireless.
> Sharing the internet was simple; install the software, the hardware, and it
> works.
>
> Now I want to share printers. I have spent 6 hours using Microsoft wizards,
> and I cannot find any evidence I have accomplished anything. The best that
> can be said is that I haven't hurt anything. I have created network
> floppies and taken then to other computers; I have created USB disks and
> taken them to other computers... I don't know what else to do!
>
> Is there a simple explanation somewhere on the internet of how to set up a
> wireless network? The '"help" section on Windows XP was written by a
> sadist.


There is no simple explanation for your problems because there are dozens
of ways to misconfigure a LAN. A few notes:

1. While chasing LAN problems, completely disable all firewalls and AV apps.
You can turn them back on, one at a time, after your LAN works.

2. Make file sharing work first, since printer sharing is more problematical.
Note that file sharing won't appear to work until some non-root folder or
file is shared, so create a TryFolder and share it with a TryName.

3. Since you have a router, enable DHCP serving on the router and set each
PC to be a DHCP client; that will get all PCs in the same IPA subnet.

4. Use the same protocols on all PCs. For most routed LANs, TCP/IP is the only
protocol you need. Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP on all PCs.

5. Make sure each PC has F&P sharing and M$ClientForNets enabled.

6. Make sure all PCs have the same workgroup name, and that each PC has its
own computer name. Keep the names simple.

7. Make sure each PC can PING itself and all other PCs on the LAN, using both
ping-by-number and ping-by-name. If ping-by-number (IPA) works but
ping-by-name doesn't, check your DNS params.

Oh, if you like the NetWiz (I don't), remember to tell it that you get to
the 'net via a Residential Gateway -- that's M$speak for a router.
--
Cheers, Bob

John wrote:

> I expect you are correct, but when I try, it can only find the printer
> attached to that computer. Presumably my network is screwed up somehow.
> Thanks though.


O.K., I'm not sure what that means. Are you saying that, sitting at one
computer, and installing on that computer the printer physically
connected to another computer, that the install routine finds the
computer attached to the other computer? If so, that's fine; select it
and you're all set.

Doug

"Doug Ellice" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:GPSdnSbLE94g6DPcRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> John wrote:
>
>> I expect you are correct, but when I try, it can only find the printer
>> attached to that computer. Presumably my network is screwed up somehow.
>> Thanks though.
>
>
> O.K., I'm not sure what that means. Are you saying that, sitting at one
> computer, and installing on that computer the printer physically connected
> to another computer, that the install routine finds the computer attached
> to the other computer? If so, that's fine; select it and you're all set.
>
No, sitting at one computer, the install routine finds only the printer that
is attached to its printer port. I don't need a network for that; I want to
also find a printer attached to another computer on the network.