Is this a broadband failure?

Home network: Computer 1 controls the broadband and is
directly attached to printer. Computer 2, after printing
correctly for several months, can suddenly no longer
print via the network. Everything else on the net seems
fine. When trying to print from Word, I got two messages
that seemed significant:
"The Directory Service is currently unavailable"
and
Word cannot bring up [printer]Properties because the
printer returned an error.

My suspicion is that I have corrupted software somewhere
on Computer 2, but is it printer driver or broadband? Do
the error messages suggest something else? I don't know
what the Directory Service is. Does the message point to
specific hardware/software? If necessary, how do I
reinstall broadband on Computer 2?

Grateful thanks for any help!