Network Printer "not online"

I have a printer on my XP laptop set up for sharing. The XP shows it online
and to be shared. When I try to add this printer to my Windows 98 machine
(Add Printer, to printer wizard, as a Network printer/Browse) I click on
the computer to which the printer is connected and it doesn't appear. If I
type in the Network path //LAPTOP1/Printer1 it is added but then says "This
network printer is currently offline. You can install the printer now, but
you will not be able to print until it comes back online." On my XP the
printer is connected, power is on and available on line.

On the Windows98 second edition machine the printer icon is grayed out on
the Start/Settings/Printers screen. Right clicking on the printer icon
shows Use Printer off line checked. Clicking on the off line a message
appears saying that Windows "Cannot connect to this network printer....'"

What could be blocking the 98 machine from seeing this printer? It can see
the Sharedocs on the XP machine and any folder that I designate to be
shared.

I would appreciate help on locating and fixing this problem.

TIA

T. Duprex wrote:
> I have a printer on my XP laptop set up for sharing. The XP shows it online
> and to be shared. When I try to add this printer to my Windows 98 machine
> (Add Printer, to printer wizard, as a Network printer/Browse) I click on
> the computer to which the printer is connected and it doesn't appear. If I
> type in the Network path //LAPTOP1/Printer1 it is added but then says "This
> network printer is currently offline. You can install the printer now, but
> you will not be able to print until it comes back online." On my XP the
> printer is connected, power is on and available on line.
>
> On the Windows98 second edition machine the printer icon is grayed out on
> the Start/Settings/Printers screen. Right clicking on the printer icon
> shows Use Printer off line checked. Clicking on the off line a message
> appears saying that Windows "Cannot connect to this network printer....'"
>
> What could be blocking the 98 machine from seeing this printer? It can see
> the Sharedocs on the XP machine and any folder that I designate to be
> shared.
>
> I would appreciate help on locating and fixing this problem.
>
> TIA
>
I just went through your steps on my similar system, i.e.,
using the wizard and drilling down through browse, I could
install my printer from the XP to the Win98.

First, I would uninstall the printer off the Win98 machine,
just to eliminate later confusion.

I assume, likely from what you have stated, that there is
connectivity (not LAN) between the machines. I also assume
(always dangerous) that you have set up a little peer2peer
network and both machines share a common workgroup name, and
"computer browser" services are on in XP.

I am not an expert on XP, where I think your problem lies.
Are you set up for simple file sharing? That might be a
problem if you are not.

Another (non-expert) suggestion is to uninstall and
reinstall the printer on the XP. I am sure that there are
more XP "services" & "sharing" settings that might be
needed, but that is beyond me.

Sorry for half a loaf.

Dr. Dos:

I essentially did what you suggested, that is I deleted the printer from
the 98 machine, went to the XP machine, deleted the printer. Then let XP
find it and reinstall it. I then set up the Share with a new share name and
it worked. Prior to this I did not think of deleting it from the XP.

Thanks for the reply