Sharing a printer on a home network

[rjack22]

I don't know if this is hardware or software but here goes.

We have two computers in the house. My desktop and my daughters laptop. Both run Windows XP. We have a broadband cable connection that we share using a Lynksys 4-port router. No problem with that.

My computer has a Lexmark X73 printer connected by USB. I would like to have my daughter be able to print from her room to my printer using the router connections.

Is this possible? And if so, give me step by step instructions please.

 

[Taurus]

go to 'printers', right-click on your printer, and go to 'sharing...'

 

[umpie1]

Yes it should be possible. Firstly set the properties on your printer to enable sharing. You will need to install the drivers [if she is using ME, then ME drivers, XP, XP drivers etc, not the drivers that apply to the OS on your machine] on your daughters computer and during the installation program when the local/network printer box comes up select network printer. You will also have to guide the installation program to where the printer is.

After doing that she should be able to print to your printer . I wish you success.

 

[rjack22]

did that

I did enable printer sharing on my computer.

As to the drivers. The printer driver is installed on both her machine and one mine.

I still cannot get her computer to print to my printer.

Any more ideas?

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Have a loo at the microsoft help page for printers.

 

[Taurus]

just making sure... but you did go to 'add printer' on her comp and when it asks, select 'network printer' and go through that process?

what happens when you try to print? what kind of error message, etc?

 

[rjack22]

Taurus

"but you did go to 'add printer' on her comp and when it asks, select 'network printer' and go through that process?"


I think I may have made some progress, thanks to your post. I had not "added" the printer to her laptop. Now I when I try to print I do get an error message. Evidently I'm not get bidirectional support from the printer. I do have that feature enabled on her laptop.

What next?

 

[rjack22]

error message

The error message reported on my daughter's laptop is
"Error communicating with the Printer".

 

[umpie1]

Re: error message

Posted by rjack22
The error message reported on my daughter's laptop is
"Error communicating with the Printer".

In the printer properties on your daughters laptop, have you indicated in the setting up where the printer is located [on your computer]? Her computer must know where the printer is.

If that does not work take up Hipster Doofus' comment about the help page.

When everything is running smoothly, its a great feeling. Good to see you are making progress.

I don't know how comprehensive Lexmarks manual they supply with the printer is. It may pay to check on their website and see if there is an operation manual which gives you more info. I did that with my Canon and now have a lot more info

Cheers from downunder