Network Printing with Windows XP

[mdrandall]

I have a small network of a WinXP deskpc, a winME laptop and a Mac. Each pc has Zonelabs firewall and Norton anti-virus. Each computer and the network printer has a static IP address in the range 192.168.0.xx

All file sharing etc works fine as does printing from winME and Mac. However, the WinXP Pro machine takes a long time to start printing to the network printer i.e. it even holds the application dialog box for a while after pressing print. Also just trying to access the printer properties from control panel takes ages.

Printing from WinMe or from the Mac happens immediately.

I have tried disabling the firewall and anti-virus but the problem still exists.

Elsewhere I have read that WinXP uses full domain name resolution and that supplying an LMHOSTS file would help......

Any ideas please

 

[Zedric]

Yes I suppose that could be it. Do you address the printer by it's IP or by a name in the printer settings? Using the IP should speed things up if you are using a name now. If you use the IP already I don't know what's wrong. Try searching the MS Knowledge Base or contacting the manufacturer of the printer.

 

[mdrandall]

I think I have a solution now. Instead of using the network option in the add printer wizard, I used the local printer option. I then specified the port as a basiv TCP/IP port and it now responds as quickly as it should...............thanks for your help though