My second computer guru request...printer servers.

[Jim O'Dell]

Ok, the info I got on the computer problem a couple weeks back was very good. So I have another problem for you. Printer servers.
I have 2 computers:
1) LOML's is an Intel motherboard, with Intel Dual core chip (first generation) running XP Home
2) My computer is an Acer motherboard with a P3 600 chip running Windows 2000 Professional.
We are wired to the internet from a cable modem to a Linksys BEFSR41 router. Both computers access the internet fine. I lost printer capability when LOML's computer crashed, and the guy that set up for printer serving had a heck of a time and wasn't sure why it started working. So I thought a printer server would be the answer. With a little work, it prints fine with LOML's computer. (WHEWW!!!!) But it will not print from mine. When I try to print, I get one message asking me to set up for faxing. :confused: Then when I close that, another error message says that "Printing failed when starting the document."
I've reloaded the printer server software 4 times, and also the printer software again, (uninstalled both before reloading) with no help. I'm thinking that my computer doesn't know where to send the information to find the printer. I've tried adding a printer and giving the name of the printer server, and another time the printer name (as best I can tell), but it says it can not find the printer to add it.
So, any help you can give me on where to look for an answer would be great. I emailed Linksys yesterday, but the form letter I got pointed me back to their website help. The forum looked promising but I can't start a thread even after I registered and signed in. :( Once I sign in, there is no link to get back to the forum. :confused::confused: Makes a lot of sense.
Anyway, TIA for any help you can offer!! Jim.

PS. I guess I should tell you that the printer server is a Linksys PSUS4.:o

[Greg Peterson]

Jim, I assume your router is running DHCP (meaning each device on the network is automatically assigned an address by the router).

What is the IP address of the print server? First things I would check are:


Address conflict (doubtful - but check it anyway)
PING the printers IP
Drivers are Win2K compatible?My experience is that Win2K and XP don't always co-exist peacefully on a home network. Browsing and printing, depending on the router, are a luck of the draw. My Linksys router didn't like the two OS's on the same network. My Netgear doesn't seem to care. Go figure.

[Steven Hardy]

Ok, the info I got on the computer problem a couple weeks back was very good. So I have another problem for you. Printer servers.
I have 2 computers:
1) LOML's is an Intel motherboard, with Intel Dual core chip (first generation) running XP Home
2) My computer is an Acer motherboard with a P3 600 chip running Windows 2000 Professional.
We are wired to the internet from a cable modem to a Linksys BEFSR41 router. Both computers access the internet fine. I lost printer capability when LOML's computer crashed, and the guy that set up for printer serving had a heck of a time and wasn't sure why it started working. So I thought a printer server would be the answer. With a little work, it prints fine with LOML's computer. (WHEWW!!!!) But it will not print from mine. When I try to print, I get one message asking me to set up for faxing. :confused: Then when I close that, another error message says that "Printing failed when starting the document."
I've reloaded the printer server software 4 times, and also the printer software again, (uninstalled both before reloading) with no help. I'm thinking that my computer doesn't know where to send the information to find the printer. I've tried adding a printer and giving the name of the printer server, and another time the printer name (as best I can tell), but it says it can not find the printer to add it.
So, any help you can give me on where to look for an answer would be great. I emailed Linksys yesterday, but the form letter I got pointed me back to their website help. The forum looked promising but I can't start a thread even after I registered and signed in. :( Once I sign in, there is no link to get back to the forum. :confused::confused: Makes a lot of sense.
Anyway, TIA for any help you can offer!! Jim.

PS. I guess I should tell you that the printer server is a Linksys PSUS4.:o

Three things to check for :
1 be sure that universal plug and play is installed in both computers.
cntrl panel ,add remove programs,add windows components(or something to that effect for 2000)
2 be sure that ,under printer properties the OS hasnt enabled USE PRINTER OFFLINE
3 since its "asking me to set up for faxing." that tells me that the printer installation is not complete. You should complete that ,even if you dont plan to use print to fax functionality.

Theres more..but work on these first...:D

[Curt Harms]

I was faced with wanting to print from multiple computers. I did have a little netgear parallel port print server that kinda sorta worked but liked to "go hide" and I'd have to find it. I had to replace a fax machine a some months ago and got a Brother MFD (http://www.brother-usa.com/mfc/ModelDetail.aspx?ProductID=MFC7820N). It uses wired networking and has worked flawlessly. I then began to look for a networked color printer. I stayed with an inkjet compared to a color laser because color laser cost per page seems about the same as inkjets and inkjets seem to do a little better on photo quality along with lower acquisition costs. I settled on a wireless networking HP D7460 (http://www.amazon.com/Hewlett-Packard-D7460-HP-Photosmart-Printer/dp/B000SNP0RW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1209469989&sr=8-1), bought it a couple days ago and so far so good. I was a little gun shy about WIFI printing being pretty new but the reviews seemed okay and it works well so far.

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks for the insights guys! I'll try your suggestions when I get home tonight. Jim.

[Lee DeRaud]

I was faced with wanting to print from multiple computers. I did have a little netgear parallel port print server that kinda sorta worked but liked to "go hide" and I'd have to find it. I had to replace a fax machine a some months ago and got a Brother MFD (http://www.brother-usa.com/mfc/ModelDetail.aspx?ProductID=MFC7820N). It uses wired networking and has worked flawlessly.I've had very good luck with the Linksys PS1U print-server/hub widget driving a Brother laser printer...has never dropped offline that I can remember.

The need for a Vista-compatible scanner and a desire for occasional color printing resulted in a Brother MFC465CN networked all-in-one (usually ~$150, but I hit a sale at Best Buy for $99). Does everything over the net, as well as some handy standalone features like scanning directly to a thumb drive or flash memory card.

[Randal Stevenson]

Never messed with Vista, and it has been a LONG time since XP, but I would check your print cache. Something may be stopped in it, causing your system to believe the printer is offline.

[Jim O'Dell]

Ok, I can access the printer server from my computer and make it print a test print, but my printer information is just not getting to the printer server.

Steven, If I pull up my printer and go to properties, it says it's not completely installed. During the software install, since the printer is not installed on this computer, it gets to a point where it doesn't see the computer, so I click to finish the software part of the install. So how do I complete the install?
I can't get the printer when I search for the 192.168.1.10X number. I'm guessing what x stands for...the server is 2 so I tried 0 through 7 (4 ports on the server). Of course, that may not be the way it works either. Can you tell I'm not that computer savvy? :rolleyes: How do I find the printer's IP using the XP computer that is working? Oh, and just where do I look for the printer properties other than in the Program File under HP, right click and click properties? When I do that, it says "Properties can not be displayed. The print subsystem is unavailable." So what's my next step? Thanks! Jim.

[Bryan Rocker]

Jim, you should be able to specifiy the IP the networked printer obtains. I have my Magicolor laser connected to my old D-Link router. I had to go and specify the IP it was to have. I do know some OS's don't play nicely. I run XP pro on both my computer and my wifes computer and they both print fine. My daughters laptop is running Vista Home and can not use the printer. As long as your computer can connect to the network it should be able to be set up as a network printer. You might to make sure your router doesn't need to have its bios updated.

[Mike Henderson]

What I did was install the printer with it hard wired to my computer - the install went fine. Then I got the print server's IP address and changed the printer properties to make it use that IP address.

Hooked the printer to the print server and worked fine.

Mike

[Jim O'Dell]

Mike, I've thought of doing that. Might have to try if nothing else works.

One new bit of information. I redid the print server install a few minutes ago. During it, it finds the printer server, and notes the printer by model, then the next step only shows the fax in the window and highlighted. I click to add a printer, and it gives a list of brands, click HP, then search for the model # .....There are no Photosmart models listed. :confused::confused: Maybe I need an update from Linksys? Do I pick another model #?? I tried clicking the I have the disk button, but it has jibberish on the what file to get the info from. I can go through the driver list on the disk and find the driver for Windows 2000, but I can't get the command line to take it.:( Does this lead anyone to a better answer for me??;)

Have a good evening all! The Stars won again, so the evening was not lost! :D Jim.

[Chuck Wintle]

Mike, I've thought of doing that. Might have to try if nothing else works.

One new bit of information. I redid the print server install a few minutes ago. During it, it finds the printer server, and notes the printer by model, then the next step only shows the fax in the window and highlighted. I click to add a printer, and it gives a list of brands, click HP, then search for the model # .....There are no Photosmart models listed. :confused::confused: Maybe I need an update from Linksys? Do I pick another model #?? I tried clicking the I have the disk button, but it has jibberish on the what file to get the info from. I can go through the driver list on the disk and find the driver for Windows 2000, but I can't get the command line to take it.:( Does this lead anyone to a better answer for me??;)

Have a good evening all! The Stars won again, so the evening was not lost! :D Jim.

Jim,
Which version of BEFSR41 router do you have? I think you still have problems in the router which may be related to the crash of your wifes computer.

[Jim O'Dell]

Charles, I believe it is version 4. Everything else works through the router, and it sees the printer serer, and printer, by model series, when I install the printer server. I think it just thinks it is sending a fax, wants a phone number, gives an error message that the print subsystem is unavailable. I'm going to try Mike's idea of hooking the printer directly to my computer and get that to work, then try it on the network. Thanks! Jim.

[Jim O'Dell]

Ok, I finally got my computer to find the printer on the network. I know I had tried this several times. Possible I didn't go into the add printer from this particular screen, but it found it and printed!
Thanks again for everyone's help. it pointed me the right direction and helped me keep at it. Jim.