effective way to printer share in mixed network?

[excalibur3]

Is there a really effective software way of sharing a usb printer across 8 computers in a mixed mac/pc environment? It is hooked up to a pc running xp and I am constantly running into problems where I search for the computer and it isn't there. Even when I type in the location (//computer/printer) it doesn't show up. It works for some of the xp boxes though. It all just seems really hit or miss and I was just curious if there was a better way, such as typing in an ip address or something. They are all in the same network.
Thanks!
Stephen

 

[MercenaryForHire]

For that to work, you'd need to buy a natively networkable printer - ie, has an RJ45 jack on the back.

There are standalone print servers, as well as some routers that have that functionality built in. Might be worth looking into.

Other than that, check to see if the XP machine actually hosting the printer is having issues with the Windows Firewall or with permissions on the printer itself.


- M4H

 

[HannibalX]

Yup you need a print server.

One of those cheapo wireless print servers will probably be fine for you.

 

[Leros]

You can't share a printer on a mixed network? I know Windows-Mac file sharing is no problem.

 

[MrBond]

If you go the print server route, do yourself a favor and assign the print server a static IP address.

I installed one for my parents several years ago. They have it plugged into a UPS, so it never loses power. Since it picked up an IP address via DHCP, it took *.6 and never released it since it never was turned off.

Once, for whatever reason, Dad unplugged the print server from the UPS one day and rebooted it. All of a sudden, none of the printers worked and he was calling me for help. I drove out there and spent about two hours fighting with it (and it's poor documentation). I finally figured out that when it came up, it picked up a different IP address than it had before. The computers were all set up to look for the print server on *.6, but it wasn't there. I gave it a static IP and all is well.

 

[excalibur3]

I can't even share the printer to all of the windows computers. One windows computer works fine with the sharing to the first windows computer, but the other two windows computers cannot see anything on the network even though they have the exact same settings as the other two. The mac can see all of the computers but cannot connect to any of them. Thanks for the help!

The computers with the problem whine that they cannot connect to the workgroup. I tried changing the workgroup name but it still doesn't work.

 

[chcarnage]

Is that by any chance a Canon ink printer? At least for OS X they don't have any USB network drivers and you might have to use this shareware.

 

[Quasmo]

Originally posted by: Leros
You can't share a printer on a mixed network? I know Windows-Mac file sharing is no problem.

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!!