Home Networking Problems - File-sharing possible, but no printing

[quiksil903]

So, Microsoft would like us to think that they have provided us with File AND Printer Sharing. I beg to differ.

I have 3 machines: an old box running Win95 that is connected to a printer, a wirelessly connected box running WinXP Pro, and a Laptop running WinXP Pro

They are connected by an SMC Barricade 7004VBR and a Netgear WGR614 wireless router/access point. Internet connection goes to the Barricade and the Netgear acts only as a wireless access point (like a switch) to wirelessly serve the WinXP Pro box downstairs. (the connection used to be all wired through the Barricade, but one computer had to move downstairs).

The problem is that neither of these networking devices has a print server. No problem, though. Windows (even as old as 95) has File and Printer sharing built in. When all the computers were wired to the router, File and Printer sharing worked flawlessly. Everyone could see each other's shared folders and everyone could print. Now, with the new set-up, only the Win95 computer (the one actually physically connected to the printer) can print. File sharing works better, but still craps out sometimes (like I can see the folders in my Network Places, but when I try to open them, I am given a message that permission is denied - a couple of restarts later, it magically works again). Anyway, I can see the Printer on the network, but I am consistently denied access to use it.

I have tried everything I can think of, but I can't figure out how to share printing among all of the PCs.

If anyone could suggest troubleshooting steps or shed some light as to what's going on here, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ryandmiller]

It sounds to me like the network is failing. I wonder if there is intermitent problems with the wireless access point. If the wired computers work fine, then I would focus attention on the access point. Perhaps it isn't sending through the netbios traffic properly. You might need to open a port for that, but be careful, because others can get in through that port as well if they can access your access point.

 

[quiksil903]

There are intermittent problems with the WAP that I don't understand, but I think that is an unrelated issue.

I did a little digging and I fixed the printer problem (I hope). I read in at practicallynetworked.com Top 10 Rules for Adding a Windows XP PC to an Existing Network. Numbers 5 and 6 seemed relevant:

5. Remove all network protocols that aren't required for a specific purpose.

6. If you have multiple protocols, un-bind File and Printer Sharing from all but one. Using more than one protocol, even on just one

So, I removed the NetBEUI protocols on the Win95 machine, made sure the TCP/IP protocals were bound as client for Micorosoft Networking, and unbound the File and Printer sharing from the IPX/SPX protocol. Voila, printing works. Now it doesn't work on a separate, work @ home laptop that runs corporate VPN software, but I think that's another can of worms.

So is the intermittent crapping out of the wirless network. But the primary printer sharing issue is solved (I think).

So thanks for your help. I hope this helps someone else.