Network printer problem

sunburninaz

Junior Member
Sep 2, 2003
15
0
0
I am probably missing something very simple here but I can't get my network printer to work.

I have a wireless network using a Belkin router with a Belkin notebook card in my laptop and a Linksys USB Network Adapter on the kids' desktop. The laptop is running XP Pro while the desktop is using ME. There is a Lexmark Z53 installed as a local printer on the desktop and connected through the USB port. It is shared as Lexmark Z53.

I have tried to install the printer on the laptop as a local printer using \\desktop1\Lexmark Z53 as the port. The printer appears and everything looks fine until I try to print. At this point, I get an error message that states "Windows cannot print due to a problem with the current printer setup." Even a test print doesn't work. It produces a message indicating "Test page failed to print. Unable to create a print job". If I disconnect the printer from the desktop, I cannot access its properties on the laptop so I know that the laptop is seeing it.

I have also tried to install this printer as a network printer. When trying to point to the printer (once again at "\\Desktop1\Lexmark Z53"), I get the error message "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the name was typed incorrectly or the specified printer has lost its connection to the server." I've tried adding the printer manually and letting the system browse for printers. In the Browse window, the printer even shows up as Ready with 0 Documents waiting.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 

Ryoga

Senior member
Jun 6, 2004
449
0
0
Windows 9x realizes device sharing by NetBIOS, which XP doesn't exactly support anymore.

http://www.pcurtis.com/network-xp.htm :
"[In Windows XP,] only TCP/IP is loaded by default, IPX/SPX can installed easily although the name has been subtly changed to put one off and NetBEUI is unsupported but can be hunted out from the CD at your own risk and without further technical support." Their basic suggestion is to use IPX/SPX instead of TCP/IP.

Ensure Printer Sharing is enabled on the printer host. Ensure that proper drivers are installed on the 9x machine.

I guess I'd also try entering the IP address of the host instead of the hostname.