Sharing files/printers over my home network

[mike h]

This has been bugging me for the last few years, so I thought of asking all the geniouses out here in the site. I am in no way a computer idiot, I know alot about them and how to use them, etc.

I have XP Pro in my bedroom computer, and the family computer, which has the printer connected to it, uses XP Home. Never ahve I been able to use the printer in the family room from my computer; I have it listed on my availible printers list but it doesn't work. Also, when I look at the workgroup computers my computer cannot read my family computer or my dad's laptop as being part of the network. It does the same on the family computer and the laptop. Whenever I want to print something I have to either email it to myself and download it at the home computer or use my USB stick by unplugging the USB mouse (it is an old crap computer with one UBS port). I have looked everywhere online and we have switched routers twice (not because of this, they just keep crapping out). Wherever I look it up it just says to do the 5 or so steps I have tried a bazillion times and to no avail. Is it a compatibility issue between Pro and Home? I have the printer shared at the host computer but it doesn't matter if my computer cannot even read that computer in the first place, let alone it's pherphials. :mad: Any tips?

[Tyler]

first off.. in order to get them to communicate you have to have them on the same workgroup.

to check/do this. Right click "my computer" go to "properties"

in the properties box go to Network Identification.. or.. Computer name.

In there youwill see which work group it is listed under.

Make sure they are under the same workgroup..

Whether it be "workgroup" or "MSHOME" or "gotohell" or whatever you want it to be.. they have to be under the same work group.


Once that is done...

Right click my network places. go to properties..
then go to My Network connection .. right click it.. and make sure you have the service "File and print sharing for Microsoft networks" installed. gotta have that.

Reboot both the computers.. make sure the printer is shared on the computer.. share any other ifles you want..

thats pretty much all thats required..

ooh.. make sure the computer names are fairly easy to remember..

My computer name is "tyler"

so to access my computer through the network from another computer.. all i have to do is...

Start>RUN>\\Tyler

and i got my shared files to access.

[Tyler]

also.. swapping out routers wont effect that.. unless your running a cisco router and are familiar with access control lists...

Simple home networks are faily ... simple..

Just ask if you have anymore questions. but that should pretty much cover it..

oh ya.. you dont necessarily need the printer installed on both computers... just make sure you know the "address location" of the printer.

To print to your living room from your printer.. you need to have the default printer set to the one in the living room..


To do this..

Start>settings>printers....


double click add new printer.

in the wizzard it will ask if you want to add a "local printer" or "network Printer" check Network printer and click next.

then it will say.. if you dont know the name of the printer, you can browse for it.. blablabla

select the first option.. dont type anything in the box.. and click next.

Now your going to see a list of "workgroups" on the network..

Find the network your computers are under.. refer to first post to find out..

double click the workgroup.. and find the printer that you have shared from the other computer....


but lets back up first. Make sure you have your printer SHARED ON THE NETWORK.. to do so.. go to the printer icon on the host computer for the printer.. right click the printer icon, go to sharing..and share the printer.. hit apply..

your all set..

sorry if those direction are out of place. lol

[majeskyb]

Also, sometimes you have to install the printer drivers on the remote computer. An easier way to find your other computers on the network is to open the "My Network Places", then clicking on the "entire network" icon. It shows all the workgroups/computers attached to your network

[Tyler]

Originally posted by majeskyb:
Also, sometimes you have to install the printer drivers on the remote computer. An easier way to find your other computers on the network is to open the "My Network Places", then clicking on the "entire network" icon. It shows all the workgroups/computers attached to your network

ya you can install the printer on the remote computer.. but its not necessary.. just adds an extra step.

Im running 3 different platforms on 3 different computers. and have ZERO compatibility issues within the network.

Windows 98se, Win2kpro, and winXP home.

[L32Projekt]

Originally posted by majeskyb:
Also, sometimes you have to install the printer drivers on the remote computer. An easier way to find your other computers on the network is to open the "My Network Places", then clicking on the "entire network" icon. It shows all the workgroups/computers attached to your network

I agree with this. Sometimes Windows doesn't have the proper drivers pre-installed. It will show in your printers listing, but won't work. I had to install the drivers for our POS Epson to have it work with my laptop on our wireless network. Not too hard to do.

[Tyler]

u guys must have done something wrong then because you dont need the drivers on the remote computer what-so-ever.. all that has to be done is that you send the document to the spooler of the host computer.. not drivers necessary

[mike h]

Originally posted by Tyler:
also.. swapping out routers wont effect that.. unless your running a cisco router and are familiar with access control lists...

Simple home networks are faily ... simple..

Just ask if you have anymore questions. but that should pretty much cover it..

oh ya.. you dont necessarily need the printer installed on both computers... just make sure you know the "address location" of the printer.

To print to your living room from your printer.. you need to have the default printer set to the one in the living room..


To do this..

Start>settings>printers....


double click add new printer.

in the wizzard it will ask if you want to add a "local printer" or "network Printer" check Network printer and click next.

then it will say.. if you dont know the name of the printer, you can browse for it.. blablabla

select the first option.. dont type anything in the box.. and click next.

Now your going to see a list of "workgroups" on the network..

Find the network your computers are under.. refer to first post to find out..

double click the workgroup.. and find the printer that you have shared from the other computer....


but lets back up first. Make sure you have your printer SHARED ON THE NETWORK.. to do so.. go to the printer icon on the host computer for the printer.. right click the printer icon, go to sharing..and share the printer.. hit apply..

your all set..

sorry if those direction are out of place. lol

don't need to tell me how to use the damn wizard, I'm not three! [img]tongue.gif[/img] I already tried that. Lemme check to see if they are on the same workgroup, I am 95% sure they are on "MSHOME", the default. I know the printer is shared, I know I don't need the printer installed on my computer (hence the point of me trying to connect to the home one! [img]smile.gif[/img] ).

...ok, apparently I am on a workgroup called "flybytheseat", one I created for a wireless network that ended up not working (but works now, I just don't use the wireless adapter it was configured for). So to double check, I went to 'Microsoft Windows Network' and found that my computer is connected to both "flybytheseat" AND "MSHOME" (the latter being the one that my family computer is in, according to it) but when I select 'MSHOME' only my computer shows up. :mad: So I went to the home computer to go through some things. it won't show MSHOME! [see link 3] so I add a workgroup wizard, all that good stuff, still same error. But get this: I come back to my computer and The MSHOME screen shows my family computer! But I can't access it! [img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [see pic 4]

both workgroups!!
no home computer
error at home computer
you have to be joking

what now?

[mike h]

ALSO, the main issue is not the printer, it's driver, or anything. it's the fact that I cannot connect to my network. once i can connect to that, then the printer is set.

[Tyler]

keep them all on the same network workgroup it makes things so much easier.


Make sure you disable windows family logon that also helps. you know.. where you have to type in passwords to get to the initial startup...

lol! sorry for giving detailed instructions.. im just used to answer questions on computers to stupid people that dont even know where the start button is..


get them on the same workgroup and go from there...

there could be administrator passwords or restrictions.. gonna have to dig around

[AltrdPrcptn]

the router may also be giving the computerscompletely different ip addresses. long shot but possible because it happened to me.

[mike h]

Originally posted by AltrdPrcptn:
the router may also be giving the computerscompletely different ip addresses. long shot but possible because it happened to me.

..the computers should have different IP adresses??

both computers are in "MSHOME" according to them, and I can now see the family computer from my computer but I cannot access it, and I can't even access the workgroup from the family computer (what i would need more than anything).

don't lose sleep over it. It's not a big deal, just annoying.

[C.O.Jones]

Do you have TCP/IP and the NETBEUI Protocol installed?

[mike h]

the TCP/IP is installed or i wouldnt be typing this here now. NETBEUI is an acronym i dont know.

[L32Projekt]

Originally posted by Tyler:
u guys must have done something wrong then because you dont need the drivers on the remote computer what-so-ever.. all that has to be done is that you send the document to the spooler of the host computer.. not drivers necessary

Whatever man... I try to send a document to my printer and it didn't work. Then I installed the drivers and it worked. But apparently I don't know what I'm talking about, I screwed up somehow. :rolleyes: