Networking question

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
I guess networking questions go in this forum.

I recently networked my 2 computers. Both are running 98. File and print sharing are enabled. The computers can see each other. I can't get the printer to work. I think I just need to capture a printer port, but I don't remember what to put in for the path.
 

Neo

Administrator
Staff member
Suz,
did you go in and share the printer? in the printers folder.
 

fury

Administrator
Staff member
The other forum was actually the one meant for networking, but it could go in either one, seeing as how both of them are related to software, and networking is mostly software anyway.

I have no idea how to answer your question, because I've never networked 2 computers together to where I would be able to print to one printer from both of them. :(

Are you sure the printer itself works? Can one computer print from it?
 

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
Yeah, the printer works fine, and I had it set up before where any one of three computers could print from this same printer. I'm missing something little, but it's driving me crazy. Neither computer will print from it right now, because it sorta thinks it's a network printer.
 

HomeLAN

Bumbling Idiot
Staff member
OK.

First, delete the printer from both systems. Let's start clean.

Add the printer as a local printer to the system you actually have it hooked up to. Once it's installed and you caan print a test page, go into the properties for it, share it, and give it a shared name. (Be sure that printer sharing is enabled under Control Panel/Network).

Go to your other computer. Install a network printer with the following path:

\\(insert main computer name here)\(insert printer name here)

Try printing a test page.
 
If you've done what HomeLAN said, and you have added the network printer, you should get a message that the printer you've selected hasn't got the right drivers installed on that computer.
If it doesn't do that, you'll have to install the drivers for it manually. At least that was what I had to do with a combination of Win2k and Win98SE.
 

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
Steve, that sounds like a plan. I think I did have the printer installed as a local printer before and then switched it to a network printer.

File and print sharing is enabled on both machines in the network. Do I need to change that to make it a local printer, or won't it affect anything?
 

Huge

Holla if you hear me!
Staff member
Maybe this thread will help you Q (put on your :cool: ) here. Pretty much what Steve already said though.

You'd think after paying 10 grand for a degree in network they would teach us printing on a network; except for a small smattering in NDPS for Novell, they haven't (and you really can't fake it in a VM setup)
 

Neo

Administrator
Staff member
Q, is this actually hooked up to your computer or is it on the smc print server you bought? this will change the way you have to set it up. if its connected to your computer then yes do what steve said. IF not then you need to find it on the network. Which means that it has an IP address from the server. You will then ned to set the printer up in the details section to that ip address.
Let me know which way you have it set up.
NEO
 

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
It's hooked to a computer right now. I forgot there was a port on the router for a printer. If I hook it to the router, then the router will assign it an IP, right? Would that be easier or harder? I'm pretty sure I had it hooked to a computer last time I had them networked.
 

HomeLAN

Bumbling Idiot
Staff member
That would be MUCH harder. You'd have to install some software that makes it look to the printer like there's a dedicated print server on the network and that's a real pain.

You don't need to change sahring settings as long as the print share is enabled on the puter you hook it directly to.
 

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
10-4 :thup:

I already uninstalled it from both puters, I was just waiting for the word. Thanks :)
 

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
Ok, I nstalled it as a local printer on the machine with the shit-eating display, only cuz one of those little thing-a-majigs you screw into is missing from the port on the other computer....and it wouldn't work without that screw. :(

Good news is: the printer works like a charm
Bad news is: The display is virtually unreadable at this point. :cry:so it would appear a reformat is unavoidable.
 

Neo

Administrator
Staff member
Ahh but Q sweetie that system will thank you for the reformat. It will run so much better when its clean.
 

HomeLAN

Bumbling Idiot
Staff member
Looking at your thread on your video problem, I don't see whether you tried a different vid card in there. You might really consider doing that before you do a format c:.
 

Q

stepmosnter
Staff member
I don't have an extra vid card and there's almost nothing on this HDD anyway, so a format is no big deal. If the problem persists after the format then I guess I'll be investing in a vid card....keep your fingers crossed.
 
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