Am I thinking right

[henryp]

Connecting a printer to share between a desktop and a laptop through bt 2700. If I connect printer usb lead to a 4 port hub inlet then usb lead out to bt hub and usb lead out to desktop will this work Also how to set up on the bt hub for sharing etc; All comments appreciated but simple as I think my brain cells are ageing rapidly Would the hub have to be a powered one?

[Rik]

You can't do what you want, Henry. The USB connection on the 2700 is for ADSL. What you need to do is connect the printer directly to one machine, then share it, and connect the other computer via the LAN. You can get printers which will connect to the LAN directly, ie via the router, which will overcome your problem. As it is, the printer will only be available when the machine to which it is directly connected is switched on.

[Sebby]

Another (albeit more expensive) option is to buy a printer server. You connect your printer to the printer server by USB, and the printer service then connects to your router by ethernet or wireless.

[henryp]

Oh dear Obviously going up the wrong way of thinking. My desktop is connected to printer by usb but I assumed wrong about the bt hub connection. It will have to wait till this printer falls over then.

Cheers for the help

[Rik]

You can just share the printer on your desktop, Henry, Printers & Faxes > Printer > Properties > Sharing, and then from the laptop, install the printer, pointing the installation to the network. It will find the shared printer and install the necessary drivers. Whenever the main machine is on, the printer will be available. As a backup, install something like PDF Creator as a local printer, and then documents can be converted into PDF files to print when the printer is available.

[henryp]

You can just share the printer on your desktop, Henry, Printers & Faxes > Printer > Properties > Sharing, and then from the laptop, install the printer, pointing the installation to the network. It will find the shared printer and install the necessary drivers. Whenever the main machine is on, the printer will be available. As a backup, install something like PDF Creator as a local printer, and then documents can be converted into PDF files to print when the printer is available.

By main machine do you mean desktop? Also I will look into that program you mentioned. Does that have to be installed on lappie or desktop? All strange to me I should have got a computer earlier in life Please move if getting off subject

[Rik]

Hi Henry

The main machine, in this instance, is whichever machine has the printer physically attached - probably the desktop. I have one network printer, which runs off the router, and the other four printers (don't ask) are connected to my main desktop machine, then shared with every other machine on the network. The router-connected printer is available at all times, the rest when the main machine is turned on.

You can pick up PDF Creator here (it's free):

http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Once installed, it is simply selected as a printer in any application and will then generate a PDF file for you.

[henryp]

Thanks for all the info.I will give it a try and most probably give myself a headache

[Rik]

Thanks, Henry. Just ask as you go if you're not sure of anything.

[henryp]

You can just share the printer on your desktop, Henry, Printers & Faxes > Printer > Properties > Sharing, and then from the laptop, install the printer, pointing the installation to the network. It will find the shared printer and install the necessary drivers. Whenever the main machine is on, the printer will be available. As a backup, install something like PDF Creator as a local printer, and then documents can be converted into PDF files to print when the printer is available.

Hello, Back again, Still cannot get the laptop pointing towards the printer. Followed the instructions on sharing on desktop but cant figure out how to get the lappie done. lappie has vista on so i,ve gone into the network section and tried to add printer but it cannot find one. Should I be a  private or public network? I only want to use my desktop and laptop at home and it,s only two of us using it 

[Rik]

Hi Henry

Does the printer have the little hand under it on the host machine? If so, that's properly shared. I don't use Vista, so I'm possibly off track in what follows. In the Printers & Faxes folder, hit Add printer, then select 'A network printer or a printer connected to another computer', you should then be able to search your LAN to find the printer.

[henryp]

yes it does show hand on main desktop. tried adding printer to lappie and it searched but no joy.Even put printer name in but no joy. Going for a lie down before something goes out of the bedroom window

[Rik]

The problem is that I've never done this from Vista, Henry, but someone who has will be along shortly.

[Lance]

Henry, in the Network and Sharing Centre, check that your network is showing as Private and that 'Network Discovery' is turned on. After that, when you go to Printers > Add printer > Add a local printer it should find the shared printer on the other machine. If you can make sure that the workgroup on the two machines is the same as well, then it will make the network discovery quicker.

[Rik]

Thanks, Lance. 

[Simon]

Henry, you're not alone in having trouble getting Vista to see your printer.  I had the same problem, and gave up, but will try Lance's method again. 

[henryp]

Henry, in the Network and Sharing Centre, check that your network is showing as Private and that 'Network Discovery' is turned on. After that, when you go to Printers > Add printer > Add a local printer it should find the shared printer on the other machine. If you can make sure that the workgroup on the two machines is the same as well, then it will make the network discovery quicker.

Thanks for reply BUT what do you mean by the workgroup names on both/ Haven,t got a clue sorry 

[Rik]

If it's like XP, Henry, right-click My Computer (or System in Control Panel), then Computer name, then to change the name of this computer, click Change. At that point, you can give the computer a unique name, eg my notebook, and name the workgroup, eg homelan. Repeat the exercise on the desktop, but use a different computer name, eg my desktop, but the same workgroup name.

[Steve]

You've probably got two workgroups one MSHOME and the WORKGROUP. If you still can find your your shared printer it should become available as you browse your local network tree. If still no luck try addressing directly the PC with the shared printer i.e \\local ipaddress\ this "run" command should list the available shares including lpt on that machine.

[henryp]

Back again and still still no joy. Have set my desktop as described and laptop as well.have gone into network tree and have showing discovery on--file sharing on but printer sharing is off. So I go to add printer and it searches for a while but does not find one.Cant follow what stevethegas suggests

[Rik]

Is there a setting anywhere to turn printer sharing on, Henry? Can you actually open a file on the desktop from the laptop?

[henryp]

What is showing is something called microsoft xps document writer

[Rik]

That's a 'soft' printer driver which suggests you have Microsoft Office installed? It's function is to convert a document to an XPS file.

[henryp]

When I go into the network tree  down to printer then click on add printer it,s coming up with a warning saying you do not have administrative rights but I,m the only user This vista is doing me no good

[Rik]

I'm right out of my depth here, Henry, as I've avoided Vista like the plague. My guess is you need to give yourself administrator status - but wait for someone who knows what they're talking about to come along.