[livefortoday6491]

Trying to print from my laptop to my desktop pc through my router but it asks for a printer name while trying to "add printer" it cannot recognise it. I can ping the ip both ways ok. printer software is loaded only on the Desktop.

[JohnWill]

Take a look at this File and Print Sharing Tutorial (CNET).

[TerryNet]

You could also review your recent "solved" thread: http://forums.techguy.org/networking...c-printer.html

What (bad) happened in the last week?

[livefortoday6491]

I had blue crashes. A program I loaded messed it up. I did a repair reinstall and was faced with the missing VIAAGPI.sys on VIAAGP again but through device manager I found it system devices called VIA CPU to AGP controller. It might help others although not everyone has a Microstar motherboard and thanks for your help.

[livefortoday6491]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

Take a look at this File and Print Sharing Tutorial (CNET).

Are you aware of TSG's new Signature Restrictions? Don't understand this I only had a one line sig. I will try and sort the laptop to Desktop printing and will report back tomorrow.

[JohnWill]

The comment is on my signature, it's for all to see, it wasn't directed at you. If yours was out of line, I would have mentioned it. We're just trying to get the word out about the change.

[livefortoday6491]

Thanks for the explanations. I still cannot print from the laptop only with a cable direct to the printer. Can you suggest any checks I could make to solve this big headache?

[TerryNet]

On the desktop make sure the printer is still shared. On the laptop delete the printer and then reconnect to it.

[livefortoday6491]

On the laptop delete the printer and then reconnect to it.Does this mean the icon in control panels >"printers and faxs" or the software driver. I will make sure the printer is still shared.

[TerryNet]

The icon in Printers and Faxes.

[JohnWill]

If you browse for machines in your Network Places, do you see the machine with the printer? When you double click the printer's machine, do you see the actual printer name?

[livefortoday6491]

That has made it worse as the add printer wizard will not accept the printers name but it did before. It lists the work group name on the laptop however.

[livefortoday6491]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

If you browse for machines in your Network Places, do you see the machine with the printer? When you double click the printer's machine, do you see the actual printer name?

No is the answer to both your questions I only see folders that can be shared

[JohnWill]

That would indicate the printer is not really shared if the folders appear but the printer does not. I've illustrated below what you should see, please post a screen shot of what you see when you browse the machine with the printer.


To post a screen shot of the active window, hold the Alt key and press the PrtScn key. Open the Windows PAINT application and Paste the screen shot. You can then use PAINT to trim to suit, and save it as a JPG format file. To upload it to TSG, open the full reply window and use the Manage Attachments button to upload it here.

[livefortoday6491]

I have done the screen shot as requested but do not have Paint so have done a Photoshop jpeg as an attachment.