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Windows Vista forum: Cannot connect to network printer

by: Disneyfan July 30, 2007 12:45 PM PDT

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Cannot connect to network printer

by Disneyfan - 7/30/07 12:45 PM

I just setup a wireless home network for a friend that has two computers on it. One, is a new laptop running Vista Home Premium. The other is an old IBM NetVista desktop running Windows XP Home and has a LexMark printer attached. Both computers are configured to be on the same workgroup. I want to be able to print from the laptop to the LexMark printer. The printer is set to be shared on the XP desktop system. I also have the latest XP printer driver installed on the desktop and the latest Vista printer driver installed on the laptop. I temporarily disabled the firewall on both systems.

When I try to attach a network printer in Vista, it finds the printer but fails to connect. If I try a suggestion to attach the printer as a local printer, it also fails. Either way, I end up with an icon for the printer in the Printers folder. When I go to properties on that Printer I can see the ink level, the print queue, etc. BUT... when I try to print from the laptop, it fails with...

"Windows cannot communicate with the printer. Operation cannot be completed."

Obviously Vista can see and communicate with the printer (properties) but it just cannot print. I would appreciate any suggestions. I have tried all of this several times with the same results.


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Just checking.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 7/30/07 2:43 PM

In Reply to: Cannot connect to network printer by Disneyfan

Do you have the same name and password ACCOUNT on both the Vista and the XP machine? These networking rules still apply in Vista.

Same thing about that firewall...

Bob


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So...if I understand correctly...

by Disneyfan - 7/30/07 3:03 PM

In Reply to: Just checking. by R. Proffitt Moderator

...if I were to create a user account on the Vista system (say 'home') and a user account on the XP system that matches, with the same passwords, you think it might work? When I first started doing this, the message was followed by "Access Denied" which then this solution would seem logical (although it wasn't necessary in XP only networks). Now the message is followed with "Operation could not be completed". I suppose that the user account solution could still work. I'm stymied by the fact that I can view all the info about the printer (ink level, settings, queue) but cannot print. I would have thought that I could either do it all or nothing at all.

I'll try the user account suggestion and report back. Thanks.


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It's more perverse than that.

by R. Proffitt Moderator - 7/30/07 3:21 PM

In Reply to: So...if I understand correctly... by Disneyfan

After the account is made sometimes I have to delete the share, recreate the share and try to connect again.

If you think about permissions it all becomes clear (as muck.)

Bob


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Try this:

by glb613 - 7/31/07 3:35 AM

In Reply to: Cannot connect to network printer by Disneyfan

http://www.networkmagic.com/


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Network Magic

by bowacl - 7/31/07 11:29 AM

In Reply to: Try this: by glb613

Although this program was free when AOL offered it to it's members and still maybe to them it now has printer sharing as a premium service and is only included for a 7 day free trial after that you would have to pay for the full version.

Northlite


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Network printer

by bowacl - 7/31/07 11:22 AM

In Reply to: Cannot connect to network printer by Disneyfan

Have you set the printer up as a network printer or as a local one?

On my Compaq Vista laptop I had to set it up as a local printer to print to my all in one that is attached to my Gateway also Vista computer.

Here are the steps I followed: Goto Control Panel, Printers then Add Printer, Add Local Printer, Click Create a New Port, leave Default Local Port, click Next, box will come up, type in the actual printer address such as \\computername\printername, you will know this actual address from where Vista does find the printer when you try to set it up as networked, I had to install the Vista supplied drivers for my older all in one by picking my printer from the list, I left it shared and printed a test page.

Hope this helps since you seem to be getting the same problem I had. Network Magic did not work for me and I have a problem getting rid of it after ward.
Northlite

It worked for me.
Northlite


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I did try setting it up as a local printer but...

by Disneyfan - 7/31/07 12:31 PM

In Reply to: Network printer by bowacl

...it didn't work. I am going from a Vista laptop to an XP desktop with the printer attached to the desktop.


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It may not be possible.

by rcfnpl - 5/3/08 8:15 PM

In Reply to: I did try setting it up as a local printer but... by Disneyfan

I have a Lexmark x5470 printer connected to an XP Dell desktop. I recently bought a Vista Dell laptop. The desktop and laptop are on the same network. The laptop is connected wirelessly. The desktop is wired.
Two days ago I contacted Lexmark to get help using the printer from both computers. I was told it can't be done using different operating systems. When I upgrade to Vista on the desktop I should call back.

Has anyone been able to share this Lexmark with Vista and XP on the same network?


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