Printer sharing over wireless connection

Mr_Frugal

I am wanting to set up printer sharing between 2 PC's in my house over a wireless Netgear WG624 (108Mbps) router.
I am keen to ensure that I do so whilst protecting the security of the wireless connection (currently using WPA-PSK).

I have read the threads in the sticky's at top of this section and cant seem to get it to work !

Both PC's are running Windows XP (one is running XP Home - ie the 'router connected' PC) and the other is running Windows XP Pro.
Could anyone please tell me in laymans terms how I create a network (don't know if the fact that both can access internet via same connection/router means that a network already exists or not (???)) and how I then link the printer (that is also linked to same PC as router) to the other PC.

(Have had a look at Windows "My Network Places" but got nowhere quick !!!!

Thanks,

Mr_F

odowdchr

Control Panel > Network Connections > Set Up a Home or Small Office Network > Follow Instructions.
Repeat on other PC....both machines needs to be in the same named workgroup (which you can choose)

For printing, that router hasn't got a printserver built in, so both computers need to be switched on to print.
On the machine with the installed printer connected...right click on the printer and choose Properties > Sharing > Share This Printer > "name it"

Then try and discover it in My Network Places from the other machine...install driver when you do.

Mr_Frugal

Thanks for that. have just done as advised but still not quite working (missing something obvious I know I am !)
Having set up the network (through wizard on both PC's naming one as the direct link to internet (ie host) and the other as feeding from it).
Having completed this both PC's asked me to reboot (which I did on both)
However when trying to scan on secondary PC for printer (which I have successful managed to set up as shared on 1st PC) then it is not finding it - gut feeling is that it isn't finding the network !
Both PC's are set up with exactly the same Workgroup name.
However when I go in to "My Network Places" on either PC I dont see anything (ie both blank) - I was half expecting to see a mention of the workgroup or network !!!!?????
Tried then to click on ""View Workgroup Computers" (on both PC's) and got the following error message (on both PC's) " 'WORKGROUPNAME' is not accessible. You might not have permission to use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server to find out if you have access permissions. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available."

Is there somewhere I need to go to allow permissions to finalise this network setup ?????

Any help greatly appreciated !


Thanks,

Mr_F.

albertross_2

do you have any firewalls on these PC's?

are you able to ping pc1 from pc2 and vice versa?

is file and print sharing listed under the network adapter properties

start, run, cmd
ping 192.168.0.x where x is 1 or 2 etc.

if you have a router, you don't need to setup a PC as an ICS internet host, the router handles the internet.

Mr_Frugal

Hi albertross, yes both PC's have Norton's Internet Security enabled.

Tried pinging each from the other (as suggested) and in each case 4 packets sent, 4 packets lost (request timed out 4 times).

albertross_2

double check the ipaddress of both pc's, by doing, start, run, cmd
ipconfig

if you are pinging the correct address

turn norton firewall off for a bit.

(your router will protect you)

and ping again.

you need to get to the point of pinging working before F&P sharing will work

Mr_Frugal

Yeah, turning off firewalls on each has allowed 100% successful pinging (each way).

Can you help with what else I need to do to get the network established ?

Also, if Nortons is tobe left permantly off (in order to file share ????) will my router fully protect both PC's in terms of a firewall ??
Was running WPA-PSK when i set router up (Netgear) but not sure if this setting up of network effects that WPA-PSK and reduces the security at all ???

albertross_2

wpa-psk just protects the wireless (and therefore access to your network) from the neighbours, continue to use it. Make sure it is in place before doing this, otherwise you could end up giving the neighbours access to your files. If it says security enabled network (WPA) in your wireless network scanner, you are ok.

Norton firewall can be configured to allow filesharing etc, but suggest you get it working first, then sort that out. In the meantime, your router (assuming that you haven't turned off nat) will protect you from the outside world getting in, the norton firewall is a second line of defence, but unlikely to be doing much, because the router is blocking access before it gets to the pc.

Are you able to see the workgroup now?

Mr_Frugal

When clicking on "My Network Places" now I can see the router connected PC (call it PC1) on both PC1 and PC2's network places but no mmention of PC2 ???
Also when 'searching' for printer on network cant find it !
On PC2 I go to "add printer" in wizard and tell it I am trying in a network, then click on browse....it just hangs saying searching.

Interestingly (yet a little oddly) it does show a printer set up PC2 (which is an old printer that I used to have set up on PC1 which still exists but IS not set up as default printer on PC1) !!???

albertross_2

do you have a second ethernet cable available, just to try it wired instead of wireless?

In the router config, wireless screen, is there a wireless isolation tick box, if it is ticked, try unticking it.

When you right click on the printer properties, on the PC with it attached, is sharing enabled for the printer?

Mr_Frugal

Thanks albertross but it is finally working (thanks to all the help from you and others on here). I had several (5) print drivers set up on PC1 (and for some reason unknown to me my PC had decided to share all 5 (I only asked for it to share the 1)).
So I 'unshared' them all, rebooted both PC's and then set up the correct one as shared again. It worked !!!! Hoorah.

Just need to find out now how to configure Nortons to work with file sharing on each PC.


Thanks again to all.