Help! Print sharing+Network+2000&XP

[Logistics]

hay guys whats going on in this thread

So I setup a refreshed system with an old copy of XP Pro, with no service packs, of course. The network setup is a Netopia router as well as a little 10Base hub. What I have is this newly added system with XP hooked up to the hub which is plugged into Port 1 of the Router. There is at least one or two of the other systems on the hub as well. All the existing systems seem to be running Windows 2000.

There are several printers on the network, and I can only see 3 of the 4, (those three run directly off the assorted systems on the network) and even when I try to add one of those three as a networked printer on this XP system, they all say access denied as if they want authentication. In any case, I can't see the big copier/printer machine I actually need to print to from this XP system. The big machine is plugged into Port 4 of the Router itself. All of the other systems can apparently print to it. I also cannot access the Router because I don't have the required username and password, which is long lost, and I'm afraid to reset the router and possibly mess anything up because it's a small business which can't afford to be down. Although, I imagine it shouldn't be a problem to throw back together, but you know; anxiety!

So am I having a problem because the added system is XP and the others are 2000? I've worked as a Techie for a few companies, but I've never been a network guy. :/ plz 2 halp meh

[willawake]

Re: Help! Print sharing+Network+2000&XP

i am assuming this is workgroup networking with probably static IPs?

looks like you need to add account for your computer to which ever one you want to print to.
there are some issues with win2k/xp networking but should work eventually.

For the big printer, i guess it is not attached to a print server? i think its not discoverable. need to find its IP then you can ping it to check you can see it.

and then setup like this ignore the jetdirect stuff and scroll down.

[Logistics]

Re: Help! Print sharing+Network+2000&XP

I never really bothered to see if it was a Static IP. Yes, they are all workgrouped.

Okay. Another wierd thing I noticed is that the discovery time with the other printers is horrendous. At first I sat around for a few minutes and thought I couldn't see anything! I go look at the router and hub in the other room, come back and this time when I go to add a network printer, I can see those three which are connected to the systems, and I can see all the computers under Network Places, but again, I can't see the big printer/copier.

I figure that for one thing the hub only being 10base isn't fantastic, although it should be completely adequate for their DSL connection, correct? Also, their internet was setup years ago on that little Netopia router and it could probably use a firmware update BAD! I've been goofing with our router here at home for years so there's probably nothing to worry about, but I'm still paranoid about resetting theirs. Just one of those "what if" scenarios.

[willawake]

Re: Help! Print sharing+Network+2000&XP

I never really bothered to see if it was a Static IP. Yes, they are all workgrouped.

then how did you choose IP/subnet for the computer you installed? are you using the router for DHCP?

i dont usually worry about discovery time etc in the workgroup. just get it all setup and disable the computer browser. I use a samba server to be master browser, set it up to over-rule everything and then disable all computer browsers.

this is one of the issues with win2k/xp they try to fight an election to be master browser and that is why you have the delay. i guess you have no server or 24/7 pc (which should be master browser and computer browser service disabled on the workstations)

just disable computer browser in services on the win2k workstation and discovery should be faster

like i said with the big printer. find out its IP and see if you can ping it. If you cannot then you are looking at some problem with the router config. Forget about discovering it because if it is not connected to a workgroup print server then it is not going to appear i guess.

10baseT is probably fine to share DSL but for file sharing and if the big printer has a 100 card inside then its not the best. This whole office setup sounds like crap, I bet they have no servers.......all using outlook express with no backup. Printers attached to workstations cos people are too lazy to share a workgroup one...........probably inkjets and therefore wasting money. Easily a linux based print server could be setup for the big printer using crappy hardware. The hub could be replaced with a 10/100 one for so little. The router could be replaced with a newer one with hardware firewall for 100 bucks or whatever. linux based server and backup could be introduced. Group mail solution etc.

You have possibility for an impressive proposal for improvement of the network. If you keep costs reasonable then it is probably going to go through, most company users dont know what they want until you tell them.

[Tom41]

Re: Help! Print sharing+Network+2000&XP

With Windows NT, 2000 and XP Pro, you can have both 'workgroup' and 'domain' settings. A workgroup is just like the workgroup option in home versions of Windows, i.e. you can have a set of computers on the same local subnet.

Domains are more complicated. You need to have a server running as a Domain Controller (not to be confused with a Domain Name Server), and join each computer to the domain using the Control Panel Network options.

If you're running a domain, has the big printer been attached to the domain properly? You may need to go to the server, make it find the printer and connect to it before any of the other domain clients can access it.
From what you're saying, it sounds as if you might not have joined the XP machine to the domain. Although you can access the Internet through the connection, you won't be able to access any shared resources unless you're part of the same domain.

In addition, I assume you're using TCP/IP to connect your computers together. If your printer is on a different subnet to the computers, they probably won't be able to find it. I don't know exactly how subnet bridging works, so your best option would be to change the printer config and place it on the same subnet as your computers.

You can find the subnet and IP details of your computer by opening a DOS prompt (run cmd.exe) and typing ipconfig.

[Logistics]

Re: Help! Print sharing+Network+2000&XP

I'm assuming the router is being used for DHCP. After hooking the system up it had net access right away. Afterward I set it up on the same Workgroup as the other computers. Again, I can see the printers attached to all the other users' systems, but I cannot see the big lone Panasonic Printer/Copier. The other users' systems can see it, though. I still haven't gotten back there yet, so I'll let you know. Again, there are 3 or 4 other systems in the place, one running 2000, one running NT (don't know which version), the new one running XP Pro, I don't remember what the others are running, but which systems would you suggest disabling the network browsing on and which ones should I leave it enabled on?

No, there is no server, and I think they turn their systems off when they leave, if they remember.

The big Printer/Copier is connected to the back of the Router itself so that is probably at 100, but two or three of the systems in the building, including the one I just added, are run off the 10base hub which is connected to the router. I'm tempted to just drop a basic Linksys router on the job and a 10/100 hub, but then I would have to get them to call their ISP to find out their username and password, which nobody knows, I can't even find out the username because of the protection at the router.

If I reset the router, it will remove all the password protection and what not, right; so I can get into it?

Also, I don't remember any of the systems being on a Domain when I was checking the other workstations' settings out, but I'll check again.