2 printers 2 computers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Devang Devani
  • Start date Start date
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Devang Devani

Hello,

I'm planning on networking two existing computers (win98 and winxp based).
I also have two printers, one inkjet that does duplexing and one laser
non-duplexing. On both computers I will need the use of both printers.

I have a router without a print server at the moment. Is there anyway I can
have access to both printers from both computers without having to buy more
hardware? If so, a link to a website or a short explanation on how to do it
would be appreciated.

Thanks in advanced.
 
Devang Devani said:
Hello,

I'm planning on networking two existing computers (win98 and winxp based).
I also have two printers, one inkjet that does duplexing and one laser
non-duplexing. On both computers I will need the use of both printers.

I have a router without a print server at the moment. Is there anyway I can
have access to both printers from both computers without having to buy more
hardware? If so, a link to a website or a short explanation on how to do it
would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Once you got the network running just attach a printer to each computer and
share them. You may be able to attach both printers to one computer,
depending on interface, and share both for other computers on the network to
use.
 
The downside to what you want to do, is that the computer the printer is
attached to must be running. Netgear makes small printservers that attach
directly to the parallel connector (no parallel cable needed) on the
printer...you still need the Ethernet cable, but they are cheaper than
parallel cables. This printserver goes for about $45 (figure $45 less what
you would have spent on your parallel cable). The upside of a printserver
is that one of your computers could die and you'd still be able to use your
printer(s) from the other PC. I know, printservers can die too but so far I
haven't seen that happen (and they are a whole lot cheaper to replace, if
they do).
 
Once you got the network running just attach a printer to each computer and
share them. You may be able to attach both printers to one computer,
depending on interface, and share both for other computers on the network to
use.
Click to expand...

Just make sure that the XP box uses FAT32 as its file system otherwise
the Win98 box won't even know that the XP box exists. Probably easier
to get a print server. Becoming relatively cheap now and it won't
matter if one box is switched off.

regards
Graham
 
Just make sure that the XP box uses FAT32 as its file system otherwise
the Win98 box won't even know that the XP box exists. Probably easier
to get a print server. Becoming relatively cheap now and it won't
matter if one box is switched off.
Click to expand...

Not even close... It doesn't matter whether or not you use FAT or NTFS on
the WinXP box. What matters is how you set the security on the XP box.

The easiest way to share the printer is to connect it to the Win 98 PC since
security settings there are at a minimum. Just need to have that PC on to
print to that printer.
 
Not even close... It doesn't matter whether or not you use FAT or NTFS on
the WinXP box. What matters is how you set the security on the XP box.

The easiest way to share the printer is to connect it to the Win 98 PC since
security settings there are at a minimum. Just need to have that PC on to
print to that printer.
Click to expand...
He's talking about two computers using TWO printers.

I know a Win98 box cannot see a XP box if its drive is converted to
NTFS. How? Simple really, I've got exactly that situation.
A WinXP box can access NTFS, FAT and FAT 32
Win 98 can access FAT and FAT 32 only
Read
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 306559>
snipped>
Likewise, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me do not recognize an
NTFS partition and identify it as unknown. Therefore, if you format a
Windows 98 or Windows Me partition as FAT, and a Windows XP partition
as NTFS, any files on the NTFS partition will not be available or
visible if you try to access them while running Windows 98 or Windows
Me.

regards
Graham
 
Not even close... It doesn't matter whether or not you use FAT or NTFS on
He's talking about two computers using TWO printers.

I know a Win98 box cannot see a XP box if its drive is converted to
NTFS. How? Simple really, I've got exactly that situation.
A WinXP box can access NTFS, FAT and FAT 32
Win 98 can access FAT and FAT 32 only
Read
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 306559>
Click to expand...

So where does it mention networking anyplace?

That article ONLY refers to hard drives in the same PC. If you are running
Win98 and install a hard drive formatted NTFS, Win98 won't read it. When
going over a network, format doesn't matter.
 
Graham said:
He's talking about two computers using TWO printers.

I know a Win98 box cannot see a XP box if its drive is converted to
NTFS. How? Simple really, I've got exactly that situation.
Click to expand...

Bullshit. Your problem is you know jack about networking.
A WinXP box can access NTFS, FAT and FAT 32
Win 98 can access FAT and FAT 32 only
Read
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 306559>
Click to expand...

While that maybe true, in a networked situation it's the OS in the local
machine that reads that data. A win98 machine can read a shared NTFS drive
on an XP machine as it's XP that is supplying the data, not 98.

I know this to be true by clicking on this here link on my desktop, it's a
shared drive, NTFS, on an XP machine and I can read it and copy to and from
it from 98.

Maybe I'm just lucky? No.
 
I know a Win98 box cannot see a XP box if its drive is converted to
NTFS. How? Simple really, I've got exactly that situation.
A WinXP box can access NTFS, FAT and FAT 32
Win 98 can access FAT and FAT 32 only
Read
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 306559>
snipped>
Likewise, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me do not recognize an
NTFS partition and identify it as unknown. Therefore, if you format a
Windows 98 or Windows Me partition as FAT, and a Windows XP partition
as NTFS, any files on the NTFS partition will not be available or
visible if you try to access them while running Windows 98 or Windows
Me.

regards
Graham
Click to expand...

That's odd. My winXP compurer and win 98 box see each other just fine over
my network. I have not looked at the artical but think they must be talking
about putting a hard drive in the computers. That is if you format a hard
drive as a NTFS in one computer using XP and put it in a win 98 computer ,
the win 98 operating system will not reconise the NTFS. In two seperate
computers over a network the files will share either way with no problem.
 
Not even close... It doesn't matter whether or not you use FAT or NTFS on
the WinXP box. What matters is how you set the security on the XP box.

The easiest way to share the printer is to connect it to the Win 98 PC since
security settings there are at a minimum. Just need to have that PC on to
print to that printer.
He's talking about two computers using TWO printers.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that...I stand corrected! I'd thought the reason I couldn't
see the drive on the XP machine was because of the fact that it was
using NTFS. Totally forgot about re-enabling sharing. Doh!

Have a nice day! Certainly made mine. (means the kids can keep their
grubby hands off my box and stay on their own computer)

regards
Graham
 
And he also said he had a router with a print server, so that takes care of
one printer right there. Use Win98 to share the other one.
 
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