Print Server not seen

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ralph Cohen
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R

Ralph Cohen

I added a Win XP Pro system to a small peer network consisting of Win2K and
Win98 systems. The XP system sees all the other systems and shared
printers on the network but does not see the print server. The print
server doesn't show up at all when viewing My Network Places - even after
searching for it by its name (printserver1) and IP (192.168.1.100). I have
no problem locating or manipulating the print server from the XP system
using PSAdmin, PSUtil or the web interface but otherwise it's invisible.
Any suggestions for how to make it appear?

Thanks,

Ralph Cohen
 
Ralph Cohen said:
I added a Win XP Pro system to a small peer network consisting of Win2K and
Win98 systems. The XP system sees all the other systems and shared
printers on the network but does not see the print server. The print
server doesn't show up at all when viewing My Network Places - even after
searching for it by its name (printserver1) and IP (192.168.1.100). I have
no problem locating or manipulating the print server from the XP system
using PSAdmin, PSUtil or the web interface but otherwise it's invisible.
Any suggestions for how to make it appear?

Thanks,

Ralph Cohen
Click to expand...


You don't say what kind of print server you have.

Most print servers don't appear in My Network Places because they are not
running Windows SMB servers.
They are simple TCP/IP devices which accept connections on port 9100.
Those which DO appear in My Network Places either:
Do support an SMB server; -or-
Have special software running on the PC to extend Network Neighbourhood
to
include something cheesy like HP JetDirect Neighbourhood
( my memory is faint on this.. )

They don't need to appear in My Network Places to use them.
Just use the built-in TCP/IP printing capability:

Start | printers and Faxes | add a printer;

Next;
Local Printer, Do not Auto-detect, Next;
Create a New port, Standard TCP/IP port, Next;
Next;
Enter the printer IP address;
Leave the port name as it defaults;
Sometimes it mistakes the PrintServer box/card for a multi-port device.
If it asks, use Parallel 1.
Finish the wizard.
( It grinds for a while here )

Now, select your printer driver from either the windows-supplied
drivers,
or use 'Have Disk..' to browse to your downloaded drivers.

Ensure the printer is using the new 'Standard TCP/IP port'.
That's it.
 
Hi Ron,

Thanks for your suggestions. I tried everything without any success so I
bit the bullet and did a complete reinstallation and now everything is
working as it should. Immediately after installing NETBEUI the printserver
appeared in the workgroup and I was able to install the attached printers.
I can't figure out exactly what caused the problem in the first place, but
I suspect it was my own haste in installing WinXP and the updates and the
anti-virus, firewall and other programs without getting all the basics like
printer installation to work first. It's a lesson I'll not soon forget!

Ralph Cohen
 
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