Shared Printer

  • Thread starter Thread starter John Gregory
  • Start date Start date
J

John Gregory

I have three machines using three systems in my home network; WIN95,
WIN98SE, and Windows XP HE. I had a printed connected to the WIN98SE machine
but started using the XP so much that I brought it to the floor where the XP
is located. Ever since, I get a communication error every time I attempt to
print from the 98SE.

I've reset the default and chose the path correctly. In desperation recently
I chose an option perhaps I shouldn't have but I don't know how to undo it.
I remember see the same screen I get each time I attempt to print, informing
me of a communication error (can't communicate with printer" or something to
that effect.) This message went on to mention USB port (which my print uses)
and "IEEE (some #). It went on to speak of uni-directional vs bi-directional
communication. Somewhere along the way, I thought it was worth a try so I
checked the box. Ever since, I get nothing other than the original message
window stating a communication error. I DO however get a new message; my
Norton firewall has begun telling me another computer occasionally attempts
to communicate with my machine through some port. The message is high risk
so I never give it access. I think this has something to do with that IEEE
stuff and the solution involves doing something with my Lexmark Z55 printer
.... but I can't find a thing on the subject.

If anyone has anything at all to offer that might out me on the right track
to getting my printer on line as well as getting this BCM update installed,
I'd appreciate hearing from you.

P.S. With the Lexmark computer connected and working with the XP system, do
I need to install a 98SE driver on the XP as well... or do the drivers go
with the machines the devices are hooked to rather than the remote machines
that send then the requests to print?
 
Correction! Request concerning printer remains open. I got distracted and
too engrossed in the BCM issue.
 
Thank you, Cari. I have a better understanding ...but I'm stuck at the last
step.

I deleted the drive on the 98SE machine, downloaded the appropriate drive
from the manufacture's website, placed it in a folder on the XP machine,
extracted it into a subfolder, returned to the 98SE machine, used the "Add
Printer" wizard and selected "Network Printer"; here's where the trouble
started.

I found my XP printer listed and it's appropriate path. I selected it's
designated name "LexmarkZ55". The next screen took me to the "Manufacturers"
and "Printers" window. I selected "Lexmark" but my specific printer, Z55,
wasn't listed. I decided to choose "Have Disk", then "Browse" which brought
me to a "Network" option and a window entitled "Map Network Drive" which
listed nothing more than drive numbers from F through Z. No other options...
no other instructions... no action taken. I cancelled out of all screens and
returned here. I need further instructions please.

As a side note, when exploring the Directory tree on the C drive of my XP
machine, I noticed two locations for Lexmark drivers. One is My
Computer/Local Disk C/Drivers/Printer. Inside "Printer" are files for
Lexmark - I assume - plus a subdirectory called "English" with more Lexmark
files (I assume) and a "date created" on the Setup.exe file of 2*17-03. The
second directory is located at My Computer/Local Disk C/LxkZ55. Inside
"LxkZ55" again are files and an "English" subdirectory that I assume belongs
to Lexmark. The Setup.exe file here is older; 10/16/97. I suspect this was
an early attempt to drive the Lexmark from the XP machine when the printer
was connected to the 98SE machine. Subsequently, I brought the printer to
the XP machine and connected it with a USB connector as recommended. I was
successful in driving the printer from the XP machine when connected to
either machine. The printer worked successfully when connected to the 98SE
machine. And ... as you know... I'm now having difficulty getting it to work
when I attempt to drive that printer while connected to the XP machine. I
don't think these two different but similar directories have anything to do
with my failure to find the appropriate driver from among those listed on
the windows I get when trying to set up the 98SE machine.
 
I too have the same problem. I am using lexmark x5250 that is installe
on my desktop (xp pro). The printer is shared and the share name i
lexmark5. I hve installed the other printer on my laptop client pc (x
home). I have verified that print and file sharing is enabled on bot
pcs and the firewall is turned off. The port path on the client i
\\DESKTOP(host comp. name)\lexmark5 and when I installed the printer o
client it found it with no problems. When I try to print from the clien
it says that it cannot communicate with the printer. I have pinged th
host successfully. I am at my wits end. Please help.

P.s. thanks cari for the links. I have follow them to a tee with n
avai
 
Thanks for the reply

I forgot to mention that file sharing is working on both computers.
Also the shared printer shows up on the client as lexmark 5200 series
on (host name). I also noticed that the downlevel document is stuck on
printing in the queue on the host and it says that the owner is guest
but the guest account on the client is turned off. The only way to
clear the queue is to use the cmd function to stop then start the
spooler. If I can share files and was able to detect the printer from
the client machine during installation, shouldn't I be able to
communicate with the printer?
 
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