Unable to print in a workgroup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sol
  • Start date Start date
S

Sol

Hello.

I was working on a 2 PC Windows XP Home SP2 workgroup and I was unable
to get a shared printer to print from one of the PCs. The PC hosting
the printer was an older Dell Dimension desktop which could print
without issues, and the other PC in the workgroup was a Dell laptop
(Latitude?). The PCs are connected through a Linksys WiFi router (the
laptop is wireless, the desktop wired). The printer is set to be
shared, and both PCs can access the internet, and ping each other
successfully. Running the Add Printer wizard on the laptop at the
beginning of all this, and selecting "browse the network for printers"
did list the printer share, but when I tried to select the share (or if
I tried to enter the \\servername\sharename manually) all that happened
is a small dialog box labeled "Connect to compnamehere..." appeared,
asking for a password to log onto the desktop PC as "\\compname\Guest".
The Guest accounts on both PCs were active, and *as far as I know* had
no passwords protecting either one. Needless to say, whenever I tried
to enter a blank password, or enter the password "guest" or "Guest",
this dialog box errored out with an "access denied" or similar message.
Running the Network Setup Wizard on both PCs changed nothing. I
changed the desktop PC's computer name and the printer share's name,
which did nothing (but see below). I tried to perform "net print
\\compname\printershare" from the laptop to the shared printer, and I
received this error: "System error 1385 has occurred - Logon failure:
the user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer"
or something to that effect. I tried to create a user account with the
same name, privileges and password on both PCs to see if that would
allow access to the printer share, but no dice. The printer share did
not appear in the Add Printer wizard under "browse network for printers"
after I changed the desktop PC's "computer name" and the printer share's
name, although the computer name did appear. A "net print" from the
desktop PC to the laptop worked without any errors. Both PCs are set to
use the same workgroup, MSHOME. Finally, I tried to disable the Windows
Firewall on both PCs, even though both reported that File and Print
Sharing was being allowed through the firewall. Interestingly, on the
desktop PC, I was unable to turn off the Windows Firewall through the
control panel applet, because the option was greyed out. The only
option I could choose was the "Don't allow exceptions" checkbox. At the
top of the window, a message read something like this: "Due to security
concerns, Windows Firewall is being controlled by group policy". As
stated above, both machines have XP Home SP2 (actually, I believe the
laptop had XP Media Center, but it definetly had SP2 installed). I was
totally unable to access the group policy editor on the desktop (for
obvious reasons).

Any ideas?

Thanks very much in advance for your help. I apologize for the
imprecise nature of the above problem description, but unfortunately I
don't own the machines in question and I'm not near them.

Thanks again and cheers!
 
Sol said:
Hello.

I was working on a 2 PC Windows XP Home SP2 workgroup and I was unable
to get a shared printer to print from one of the PCs. The PC hosting
the printer was an older Dell Dimension desktop which could print
without issues, and the other PC in the workgroup was a Dell laptop
(Latitude?). The PCs are connected through a Linksys WiFi router (the
laptop is wireless, the desktop wired). The printer is set to be
shared, and both PCs can access the internet, and ping each other
successfully. Running the Add Printer wizard on the laptop at the
beginning of all this, and selecting "browse the network for printers"
did list the printer share, but when I tried to select the share (or if
I tried to enter the \\servername\sharename manually) all that happened
is a small dialog box labeled "Connect to compnamehere..." appeared,
asking for a password to log onto the desktop PC as "\\compname\Guest".
The Guest accounts on both PCs were active, and *as far as I know* had
no passwords protecting either one. Needless to say, whenever I tried
to enter a blank password, or enter the password "guest" or "Guest",
this dialog box errored out with an "access denied" or similar message.
Running the Network Setup Wizard on both PCs changed nothing. I
changed the desktop PC's computer name and the printer share's name,
which did nothing (but see below). I tried to perform "net print
\\compname\printershare" from the laptop to the shared printer, and I
received this error: "System error 1385 has occurred - Logon failure:
the user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer"
or something to that effect. I tried to create a user account with the
same name, privileges and password on both PCs to see if that would
allow access to the printer share, but no dice. The printer share did
not appear in the Add Printer wizard under "browse network for printers"
after I changed the desktop PC's "computer name" and the printer share's
name, although the computer name did appear. A "net print" from the
desktop PC to the laptop worked without any errors. Both PCs are set to
use the same workgroup, MSHOME. Finally, I tried to disable the Windows
Firewall on both PCs, even though both reported that File and Print
Sharing was being allowed through the firewall. Interestingly, on the
desktop PC, I was unable to turn off the Windows Firewall through the
control panel applet, because the option was greyed out. The only
option I could choose was the "Don't allow exceptions" checkbox. At the
top of the window, a message read something like this: "Due to security
concerns, Windows Firewall is being controlled by group policy". As
stated above, both machines have XP Home SP2 (actually, I believe the
laptop had XP Media Center, but it definetly had SP2 installed). I was
totally unable to access the group policy editor on the desktop (for
obvious reasons).

Any ideas?

Thanks very much in advance for your help. I apologize for the
imprecise nature of the above problem description, but unfortunately I
don't own the machines in question and I'm not near them.

Thanks again and cheers!
Click to expand...

:

I wish I could help you. However, I am having a similiar problem myself. I
have done everything required to enable the firewall, set-up the network, set
a printer for sharing and then it fails to connect to the external printer.
The "Add A Printer" wizard will display my own printer and the workgroup
name, but hangs indefinitely waiting for the network printer. I can't get an
answer (or a hint) from anybody.
 
Sol said:
Hello.

I was working on a 2 PC Windows XP Home SP2 workgroup and I was unable
to get a shared printer to print from one of the PCs. The PC hosting
the printer was an older Dell Dimension desktop which could print
without issues, and the other PC in the workgroup was a Dell laptop
(Latitude?). The PCs are connected through a Linksys WiFi router (the
laptop is wireless, the desktop wired). The printer is set to be
shared, and both PCs can access the internet, and ping each other
successfully. Running the Add Printer wizard on the laptop at the
beginning of all this, and selecting "browse the network for printers"
did list the printer share, but when I tried to select the share (or if
I tried to enter the \\servername\sharename manually) all that happened
is a small dialog box labeled "Connect to compnamehere..." appeared,
asking for a password to log onto the desktop PC as "\\compname\Guest".
The Guest accounts on both PCs were active, and *as far as I know* had
no passwords protecting either one. Needless to say, whenever I tried
to enter a blank password, or enter the password "guest" or "Guest",
this dialog box errored out with an "access denied" or similar message.
Running the Network Setup Wizard on both PCs changed nothing. I
changed the desktop PC's computer name and the printer share's name,
which did nothing (but see below). I tried to perform "net print
\\compname\printershare" from the laptop to the shared printer, and I
received this error: "System error 1385 has occurred - Logon failure:
the user has not been granted the requested logon type at this computer"
or something to that effect. I tried to create a user account with the
same name, privileges and password on both PCs to see if that would
allow access to the printer share, but no dice. The printer share did
not appear in the Add Printer wizard under "browse network for printers"
after I changed the desktop PC's "computer name" and the printer share's
name, although the computer name did appear. A "net print" from the
desktop PC to the laptop worked without any errors. Both PCs are set to
use the same workgroup, MSHOME. Finally, I tried to disable the Windows
Firewall on both PCs, even though both reported that File and Print
Sharing was being allowed through the firewall. Interestingly, on the
desktop PC, I was unable to turn off the Windows Firewall through the
control panel applet, because the option was greyed out. The only
option I could choose was the "Don't allow exceptions" checkbox. At the
top of the window, a message read something like this: "Due to security
concerns, Windows Firewall is being controlled by group policy". As
stated above, both machines have XP Home SP2 (actually, I believe the
laptop had XP Media Center, but it definetly had SP2 installed). I was
totally unable to access the group policy editor on the desktop (for
obvious reasons).

Any ideas?

Thanks very much in advance for your help. I apologize for the
imprecise nature of the above problem description, but unfortunately I
don't own the machines in question and I'm not near them.

Thanks again and cheers!
Click to expand...

What is the virus/malware state of both machines, particularly the
Desktop, and how do you know?

Could you view the exceptions to Windows Firewall, and if so, is "File
and Printer Sharing" listed and checked?

See http://windowsxp.mvps.org/resetfwpol.htm

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
 
Lem said:
What is the virus/malware state of both machines, particularly the
Desktop, and how do you know?
Click to expand...

Good question. I have no idea, though the PCs' owner did suspect a
little malware may be present (possibly on either system, but
particularly the desktop). It/they certainly could be infected and
infested.
Could you view the exceptions to Windows Firewall, and if so, is "File
and Printer Sharing" listed and checked?
Click to expand...

Yes, I could view the exceptions to Windows Firewall on the desktop PC,
and yes, "File and Printer Sharing" was listed and checked. I even
looked at which ports were being forwarded through the Firewall, and
they appeared to match the ports opened in the Firewall on the laptop
(they were left at the default ports). I had no trouble disabling the
Firewall on the laptop or viewing any of its exceptions etc., incidentally.
See http://windowsxp.mvps.org/resetfwpol.htm
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I'll certainly give that a try and see if it helps
any. I think the malware tack is probably the most sensible one to try
next, though I believe it could also be a security or parental control
app gone wild, or something along those lines. I'll check further. But
any more ideas, especially in regard to "System Error 1385" would be
much appreciated!

Thanks very much.
 
Sol wrote:

But any more ideas, especially in regard to "System Error 1385" would be
much appreciated!

Thanks very much.
Click to expand...

There's always Google: http://tinyurl.com/4tcbhf

If Bob Lin's advice (from the first hit) doesn't help, do try Hans-Georg
Michna's Windows Network Problem Solver (referenced in the second hit).
--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
 
Lem said:
There's always Google: http://tinyurl.com/4tcbhf
Click to expand...

Sorry, I guess I didn't mention it, but I did actually already google
this problem up, and I did look at a lot of info...
If Bob Lin's advice (from the first hit) doesn't help, do try Hans-Georg
Michna's Windows Network Problem Solver (referenced in the second hit).
Click to expand...

....however, I totally missed Michna's 'Windows Network Problem Solver'.
What a great tool! Thanks for pointing it out to me. I think I can
tackle the problem with this info. I'll post my results.

Thanks again and cheers.
 
Sol said:
Sorry, I guess I didn't mention it, but I did actually already google
this problem up, and I did look at a lot of info...


...however, I totally missed Michna's 'Windows Network Problem Solver'.
What a great tool! Thanks for pointing it out to me. I think I can
tackle the problem with this info. I'll post my results.
Click to expand...


Yep, the 'Windows Network Problem Solver' worked for me. I'm not going
to repost all the details, they're enumerated quite ably at Hans-Georg
Michna's website. Go to

http://winhlp.com/wxnet.htm

and use the 'Windows Network Problem Solver' if you are experiencing the
same sort of issues I've described in this thread. Thanks again for the
help I've received.

Cheers!
 
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