overpass
Junior Member
Buffalo Bill
Posts: 63
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Post by overpass on Aug 8, 2010 10:18:56 GMT
Hi Guys and Gals, I have just installed a Win.7 Laptop to my XP Desktop hopefully as a network.. The router is connected to the Desktop by cable as is the Printer(USB). The Laptop is wireless. The transfer of files and folders is fine but i'm darned if I can get the Printer to work from the Laptop.All the tick boxes etc. seem to be correct for sharing but no go.I connected the Printer by cable to the Laptop and that worked ok which suggests the wireless connection is at fault but where is a mystery to me.Any help would be much appreciated Thanks Bill
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Post by ken on Aug 8, 2010 10:40:50 GMT
When using wired and wireless computers, its normal to either have the the printer connected to the router RJ45 connection. The other way is to have a wireless print server, USB connection. To use it as it is, I suppose the easiest way would be to have a bluetooth connection between the 2 computers. Probably cheaper to buy a print server. Be careful though, some print servers wont work with Windows 7. Now they are making wireless printers with RJ45 connections, print servers are almost obsolete. You can buy them a dime a dozen, but they wont work with Win7.
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Post by Roz on Aug 8, 2010 20:44:00 GMT
Mine works fine the way you're trying to do it. But in reality I don't often use it that way, for the simple reason both computers have to be switched on (the laptop wont see the printer if it's host the computer it's connected to isn't switched on - this is how it differs from what Ken's explaining), plus you still need to go to the printer to load it and collect the printouts, so in reality I find it easier to do it from the machine it's physically connected to.
By the way mine are both Vista, but when I had a XP laptop with the Vista desktop it worked fine too.
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Post by ken on Aug 8, 2010 21:13:30 GMT
Theres a networking problem between XP and Windows 7, which there wasn't between Vista and XP. Sometimes the XP will see the Windows 7 machine, but Win7 wont see the XP machine.
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Post by nike on Aug 8, 2010 21:28:11 GMT
I can't say I know the immediate answer to this problem, but as Ken says, Sometimes wireless networking between an XP machine and a W7 machine just doesn't work. My solution was to install W7 on all my five computers, (3 laptops, 2 PC's), now I don't have a problem.
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overpass
Junior Member
Buffalo Bill
Posts: 63
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Post by overpass on Aug 10, 2010 15:04:36 GMT
Hi Ken Thanks for the info.Probably the easiest way for me would be to connect the Printer via cable to the Router as you suggested. Are there cables available Printer to RJ45? Don't seem to see one in my catalogue. Bill
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Post by ken on Aug 10, 2010 15:41:46 GMT
No Bill, most printers are USB connection and you have to buy a network printer to connect via RJ45. A wireless print server is the only way to use a USB connection for a network printer. As I said you need to be careful as they dont all work with Windows 7. I've got a network printer connected to my router, but I tried out my old Belkin print server out of curiosity. I couldn't get it to work with Win7, neither with USB or wireless. That is the trouble with Win7, it dont like the older hardware
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overpass
Junior Member
Buffalo Bill
Posts: 63
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Post by overpass on Aug 10, 2010 17:38:33 GMT
Well Ken maybe a network printer would be the best answer.The printer I am using works ok but probably a little out of date.Have to break into the piggy bank. Thanks a lot for your advice
Bill
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Post by ken on Aug 10, 2010 18:14:28 GMT
I've got a HP Photosmart C5180, its been discontinued for a couple of years now and I think it was the last one they made without the wireless built in. I think it was C6180 that replaced it and thats got both RJ45 connection and wireless. Apart from that they are much the same. They are not cheap, but they take a CISS system and it costs next to nothing run. It cost me about £30.00 for 6 half litres of ink, with free delivery. I paid about £40.00 for the system and the 6 100ml tanks were full. If you buy the official cartridges its over 70 quid for the 6 x 30ml.
Thats the printer I would pick if mine packed up and I could take the CISS out of one and put it straight in in the other. Its a bit of a layout, but you save in the long run and you never get low on ink.
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