Printer Sharing Issue within a Work Network

[aarbarr]

I am having some issues with sharing a printer on the network here at the office. I have read over numerous posts about this issue which I will provide links so you can see all the various steps that I have taken to try and fix this issue.

The issue is alluding me in terms of fixing the issue. Here is how I need to configure the connection in order to allow 3 computers to print from the same printer.

Desktop #1 Windows 7 Professional ~ Networked with the Correct Workgroup and can share all files back and forth with other PC's on the network. This one has the printer connected through a USB direct connection which is also shared. I need to allow the other PC's to print using this connection.

Desktop #2 Windows XP Professional ~ Networked with the correct Workgroup and can share all files back and forth with other PC's including those with Windows 7. I need to use the printer connected to Desktop #1. All documents and formats will not print at all.

Laptop #3 Windows 7 Professional ~ Networked with the Correct Workgoup and can share all files back and forth with other PC's on the network. I need to use the printer connected to Desktop #1 in order to print Documents. All documents and formats will not print at all.

The issues that I am having is that Desktop #1 can print all documents just fine with the printer which is a Magicolor 2500W Laser printer. I have all the latest drivers on all operating systems including those for XP and for Windows 7.

When I get on Desktop #2 with XP Professional to add the printer from Desktop #1 it adds it just fine. I can print using test page however none of the documents that I want to print like word or a pdf file will print. It was giving me the error message that no printer was detected message so I followed the procedure from this post to configure the connection with the Local Port Option discussed here.

http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/4602-xp-7-printer-sharing.html#post75102

After going through and setting it up using the local port trick I get the following error on Desktop #1's printer interface which shows what is printing. This message is the result of Desktop #2 being connected through the Local Port Option.

This remote downlevel document issue pops up every 5 secs and will simply not allow any of the documents to print so I have to disable the Local Port Option on Desktop #2 in order for it to stop. Any suggestions on how to over come this?

The issue with the Laptop #3 running Windows 7 Professional is that it will add the printer just fine however when I go to print the screen pops up and then disapears. For some reason it will not print any documents from the printer connected to Desktop #1 running Windows 7 Professional. This should be a non issue considering both are running the same OS and I have set both to the proper settings in the advanced network settings. It will also print a test page just fine. So I am a little bit confused on what is causing the issue.

I have also double checked the sharing path names on all PC's to make sure that the names are correct as well.

I have also tried both of these other options including double checking the ports in the firewall to make sure that the proper ports are open and allowing traffic.

I Tried This
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/9686-printer-sharing-windows-7-rc-64-vista-32-a-2.html
and this
Networking home computers running different versions of Windows

I have spent countless hours on this trying fixes and reading through threads on various forums to find a work around solution for this. I personally like Windows 7 and am in the process of putting together a plan to upgrade all office PC's to 7 within the next 6 months. However before I take on that mamoth undertaking I need to know what work around solutions are available in order to properly share all network resources.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as it is causing work productivity issues here in the office. Thanks and I look forward to hearing your suggestions and solutions. If you need any other information from me please let me know.

Aaron
IT Tech by Day, Radio By Night
www.voiceoftruthradio.com

 

[osholt]

I'm sorry if I've glossed over this but what model is your printer?

If it is a networkable printer (Ethernet printer) I would recomend using that.

We can try and get it to work when I'm sure what printer you have.

Oli

 

[aarbarr]

Hi Oli thanks for the reply. Its not a ethernet printer. It is strictly USB the model number is Konica Minolta Magicolor 2500W.

 

[PooMan UK]

Hiya pal and welcome to the forums.

You say that you are using the latest windows 7 drivers, where did you get them from as the Minolta site only shows up to Vista support ? Are you sure that it is compatible with win 7.

Also have you tried connecting the printer directly to the Win 7 machine (just for testing) and print this way ? This will eliminate a driver problem.
I know that troubleshooting can be a pain sometimes and these might not be the answers you're looking for but we have to start somewhere.

 

[osholt]

Please make sure you are using the latest and most relevant drivers from KONICA MINOLTA, Inc. Color and Black & White Laser Printers.

I will help more tomorrow.

Oli

 

[aarbarr]

Hi PooMan,

Ok on Desktop #1 Had the Vista Driver which installed fine and allows Windows 7 to print to the printer directly when plugged in.

The Laptop #3 had the xp drivers installed. When I plugged it into the laptop directly it would not print other then a test page. So I uninstalled the printer and installed the Vista Driver which allowed the laptop to directly print all docs when plugged directly in.

Now when I use the connection on Desktop #1 to print a word document from the Laptop #3 it does not work and will not let me print other then a test page. About troubleshooting it is always a pain however forums make it nice so we can share it with others . Thanks for the warm welcome and for the help it is very much appreciated.

 

[WindowsStar]

Trust me on this one, buy a print server and set it up to print via the network, you will so much happier now, tomorrow and in the future.

I have helped a lot of techs share a printer USB with Windows 7 in the mix and it is nothing but trouble. We had one system work for 4 months and then for no reason it just stopped. This is so frustrating, hours and hours of testing, tweaking, hacking, registry patches, tricking the OS, etc. After doing about 10 of these setups I just stopped pulling my hair out and bought a USB to Ethernet print server. They are so easy to setup, no drivers, web or telnet configuration, simple simple simple and you never have to go back and do anything to it, it just works. Plus you don't have to rely on any ONE machine to be turned on for any other computer to print, or someone rebooting the machine that is the print server and everyone yelling at you asking why you set it up this way. These devices will cost you $75 to $150, but it is the best money ever spent. I have had terrific luck with the HP versions. HP has been doing network printing for over 10 years and they have it working right. I bought a few cheaper devices only to find you had to load proprietary software on every machine you want to use the print server, or they were flaky and would not automatically reconnect if you have a power outage. Do yourself a favor and learn from all my pain and set it up networked. You will be able to sleep much better at night. -WS

Amazon.com: HP J7942A Jetdirect en3700 Fast Ethernet Print Server…

 

[PooMan UK]

Trust me on this one, buy a print server and set it up to print via the network, you will so much happier now, tomorrow and in the future.

You beat me to it

 

[aarbarr]

I will see what I can do. I have to run it by the owner who has boughten about 4 of these machines for the office so he could just deal with one type of ink rather then 5 different types

 

[WindowsStar]

Trust me on this one, buy a print server and set it up to print via the network, you will so much happier now, tomorrow and in the future.

You beat me to it

Great minds think alike.

 

[WindowsStar]

I will see what I can do. I have to run it by the owner who has boughten about 4 of these machines for the office so he could just deal with one type of ink rather then 5 different types

I understand, but if you are sharing 1 printer with 3 or 4 computers, then 4 x 4 is 16 computers plus the price of the 4 printers. If there is money to buy all that there should be money to connect it correctly to keep everyone productive. In the end it will save money for the entire business. If you have staff wasting time rebooting or they cannot print for hours and hours while you are troubleshooting then no-one is winning and everyone is non-productive which equals time and money. Convince them this is the best way to go a little money now for productivity and less down time later. -WS

 

[osholt]

I will see what I can do. I have to run it by the owner who has boughten about 4 of these machines for the office so he could just deal with one type of ink rather then 5 different types

I wouldn't give up on a PC running a printer server but a dedicated printer server is always better because it eliminates any problems caused by firmware. If you are looking to buy a printer server I would whole hartedly recomend a device such as Apple's Airport Express which is very versatile and has cross platform support.

It also utilises Apple Talk which in my expierience at least is much more reliable than methods used by standard Windows PCs.

When buying printers in future, ensure that it supports Ethernet printing, I believe Epson are the best at this kind of thing but there may be better.

Oli

 

[chev65]

I agree, USB printers are inherently unreliable to say the least, nothing but problems with them. I have a feeling it's a security or authentication setting but haven't figured out which one yet. Maybe messing around in the "Local security policy's will help.

About the only way to do this for the time being is in the link below. I know the Op already saw this procedure. Also be sure that printer spooling isn't on.

http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/4602-xp-7-printer-sharing.html#post75102

 

[WindowsStar]

I will see what I can do. I have to run it by the owner who has boughten about 4 of these machines for the office so he could just deal with one type of ink rather then 5 different types

I wouldn't give up on a PC running a printer server but a dedicated printer server is always better because it eliminates any problems caused by firmware. If you are looking to buy a printer server I would whole hartedly recomend a device such as Apple's Airport Express which is very versatile and has cross platform support.

It also utilises Apple Talk which in my expierience at least is much more reliable than methods used by standard Windows PCs.

When buying printers in future, ensure that it supports Ethernet printing, I believe Epson are the best at this kind of thing but there may be better.

Oli

I have not tried the Apple Print Server, so I cannot speak to how well it works, but I would not recommend AppleTalk on a PC network. AppleTalk is very very "Talkitive" and will create a lot of traffic on the network (more talk makes a less efficient network). The best way is with TCP/IP. It is native to the Windows Machines and works well.

If you are looking for network printers Epson, Dell and HP all make great network printers. All of them work about the same now-a-days. -WS

 

[WindowsStar]

I agree, USB printers are inherently unreliable to say the least, nothing but problems with them. I have a feeling it's a security or authentication setting but haven't figured out which one yet. Maybe messing around in the "Local security policy's will help.

+1 I agree, I have since given up on this because it just does not work well. Once we started using networking everywhere all our problems went away.

If someone does figure this out I really hope they will post a solution here.

 

[aarbarr]

Thanks for everyones input. It is very much appreciated and totally agree with you all about getting a IP Ethernet based printer set up vs USB. However there is also office politics here at work as well which I am sure you all experince where you all work. I am hoping that a solution can be figured out so at least I can keep things up and running until I can get everything through the owner. Currently becuase of the economy here in Texas and people not paying their bills on time, our funds are limited so I am trying to do the best I can with what I got. Which sometimes is not easy to say the least.

I am also amazed that Windows 7 has such a hard time getting the USB to work properly. XP seems to have no issues with it as far as I can tell. Then again I am only managing around 14 PC's on the network and I am sure that larger networks might have some issues that I am not aware of.

I will continue to try and find a work around solution and if any of you hear of anything please let me know. Anyhelp in getting this figured out is greatly appreciated and thank you all for your feedback and response. Now for some coffee and then back to the IT Grind .