New laptop can't find network printer

Discussion in 'Networking and Internet' started by Hummingbird, May 10, 2010.

  1. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird VIP Member

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    About to absolutely rip my hair out here, people.

    My dad got a new laptop and it can't find the network printer. We have 2 desktops with XP and 1 laptop with Vista all on the same network using the same printer (which is physically attached to one of the XP desktops). Dad's new Vista laptop hooked right up to the network and can get online and everything - it just can't see the XP computer with the printer attached to it. At my wits end . . .
     
    Hummingbird, May 10, 2010
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  2. Hummingbird

    Zeus Moderator

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    Good luck. I have never been able to get a Vista machine to see an XP machine. I always have to go to the XP machine and connect to the Vista machine. I don't see how you could do this with a printer.

    Hopefully someone on here will know the trick to making Vista play nice with XP.
     
    Zeus, May 10, 2010
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  3. Hummingbird

    Core in pounce mode Moderator

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    try enabling netbios and disabling lmhosts lookup
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2010
    Core, May 10, 2010
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  4. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird VIP Member

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    On which computer(s)? And what are those/how do I do it?

    My laptop is a Vista and it's set up to use the network printer perfectly, but I have no idea how I did it . . .
     
    Hummingbird, May 10, 2010
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  5. Hummingbird

    Core in pounce mode Moderator

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    Sorry, meant netbios; netbeui is an ancient protocol. You can find them by right-clicking your local area connection, going properties, tcp/ip v4, advanced, wins. On the vista machine machine, netbios is probably set to default, change that to enabled. And uncheck the checked lmhosts lookup box. i'd also open services.msc, look up tcp/ip netbios helper service, and make sure it runs automatically. I don't recall if XP has it, but if it does, it should be on there too. Having same workgroup names for all PCs...check firewalls...and so on.

    I used to have a Vista + XP network with XP sharing the printer and hdd resources, and while I'm sketchy on the details (it's been a couple of years, I gave up on Vista when 7 beta came out), netbeui was my starting point in getting them to play ball. You may find yourself having to mess with user accounts, and lowering security settings on sharing options. I've heard that you should have the same user accounts created on both Vista and XP comps, but I don't recall doing that myself.

    At any rate it is possible to get them to play together, albeit I never felt that the network was "seamless" in performance, but it worked at least. I have not had to mess with these settings with Windows 7, however, and I recommend you upgrade to it if you get a chance to at some point.
     
    Core, May 11, 2010
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  6. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird VIP Member

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    Hey, Core! Okay so the new Vista laptop has 2 Network Connections listed.

    One is 'Local Area Connection'. It has a little red X on it and it says "Network Cable Unplugged". When I right click on it and choose 'Properties" there is no tcp/ip anywhere.

    The other option is 'Wireless Network Connection'. It is green with 5 bars and says "Home, Shared". When I right click on it and go to 'Properties' there is no tcp/ip option anywhere either.

    Thoughts?
     
    Hummingbird, May 11, 2010
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  7. Hummingbird

    Core in pounce mode Moderator

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    Should be there. It's a protocol so perhaps under that heading... Go through control panel / network...
     
    Core, May 11, 2010
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  8. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird VIP Member

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    Okay I found it . . . BUT the Vista laptop that IS working with the printer has all the default settings (netbios set to default and lmhosts lookup is checked). I went ahead and changed the default settings on the Vista laptop that is NOT working, but it didn't help so I put them back to default.

    As for the services.msc, I don't how how to do/see/change that. How do I check my firewalls? What settings should they be on?
     
    Hummingbird, May 11, 2010
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  9. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird VIP Member

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    So I messed with some stuff on my XP desktop that the printer is attached to and it works now! Lol! I think I re-setup the wireless network or something. Anyway, it looks like the new laptop can print on the old network now. Thanks, guys!
     
    Hummingbird, May 12, 2010
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  10. Hummingbird

    S Walch MAME 0.64 :) VIP Member

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    Why didn't your father get a new Laptop with Windows 7 on it? =/

    Congrats on Getting XP and Vista to work together though ^_^

    I gave up with our setup at home.

    Upgraded all the machines to Windows 7 instead :D
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2010
    S Walch, May 12, 2010
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  11. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird VIP Member

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    Lol - yeah I don't know. My laptop has Vista on it, but then again I got it before 7 even came out. Anywho - things are working now so I'm not gonna touch anything! Lol! Good luck, all!
     
    Hummingbird, May 12, 2010
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  12. Hummingbird

    smith123456

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    Good luck. I have never been able to get a Vista machine to see an XP machine.
    Should be there. It's a protocol so perhaps under that heading... Go through control panel / network...

    :shock:lol2:rant:?:eek::|:D:p:x;)
     
    smith123456, Aug 7, 2010
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