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| Thread ID: 98576 | 2009-03-30 01:29:00 | Printer sharing? | Chikara (5139) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 760626 | 2009-03-30 01:29:00 | Hi all, I'm able to work from home a bit using my work-supplied laptop. Often I have documents I'd like to print, so currently I'm e-mailing them from my work e-mail account to my home e-mail account. Then, get that e-mail on my home computer (desktop) and printing them from there on the printer attached to the home PC. Is there anyway I could print directly on that printer using some sort of printer sharing set-up? Note that the work laptop has lots of security limitations on it, so installing any software or drivers is locked down and not possible - so I can't just plug the home printer into the work laptop without the drivers. Both PC's are running WinXPPro. Internet access is via a 4-port modem/router - my work laptop is just plugged directly into there to get connectivity, then access to work is via a secure VPN. The printer is an older one, HP Deskjet 960c. Thanks in advance! |
Chikara (5139) | ||
| 760627 | 2009-03-30 01:39:00 | Note that the work laptop has lots of security limitations on it, so installing any software or drivers is locked down and not possible - so I can't just plug the home printer into the work laptop without the drivers . generally speaking if the laptop is locked down so you cant install ANY software then its damn hard - no matter what you attach, or how you link it (several ways) software of some description needs to be installed . Even doing it over a LAN requires software to be installed - XP pro should auto pick up that printer - but that requires drivers to install . Can you get your IT people to unlock the restrictions so you can install printer software ?? Unless you copy the documents to be printed to a flash drive and plug that into the PC and print like that . |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 760628 | 2009-03-30 01:51:00 | Can you get your IT people to unlock the restrictions so you can install printer software ?? Unless you copy the documents to be printed to a flash drive and plug that into the PC and print like that . I'd probably have better luck getting blood out of a stone . They are *very* fussy with any unauthorised software being installed . Darn, maybe I'll just have to keep on e-mailing them, or using the flash drive as you suggest . Actually, there's no way the software required could be run as a portable application from the flash drive is there? Although I can't *install* software, I can usually run portable . exe's from the flash drive . . . |
Chikara (5139) | ||
| 760629 | 2009-03-30 02:22:00 | If the home PC has the printer attached to it, I cant see why you cant connect the laptop to a ethernet hub, or something. Share the printer on the desktop. Then go to printers / add a printer from the laptop. It should find it (select a network printer), then it can print to it (unless this is blocked as well) AFAIK you dont have to install drivers on a shared PC, if theyre on another. I've been doing this for years. Only 1 PC has the drivers, the other 2 can print to it just by doing the above. I havent installed anything / any drivers on the other 2 computers |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 760630 | 2009-03-30 02:45:00 | I'm sure it does need to install a driver even over a LAN -- Remember This warning (www.imagef1.net.nz) ( and highlighted) when installing over a LAN ?? If this thing is locked up to not allow software installs - I suspect that wont work either - worth a try - worse that can happen ( famous last words) ;) is it will refuse. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 760631 | 2009-03-30 02:56:00 | Cant remember now :p Probably brought something up I just pressed it / missed what it was talking about Even if it did, it must have installed whatever from the PC with the printer. I definitely didnt install any drivers from cd or the net on the networked PC's |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 760632 | 2009-03-30 03:01:00 | Hmmm, I can't get it working anyway... Both the home PC and work laptop are plugged into 2 ports of the 4-port router. I have set the printer up to share. When I go into the work laptop and try to add a new printer (network printer), I can't find the printer on the list anywhere. So I can't even get as far as the message that wainuitech posted - the printer just isn't in the list anywhere. Am I missing a step somewhere? |
Chikara (5139) | ||
| 760633 | 2009-03-30 03:11:00 | Select network printer, select connect to this printer. Type in the computer name of the desktop (right mouse / properties on my computer on the desktop / computer name), and the name of the printer (the name that shows when you shared it) ie: if the computer name is chikara and the printer is called hpdesktop or something, you would type in \\chikara\hpdesktop Youre right WT it does bring up that message. I hadnt done it for this one yet |
Speedy Gonzales (78) | ||
| 760634 | 2009-03-30 03:16:00 | This is from memory so sorry if its slightly out ( I'm on a Vista PC) - Open the printer folder, ( start/printers) add a printer - select Shared or network Printer - Browse for printer - should locate any shared/ networked printers - Select the Printer - this is when the message pops up that I posted before Warning etc ---- Follow instructions - If its going to block this is the time it should pack a tantrum and throw its toys out the crib (had to say that :D ) Speedy - you are right - most of the time when connecting a person is going to say yes out of habit - bit like installing software - if you dont click I agree - nothin is goin nowhere. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 760635 | 2009-03-30 03:43:00 | Nope, doesn't work. On the first page of the 'add printer wizard', there are two options. The first is greyed out (local printer attached to this computer), so I select the second option 'A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer' On the next page, I choose the second option which is 'Connect to this printer (or to browse for a printer, select this option and click next). I've left it blank and typed the computer and printer id, as described by Speedy. It says "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer has lost it's connection to the server..." bla bla bla I've also tried browsing for the printer, and still can't see it. The first option on the wizard 'Find a printer in the directory' also doesn't find anything. Note - there is a third option in the add printer wizard, but it is greyed out - must be disabled by IT - which says "Connect to a printer on the internet or on a home or office network" - was I meant to be using that option? The printer is definitely plugged in, turned on, and shared. Any other suggestions to try? |
Chikara (5139) | ||
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