Solved Can't Seem To Share Printer

boweasel

Member
Messages
32
New HP 8.1 64 bit laptop. Connected the (non-wireless) Epson printer to the laptop and it automatically set itself up without a CD or any Epson download. Printing worked perfectly. Then I set up file sharing. I wrote down the network sharing key, and specifically turned on printer sharing. I unplugged the printer from the USB port which made the icon disappear from the Devices and Printers page .

That page listed 2 options for adding devices - Add a Device and Add a Printer. I chose Add a Printer and it found the Epson. I clicked on Add or Next (I forget which), but the Epson icon never appeared on the D&P screen and I was never prompted for that sharing password.

I then clicked on Add a Device and it found nothing. I'm obviously doing something wrong. I just don't know what.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
You are getting Network sharing mixed up with Home Group sharing. You really need to get a Network USB Print Server, that plugs into your router, so that way you do not need to keep one laptop on all of the time.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
So now I'm more confused than ever. This is my neighbor's new laptop and he told me that now that he has a laptop he'd have to buy a wireless printer. I (stupidly) blabbed to him that a new printer wouldn't be necessary - that we have a Windows 7 tower upstairs that has a wired connection to a non-wireless HP printer. We also have W7 laptop and a combination modem router. I went to the W7 tower, found the network sharing password, and used that password (not my Wi-Fi network password) to be able to share that HP printer with my wireless laptop. I did that a couple of years ago and it seemed like it only took about 10 minutes before I was on the first floor and printing wirelessly to the 2nd floor printer. And I didn't have to buy anything

I don't know what a network USB print server is, but my neighbor's equipment is essentially that same as mine - the only real difference being that my wired printer is directly connected to a PC tower, whereas his printer is not connected to anything. His Windows 7 tower (which is normally directly connected to his printer) is at a PC shop for repair, but I can't what that would have to do with it. If I can get my non-wireless HP printer to print from my laptop, why can't I get his W8 laptop to print from his non-wireless Epson? Without purchasing anything else.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
Just have him get a Network Print Server. They run around $30 for the Netgear units. You plug the printer into the unit, then when you go in and add a "Network Printer" through the printer software on each machine. You only need to turn on the printer, not having to turn on a computer and keep it out of sleep/hibernate mode.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
Okay.... But please explain why my non-wireless HP printer works without benefit of a Network Print Server?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
It all depends on what third party Internet Security software you are running, or only using the Windows Firewall or none at all, when on your personal LAN.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Mint 17.2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satellite C850D-st3nx1
    CPU
    AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon (tm) HD Graphics 1.40 GHZ
    Memory
    12GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LCD
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    Crucial M500 240GB SSD
    Mouse
    Logitech M525
    Internet Speed
    45/6 - ATT U-Verse
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    None needed. It is Linux.
    Other Info
    Arris NVG589 Gateway; Router - Cisco RV320; Switch - Netgear GS108 8-Port Switch & Trendnet TEG-S50g 5-Port Switch; Access Points - Engenius ECB350, Trendnet TEW-638APB; NAS - Lenovo ix2-4; Printer - Brother HL-2280DW; Air Print Server - Lantronix XPrintServer

    A/V UPS - Tripp-Lite Smart 1500LCD 1500 Va/900 W.
It all depends on what third party Internet Security software you are running, or only using the Windows Firewall or none at all, when on your personal LAN.
His brand spanking new laptop came with a one month McAfee which I removed, and then enabled Defender. His firewall is Windows. All our Windows 7 PCs use MSE, along with the Windows firewall. Hardly seems like a conflict.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
Wait, you have a wireless printer. You do not need a print server. The wireless hardware in your printer should serve as a 'print server'.

I don't have an Epson, but all wireless printers should work basically the same.

Once you setup the printer to connect on the same wireless network as your other systems, they all can see it. The only time you would share from a PC is when you have a printer directly wired to a PC. That way, the PC acts as the print server. Of course, you have to have the PC on each time someone wants to print.

Instead, the wireless printer just sits on the local network and each computer should be able to find it and add it to it's devices. Each PC will have to download the driver for the printer, but that should be an automatic process when it is discovered.

To have 'advanced' printer services, the manufacturer usually has their own software that could include the drivers or be in addition to the printer drivers.

Normally, you hook up your USB cable, run the install, setting up the wireless settings and network access code. Then unplug the USB cable and the printer will be discovered as a wireless device.

Again, no need to share it from any PC. That's the beauty of wireless printers.

It looks like you did everything correct in your original post, except turning on print sharing on the PC.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel I-7 860
    Motherboard
    Asus P7B
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Nvidia 580
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer (Primary), Asus (secondary), Sony TV (third)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Kingston 128GB SSD Windows 8 Boot Drive
    WD Black 1 TB (2 ea)
    WD Red 3 TB
    WD Black 500GB
    Keyboard
    MS 1000
    Mouse
    MS Flip
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FIOS 35/35
    Browser
    IE 11, Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari
    Antivirus
    Windows 8 Defender (MS Security Essentials)
As much as I appreciate your reply, I'm sorry - you must have misread something. Both my printer and my neighbor's are non-wireless. I set mine up as a network printer, and I can now have my laptop on the first floor of our house and print to my non-wired HP printer on the second floor. I simply (or so I thought) wanted to do the same thing for my neighbor. I think the thing that threw me off was that a couple of weeks after I set up the printer to be accessible through my wireless network, I also set up file sharing between my laptop and my 2nd floor Windows 7 tower. Since this was all done a few years ago my memories of the exact process I used is a bit fuzzy.

But I am sure that my HP printer was not manufactured to be wireless, yet that is how it functions with my laptop.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
Ok, can we clarify this? You have your printer hooked up by LAN or USB cable to your laptop. You then want to, or are, sharing it through the wireless connection on your laptop. Do I understand?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.
Ok, can we clarify this? You have your printer hooked up by LAN or USB cable to your laptop. You then want to, or are, sharing it through the wireless connection on your laptop. Do I understand?
Not exactly. I have my wired printer connected via USB cable to a wireless Windows 7 tower. I have set that printer up as a network printer, which enables me to print wirelessly to it using my wireless laptop.

My neighbor also has a wired printer. He also has a new Windows 8 laptop and a wireless network. We want to be able to print to his printer without his laptop being physically connected to it. Just as I use my laptop to print without being physically connected.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
So, how and what is his wired printer connected to?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.
So, how and what is his wired printer connected to?
Currently nothing. It used to be connected to a Windows 7 tower, but the tower had to go in the shop. So he bought this W8 laptop. When we connected the printer via USB to the laptop, the printer showed up in Devices and Printers. And it worked perfectly.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
So back to the OP, now the laptop won't recognize the printer when plugged into the USB?

What model printer exactly? Epson may have a driver removal tool for it. If so, I would suggest you run it and start over.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.
So back to the OP, now the laptop won't recognize the printer when plugged into the USB?
No, no, no. I must not be explaining this very well. All I have to do to get my neighbor's new laptop to recognize the printer is to plug it in via USB cable. The problem is when I unplug it, the printer's no longer recognized. I thought I'd covered this ad nauseam, but apparently not very clearly.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
Boy oh boy you have me confused. If you unplug the printer from the laptop, how do you expect it to be recognized, by magic? You said it is not a wireless printer. The printer has to be plugged into a wireless router with printer support, a wireless computer or a wireless printer AP for it to work by wireless.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.
Okay.... one more time.... forget about my neighbor for now. I, personally have a Hewlett-Packard printer. It is not wireless. It has been successfully connected via USB cable to a wireless Windows 7 tower for about 5 years. About 3 years ago I got tired of copying laptop documents to a USB drive, taking the drive upstairs, plugging it into the tower and then printing.

I set the HP printer up as a network printer. After I did that it was accessible on my laptop via my wireless network. The lightbulb in my head is beginning to dimly glow. Does my setup work because my printer is connected to a W7 tower that is operating wirelessly?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
Does my setup work because my printer is connected to a W7 tower that is operating wirelessly?

Yes. As I said in previous post. You can not get a non-wireless printer to work wirelessly unless it is connected to something that has wireless, plain and simple. How would you expect it to work any other way?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.
Yes. As I said in previous post. You can not get a non-wireless printer to work wirelessly unless it is connected to something that has wireless, plain and simple. How would you expect it to work any other way?
I obviously have been under more stress than I imagined with the move of my son, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren to the other side of the country. You are obviously correct, and I sincerely apologize for this brain freeze that wasted 2 pages of this forum and the time of everybody thoughtful enough to answer.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 home premium
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3521
Yes. As I said in previous post. You can not get a non-wireless printer to work wirelessly unless it is connected to something that has wireless, plain and simple. How would you expect it to work any other way?
I obviously have been under more stress than I imagined with the move of my son, daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren to the other side of the country. You are obviously correct, and I sincerely apologize for this brain freeze that wasted 2 pages of this forum and the time of everybody thoughtful enough to answer.

Not a problem, we all can get a bit frazzled at times. I'v had my moments also. Sounds like you are going through a stressful period. Glad you realized how it operates now and don't be afraid to ask questions in the future. :)
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Acer V3 771G-6443
    CPU
    i5-3230m
    Motherboard
    Acer VA70_HC (U3E1)
    Memory
    8GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (800 MHz)
    Graphics Card(s)
    HD4000 + GeForce GT 730M
    Sound Card
    Realtek High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" Generic PnP Display on Intel HD Graphics 4000
    Screen Resolution
    1600x900 pixels
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250 GB
    ADATA SSD SP900 128GB
    PSU
    90 watt brick
    Mouse
    Bluetooth
    Antivirus
    Comodo
    Other Info
    Asus RT-AC56R dual-band WRT router (Merlin firmware). Intel 7260.HMWWB.R dual-band ac wireless adapter.
Back
Top