printer sharing printer, win98se & XP Media Center Edition

Hi Everyone,
Here's my situation: Win98SE desktop connected by usb to a HP all in one printer and connected by ethernet cable to Linksys wireless router(connected to dsl). XP laptop wirelessly connected to same router. The printer works great with the desktop but has no wireless capability. I would like to use the same printer(scanner, copier) for the laptop too. I have no networking experience and was wondering if anyone could give me a step by step procedure for doing this (or link). I know I need to set up both computers on the same network, enable printer sharing, etc., but I have no clue how to start. Thanks in advance for any help, advice, tips, links,etc.

 

Micrsoft's guide to setting up a network is good place to start:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/default.mspx

Media center is built on XP Home, so follow methods for networking with Home rather than Pro.

 

printer sharing, xp & win98se

Thanks for the reply Reggie. The Microsoft site gives good info for networking XP to XP computers or win98 to win98 computers, but I cant find anything about adding XP to win98se. They suggest that I upgrade the win98se unit to XP(Microsoft suggesting an upgrade, imagine that!). That won't work for me because the win98se unit does not have enough RAM or good enough processor to upgrade successfully, and the new laptop came pre-loaded with XP Media Center Edition and no OS disks (A bad scam computer companies and software companies have succeeded in colluding on) so I couldn't upgrade if I wanted to. Any other suggestions, links, tips, etc.? Thanks in advance, and happy holidays to all.

 

Microsoft does not make an upgrade to XP a requirement. You may have misread how to use the Network Setup Wizard. The answer: do not. I have read over the years since XP was in Beta thousands of pages of Windows XP networking documents, and none demanded an upgrade to XP for mixed OS enviornment network.

For a general link to the online documents available for the small network:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...w_preexisting_network_overvieww.mspx?mfr=true

But please see first the always sensible MS-MVP Windows Networking Steve Winograd's comments here:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp/addxp.htm

It seems from your description the issue is how to network share a USB printer.

While there are various printer driver dependent versions of how the port is described, its sharing no matter what should be easy. Remember that you need for the Win9x machines an appropriate driver, and that some printers depend on using the processor of the connected machine and cannot be shared. See the manufacturer's web site to be certain your USB printer is in fact capable of being used as a shared resource over a local area network. Those dependent on the printer Host machine processor cannot be shared. As a result, many lower-price printers are not eligible for printer sharing, USB interface or not. If you have any difficulties researching this issue, post back the printer Manufacturer and Model number for the printer and I will check for you.

The basics if it is a shareable printer: http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1596

 

printer sharing

Thanks Bill,

The links were exactly what I was looking for. Found out my printer is available for sharing through a network. In process of setting up home network now. I' ll post back after project completed. Happy Holidays to all.

Steven