Need to access printer on wifes computer

I'm sorry if this has been asked/answered before but I could not find it using the search feature.

I have two XP SP2 Home computers that I built myself. I have a HP printer on my computer and my wife has a Cannon MP160 scanner/printer on her computer. I would like to use her scanner/printer sometimes and I have tried many times to add it to my computer.

I go to control panel and click on add printer and let the network search for her computer. It comes up with a "Windows Microsoft Network" and I double click on that and it comes up with "MSHome" I double click on that and it comes up with "Becky2 "(my wifes printer) and "Gary" (my printer) when I click on Becky2 it wants the name of the printer and there I am stuck. I have put every name I can think of in that box and it still won't work.

I am on Verizon FIOS now but I was on Verizon DSL. My two computers are hooked together with the FIOS 4 port hub. It can be used as wireless or not and I chose to go with wired instead of wireless.

Any help would be appreciated.

Gary

 

you can set up the shared / network printer manually
An easy way to complete the setup is with a program called network magic
the premium ( paid) version of the program sets up shared printers in a snap

www.networkmagic.com

 

I used that name in control panel and I also used the name you get when you click on properties. I also turned off Zone Alarm.

Is there a free version of network magic? Why does Microsoft make it so hard to share a printer?

I used the free 7 day trial of Network magic and it did not work either. This is an edit.

 

Hi Gary

You cannot install a printer just by putting in its name! You can however by using its sharename.

Looks to me like you don't have it shared!

Here are the steps.

On Becky go to Local Area connection and make sure "File and printer sharing" is installed.

Then on also Becky open the Printers folder and find her printer. You must enable sharing of the printer and give it a share name I suggest "Cannon ".

Once this is done go to your computer and browse to Becky and you should see the name Cannon. Select that!

Forget the network magic stuff!

Pete

 

Thanks for the reply. I did that and I left the name as it was which is Printer2. It still won't show up in my control panel. My printer is showing in my wifes Control Panel. I'm still stuck.

 

OK Gary

Lets start again.

On "both" make sure that Client for Microsoft networks is loaded in Local Area connection!

On yours make sure File and printer sharing is installed also, as you just did on wife.

On both computers make sure File and printer sharing is permitted as and exception in both firewalls Windows if running and zone alarm.

If you want turn off both firewalls (zone alarm and windows firewall) (both computers) to see if the sharing works then. If it does it is the firewall that is giving the problem. But don't forget to turn them back on after!

If you are using Zone Alarm then you should already have the Windows firewall turned of anyway!

Rt click My computer-Network Identification and make sure that both are in same workgroup. Some computers may be mshome as your wife, but your workgroup could be "workgroup ". Make them match if not already.

Pete

 

Forgot!

After all in last post is done. Reboot both computers before trying the printer.

Pete

 

Correction:

Rt click My computer- "Properties "-Network Identification and make sure that both are in same workgroup. Some computers may be mshome as your wife, but your workgroup could be "workgroup ". Make them match if not already.

Pete

 

I read the instruction book and then called Cannon since this printer is still under warranty. After spending an hour with Cannon on the phone they tell me this printer cannot be shared. Case closed.

 

OK!

Did the tech speak with an east india accent???

I have not heard of a cannon printer that could not be shared. Now sharing the Scanner part on a multifunction "is" a problem on some. That may have been what they meant.

As long as you are happy............

pete

 

Make sure you've worked through this for both PCs:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/setup/homenet.mspx

Then work through this to share the printer:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/814005