Sharing a printer: local wireless net

My Win2k SP3 system with Epson 1160 printing from port USB002; my wife's Dell XP laptop upstairs. Networked successfully via Linksys broadband wireless router. The 1160 is labelled "shared" (hand underneath logo), drivers installed on both machines (same driver for both OS). The laptop can find the printer, but cannot print to a USB port, since none is listed as alternate to the default LPT1 port chosen. If I "make" a local port by typing "USB002" as the port name, the Test Page is sent somewhere and the "did not print" box does not appear. How do I make a real USB002 port for printing purposes?
Bob Bollini

 

In this case, that isn't what you want to do.

I'm reading that the PC with the printer connected does fine but another PC (laptop) can't connect and print over the network. If that is the problem,
- uninstall the printer from the laptop
- install it again but as a network device and using a 'network' port.

Note that with Win2K you do not need the printer drivers (or the 'printer') installed on any machine except the one that the physical device connects to. Other 2K/XP computers will use those drivers from the host PC and usually do better than if you have a local set.

PS - not related to this issue but get SP4 on any 2K PCs you have.