Printer and File Sharing Setting Default Printer.

Question

I am running 3 Inspiron laptops with xp I have set them up with printer and file sharing and it works great.

Firstly set up:

An Inspiron 6400 Running xp Media Centre Edition

1.6GHz Dual Core Processer

2.0 Gb DDR2 SDRAM

Secondly set up:

An Inspiron 6400 Running xp Professional Edition

1.86GHz Dual Core Processer

2.0 Gb DDR2 SDRAM

Thirdly set up:

An Inspiron 1300 Running xp Professional Edition

1.8GHz Single Core Processer

1.0 Gb DDR2 SDRAM

And ok I can share my files and printers.

Firstly cannot find a way of sharing files and not printers:

Secondly would like to share printers always good as a backup.

Thirdly the three are using the same printer, that prints out on paper.

Now my problem is with the Default settings on both Inspiron 6400's in being that if I change the default printer to the one I have specified, i.e. the one installed on the machine printing respectively, I restart my computer and the default printer is set to the Inspiron 1300 again.

If I change the default printer on the Inspiron 1300 I think it will use the default printer that I have specified.

Now my real problem is all 3 computers set the inspiron 1300 as the default printer and not the one installed on the respective machine, ie defaults the inspiron 1300 printer on restart, note even if the inspiron 1300 is not switched on.

Although the 3 computers have the same printer installed, with the default settings being the printer on the 1300 I will not get any prints unless thew 1300 is switched on which it is frequently isn't.

I have tried disabling all the printers options by telling it not to share the printer, yet it still does. I have had this problem before and tried deleting a printer and it deleted the printer from all 3 machines so one did not have a printer installed.

Note I will have this problem on the other 2 computers if I change the default printer for one as it seems to change the default printer on them all, however in this case it seems to set the Inspiron 1300 as default printer on the two Inspiron 6400's. Changing the default printer works untill I reboot and its back to the 1300.

Is there an xp hotfix to this, I would like to have the printer sharing enabled as useful if something goes wrong on one of the machines, however would disable it to rectify this problem, any ideas like I said I changed all the printer settings to do not share this printer but hasn't worked.

Philip_Yip · Answer

Note this problem is not immediate after start up I think it may be something to do with hp solutyion, in which case I'll be on the wrong website for support, I'll take it up with them I guess.

PudgyOne · Answer

For file sharing to work, you need to have a same account on every computer. Example: you need to have natanuc4 and the same password on all three computers.

You would disconnect the printer from all three computers and restart your computers.

Now you have to choose a host computer. One that is left on all the time. Install the printer on this computer. It will prompt you when to connect it. After the printer is installed, right click on the printer, left click on properties, and allow printer sharing.

Now on the other computers,

Go to Control Panel. Choose printer. Then choose Add Printer.

Choose Add a local printer. Click on Create a new port. The default in the drop down box is Local Port. Do not change that. Click Next.

A dialogue box will appear asking for you to enter a port name.

Type in the \\computername\printername

The way around leaving one computer on for using the printer is to use a printer adapter or server.

Philip_Yip · Answer

Thats the problem I have file and printer sharing fine, and do not have the same account on all computers but I do not want to have a computer continuously on to print.

PudgyOne · Answer

Then you're looking for a wireless print server or a wireless router that has a print server.

Here is my setup

wall > Westell 6100 modem/router(DSL) > Netgear Wgr614v6 Wireless router > wired/wireless

I have a Dell Photo AIO Printer 964 hooked up to a Dell Wireless Printer Adapter 3300.

I have three laptops, Dell Inspiron B130(mine), HP Laptop(daughter's) and a Compaq Laptop(son's).

I installed the Dell Photo AIO Printer 964 Drivers in each laptop and choose network. No computer has to be on at all. We can all print, scan, copy and fax wirelessly. No host computer has to be on.

Philip_Yip · Answer

Hmmm my printer works fine all computers could print fine and still scan, however when file and printer sharing was set up, it shared all the printers on the 3 laptops however, it put them all as default printer on 1 computer and when I change the default printer on 1 computer and restart the hp software changes my default printer shared on my other laptop after a restart. So I'm trying to disable the process that does that but am having limited luck.

Windows General

Printer and File Sharing Setting Default Printer.

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