Which version(s) of Windows is/are involved here.  Can you see the printer from the laptop?  Does file sharing still work?  Have you recently installed any firewalls or changed the configuration of the firewalls?  Have you tried reinstalling the printer on the laptop?  Do you get an error message of any kind when you try to access the printer from the laptop? 

Steve

The desktop is running Windows XP, the laptop is running 2000.  The printer has been reinstalled on the laptop.  If we hook the laptop up directly to the printer it works.  We have recently started using a new virus protection plan but we were having problems with this before that.  We don't do file sharing, all we need is the printer.  The laptop doesn't not recognize the desktop at all.   I think I answered all your questions.  If you have any more please let me know.  Thank you

When I went to control panel I did not get the security option your talking about.  But I do believe we did update what you are talking about.

To find out if you have installed Service Pack 2, right click on My Computer and select Properties from the drop-down menu.  On the General tab it should say which Service Pack is installed.

Steve 

We have service pack2 and I setup the firewall correctly.  I also went thru our norton security and fixed the firewall in there.  I went to my husband's laptop and typed in \\PC1 (the name of the desktop) in the run section and it can't find it. 

You should not be running both firewalls on the Windows XP computer.  Either use Norton (recommended) or the Windows firewall.  Decide on one and disable the other.  Running two firewalls often causes problems.   Furthermore, 90% of the problems you describe are due to improperly configured firewalls.  Try temporarily disabling all firewalls to see if the problem is solved.  If it is, that will confirm a firewall problem and will tell you that you need to configure the firewall correctly before you run it while are you trying to print.

Steve