Can't 'see' other computers on home network from wireless laptop.

Question

Using Comcast cable as Internet provider and MSN Premium. All three computers 'see' Internet and connect w/o any problems. My laptop (new Dell E1505) will print to my wife's HP Pavilion running ME with HP Laser Jet 6P printer. Printer accepts print requests from the HP Pavilion and from my laptop (wireless) without any problem. The second desktop is a Dell Dimension XPS R450 with Windows 98SE. The HP Pavilion is Windows ME. The new Dell laptop is XP-Pro w/Media Center Edition - 2005. Comcast cable is connected via Motorola Surfboard Cable Modem SB5100 and then to Broadband Router RT31P2 w/2 phone ports for my Vonage connection. The RT31P2 is then connected to Wirless-B Broadband Router BEFW11S4 for wireless connection to my Dell laptop. The two desktops are connected via ethernet cables to the LAN ports on RT31P2. One instruction to set up the Network said the laptop must be hardwired to the router for setup purposes. I have connected the laptop to the BEFW11S4 with an ethernet cable to a LAN port for the setup. However, I can and am still using the wireless connection. I want to print to my HP 1300 which is connected to my Dell Dimension desktop via a USB cable. I can't figure out why my laptop can't select the HP 1300 printer. It can't be found on the network. I've tried the Dell Network Assistant which is constantly monitoring the network status.  It reports the Network is OK.   I still can't 'see' the HP 1300 printer. Will someone please give me a suggestion to troubleshoot this problem? Thank you, Lee Jones Metrorail_Lee@msn.com 301-251-9345

jmwills · Answer

More than likely, the one machine that can not be seen by the others has a third party firewall/ security program running that is blocking the conneciton.  It must be configured to allow the connection.

User97502 · Answer

How about Add A Printer in My Network Places?  Have you tried that?  As also mentioned, firewall settings are a prime suspect here.

Slash67 · Answer

My question to you would be. do you have a firewall running?
I know I had the same sort of problem when I setup my wireless network and have my network encrypted. The network encryption and your firewall (if you have it turned on) can conflict with each other.
Just a thought.

jmwills · Answer

It's the firewall.

Metrorail · Answer

Thanks for the responses. I have turned off XP's firewall but I haven't tried 'Add a Printer' yet or have I been able to 'see' my desktop with Windows 98SE. I will try again and see if I can access the printer I want.

Slash67 · Answer

I am glad I could be of some help. Networking can be very frustrating at time.

Slash67 · Answer

do you have all the security updates for 98SE installed? Also do you have file and printer sharing turned on on your main system?

Metrorail · Answer

All 98SE updates through August or September, 2006 have been installed. Actually, I don't recall seeing any 98SE specific updates for awhile now. Mostly, what I've seen is Internet Explorer updates.

Slash67 · Answer

You may want to check and see with Microsoft. I know that they are going to be stopping support for older operating systems but I am not sure when. Check their website.

Yalius · Answer

I'm reading that you have the printer connected to a desktop that is wired to a router, which is then wired to a second wireless router, to which the notebook is connected wirelessly?

I'm guessing that the BEFSW11 router is blocking the shared printer, since, to that router, the printer would be out on the "internet" side of the router. It's intended to block that sort of traffic, since you usually don't want a person on the internet to initiate a file and print sharing connection through your router.

jmwills · Answer

It's the firewall!!!

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

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