Cannot connect to printer over network? strange

[mobkon]

Heres sort of a strange problem Ive been having and I cant solve it. I have about 9 computers all on a network here at an office. All of them are running Windows XP except the computer that has the printer hooked up to it is running Windows 2000.

I set up the printer on the Windows 2000 machine, it prints fine from that machine and ONLY that machine. I set it up to be shared and set all the priveleges to EVERYONE and made everything accessible.

When I go to "Add Printer" on every machine, they can all see the printer fine (\\GATEWAY\officejet6100). But when I click on the printer, I get an error that says:

"Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer has lost its connection to the server."

I have no idea what to do. The printer sharing privelages are all set up correctly, but no computer can connect to it. Did I set it up wrong? I already tried unsharing/resharing multiple times, restarting etc. The printer used to work fine over the network on another computer, but we had to move it. Should I connect the printer to the router and set up its own IP?
Thanks in advance!

 

[DelJo63]

... When I go to "Add Printer" on every machine, they can all see the printer fine (\\GATEWAY\officejet6100). But when I click on the printer, I get an error that says:

"Windows cannot connect to the printer. Either the printer name was typed incorrectly, or the specified printer has lost its connection to the server."
​

I have no idea what to do. The printer sharing privelages are all set up correctly, but no computer can connect to it. Did I set it up wrong? I already tried unsharing/resharing multiple times, restarting etc. ...
Thanks in advance!

did you reboot the win/2000?

Should I connect the printer to the router and set up its own IP?

that would require a NIC in the printer and a print server attachment. if implemented
the printer would be independent and available 24/7 on the LAN without the
win/2000 required to be running.

 

[mobkon]

did you reboot the win/2000?

yes of course, multiple times. no luck there either.

 

[mobkon]

no help? anyone?

 

[DelJo63]

boy I hate this suggestion, but sometimes it's the only route left

uninstall, reboot and then reinstall

 

[jkeller4000]

i have a solution

i know it is too late and u already upo graded to a newer system but i am still a fan of 2000.

first step. install printer on windows 2000.(probably already done this)
2. enable file and printer sharing on all computers
2.5 share the printer
3.on each of the other computers other than the windows 2000
open my network places
then computers near me.
if u see the windows 2000 computer open it
might ask for login and password. defult login is: "administrator" password: leave blank (but if u have a log in and password usually use yours)
then open the folder "printers"
right click on the printer and hit connect.
might take a little bit but be sure to have all the xp computers connect to the printer

 

[ligman]

Hi There,

Sometimes it's a problem with the host authentication to the domain. Resolution as:
h t t p://troubleshoot.ooz.ie/2009/02/fixed-windows-cannot-connect-to-printer.html

 

[mflynn]

Also sometimes it is the sharing. Unshare the printer on 2K reboot and then reshare.

You didn't say but if you did as someone suggested and uninstalled the reinstalled then that would do the above.

Also if you have installed a Firewall on the 2K machine then turn it off for trouble shooting!

Mike

EDIT: Jeeze just noticed this is a 2 year old thread. But perhaps the posts here will help someone else.