Is this the best method to network a printer

[hnsexeter]

After installing a good many networks, found that only 60-70% of time printers would share on XP Pro SP2 using the add network printer wizard.

Stumbled across another way and wondered if this long winded way will be successful all the time. (As it has been up to now)

Printer connected to Host machine, on all client machines you need to install the driver of the printer as if you are physically attaching it. When it asks you to choose a port you make a new local TCP/IP Port and name the port as the server address of the host with shared printer ie \\hostcomputer\shared printer name, and voila shared printer works.

In particular Epson have been problematic, and this seems to work around networking problems, (not sending the whole print file acroos to the host, print queue freezing or document sizes seeming smaller than they actually are and not printing).

Some thoughts on this would be very welcome

 

[altheman]

You could use Control Panel->Printers and faxes->Printer Properties->Sharing.

Then use Printers and Faxes on the client pcs to add a new network printer. This asks you to install some drivers, and I've used this method with Epson Printers. Works without a a hitch.