Windows Home Network Help

[Shaun.P]

Hi there,

My dad used to have a Windows Desktop PC which had a Laser Printer (Xerox DocuPrint P12) connected to it via a Parallel Port. He uses this as part of his business. He recently got a laptop which he now uses (the Desktop PC is rarely used now). The laptop, being new, doesn't have a parallel port so he cannot print to the Laser Printer using the laptop.

We have a wireless router in our house. My iBook and my Dads laptop both connect to the router which provides internet access. I suggested to my Dad that I could install a wireless card into the Desktop PC and he then would be able to print from the laptop, to the Laser Printer connected to the Desktop PC. I installed the card today and everything seemed to go fine - I can surf the internet fine on the Desktop PC - but I tried connecting both of the computers and it didn't work.

I enabled Printer Sharing on the Desktop PC, tried to create a home network etc but nothing seemed to work - I cannot get the laptop and Desktop PC to talk to each other.

The Desktop PC had Windows XP Professional installed (no service pack). I wiped the hard drive, to reinstall Windows and when I did, I relised I had lost the original CD that came with the computer. So, I used a copy of XP that came with my Dads laptop. It installed fine, but says I need to activate it. I know it's illegal to have 2 copies of windows running like this, but I did have a legit copy for the Desktop, I just lost it. If I activate the copy on this computer, will the copy on the laptop deactivate or something? What will happen?

I managed to successfully ping the Desktop PC using the laptop, but when I tried to ping the laptop using the desktop, it would time out.

I can't understand how I can't get them to connect. If someone could offer any advice I would be greatly appreciative. I have been trying to solve this annoying problem for hours.

I have tried setting up the home network wizard on both computers (like it says) but once I do it, nothing happens.

Thank you for any help, this is really really bugging me. My Dad has to use windows PCs because he uses Sage (invoicing software) he bought his laptop in January.

 

[Shaun.P]

Nobodies going to help me?

 

[Queso]

Okay, firstly it sounds like the Windows firewall is active on the XP machines. Have a look in the Control Panel applet named Windows firewall to temporarily disable it until you get everything working. You can then decide what you want to allow in and turn the service back on. Give that a try and see if the printer sharing now works.

Secondly, XP activation is mandatory or the computer will stop working. If the PC came with XP Pro, it should have a license sticker on it. Otherwise the license will have come in the box for the retail copy. When you re-installed on the PC, did you use the license number for the PC, or the laptop? If you used the PC license, go ahead and try to activate. If you used the one for the laptop, you'll have to call Microsoft and quote the correct license numbers for both machines to them. Once they've verified that you do have two legal copies, they can free up the laptop code to allow the PC to activate using the same license key.

 

[Gee]

If you used the one for the laptop, you'll have to call Microsoft and quote the correct license numbers for both machines to them. Once they've verified that you do have two legal copies, they can free up the laptop code to allow the PC to activate using the same license key.

There was some discussion in another thread earlier this week about being allowed to activate 4 times before you have to call Microsoft to get it to work. As you have licenses for both computers anyway, I would go ahead and activate - probably it'll be fine.

 

[Gee]

On the printer problem, the chap above is right - sounds like a firewall issue. Another thought though. For less than 30 quid, you can get a parallel to ethernet printer adapter, which would allow you to put the printer on your home network and do away with the other pc all together. Check out dabs...