Hello,

I have a computer on the network and installed a printer LOCALLY on this pc and shared it for other computers to connect to it, sometime users complain that they cannot print, to resolve this situation i have always  to restart the pc where the printer is installed.

How can i bypass this issue avoiding constatnt restart to enable other pc to print without proble. Sharing printer through a computer is not reliable, for some reason.  Get the printer on the network with a Print Server for about $50Thanks for your post, we do have a print server, running and working just fine however due to reduced IP lease we do not want to add more printer to the print server and this printer will only be used by limited users.

I think there must be a cheap way out than paying $50. Anyother suggestion is welcomed.

ThxWhat OS is the printer shared from? What printer, make/model? Can you printer locally when the share stops working the the network users? Is the printer setup as a network port or local on the connecting machines?We using XP Professional SP3
The printer is HP LaserJet 4250
Well i haven´t yet tried printing locally when other users are complaining, i will do that once the problem arises again.
It´s Setup locally on the connecting machine.

More help is appreciated.

ThxI can only tell you how I set this type of configuration up.

On the machine sharing the printer, ensure the windows XP simple file sharing and any firewall are disabled.
On all of the connecting machines, ensure the printer is setup as a local port and not network port.

Load only the drivers and not the whole HP software package on the workstations.

does this happen on a regular basis or pretty much random?Thanks for the post.
Windows Firewall is turned off, as to windows xp simple file sharing i am not sure, because that option only appears once at first time when file sharing is RUN for the first time, and that as been done alraedy on this pc.
What are the steps in seting up the printers on the connecting machine as a local port and not network port?

This connection failure only happens once in every two DAYS or three days.
Help.Simple file sharing can be turned off by:
1. Open any folder
2. Click Tools file menu -> Folder Options
3. View tab -> Scroll all the way to the bottom
4. Uncheck 'Use Simple File Sharing'

As for setting up a local port, this is how I setup shared printers
1. In Printers and Faxes click Add Printer
2. Click Next
3. Select Local Printer Attached to this computer -> Click Next
4. Select Create a new port -> In the drop down Select Local Port
5. Enter your machine name and share name in unc form (\\computer-name\printer-share-name) -> Click OK
6. I have all driver and software cds copied to my network, so I click 'Have Disk' and navigate to my share with all of my printer drivers.
7. If it asks to keep or replace current driver, replace, we ALSO may have a machine messing up the print spool with a bad install.
8. Next, Next, Next from there.

let me KNOW if you have any questions.Thank u, things are fine and working smoothly.