ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 A couple of days ago I received my new Windows 7 machine. Great - I am enjoying it!We have a printer that is connected to a XP system, and I would like to access it from my W7 machine.However, I cannot see that other computer from my W7 system. Also, I do not quite understand that 'Homegroup' concept.Any idea how I can access that printer on the other system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 Maybe this is not possible with our setup.All computers are directly connected with the router. I cannot see any other computer from any computer.I have set up a WORKGROUP, but I don't see any other computers. So I do not really seem to have a LAN, just a bunch of computers that are all directly connected to the Internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digerati Posted June 25, 2011 Report Share Posted June 25, 2011 Usually the seeing other computers has to do with how you have sharing, and your firewalls setup on each computer you want to see. As for the printer, I would urge you to get a print server to connect between your router and the printer. Then the printer hangs off the network and not a computer. No computer needs to be up and running for anyone on your network to print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bludgard Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 Pat, I have two laptops connected wirelessly to a router. The Win 7 lappy was connected first. I connected a printer (wireless) to the router after and through Win 7. I then connected the XP laptop. Then the printer to XP. (A bunch of plugging and unplugging USB and entering security keys and whatnot). I can print wireless from each computer. The router I have is a basic Cisco Lynksys that came with install disk. The disc includes the program Network Magic. This program was a huge aide in my network setup: I do not know the first thing about networking. After all was set up and running, I uninstalled Network Magic from both laptops and all is stable. Of course I had to re-enable Windows as the network controller.Network Magic can be used as a trial program and can be uninstalled after use. Not saying that this program can do what you want, but may be worth a try. I do know that setting up this “network” tried my last nerve, so be prepared.I do not know if I can reproduce the steps I took successfully, but I imaged everything when I was finished and hope this will save me when it fails. Just a couple o’ pennys worth of input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 Thanks for both your advice; very useful.I'll let you know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 Regarding Network Magic; unfortunately the program automatically installs in Japanese only. This makes things a bit more difficult, as my technical Japanese is still a bit shaky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb Posted June 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 So I went to the Cisco support forums, but when I tried to register I gotSorry, registration has been disabled by the administrator.Ah, it looks like that forum has not been used since 2009... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digerati Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 If you go to your XP machine under My Computing and select a drive, or drill down a bit and select a folder, then through right-click, you should be able to select sharing to allow sharing on that machine. Then if each firewall on each machine is configured to allow access to the other machines (I just use a range, it is easier - especially with DHCP), then the shared drive or folder "should" pop up under Network on the other machines.That said, I know that some times should and did are two different things. Here's a good guide - http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/15247/complete-guide-to-networking-windows-7-with-xp-and-vista/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bludgard Posted June 26, 2011 Report Share Posted June 26, 2011 Regarding Network Magic; unfortunately the program automatically installs in Japanese only. This makes things a bit more difficult, as my technical Japanese is still a bit shaky...Hey, Pat. Check your inbox.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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