Printer Sharing--Vista and ME

"Malke" <notreally DeleteThis @invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:#ZddpN2LIHA.5468@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> TheBreeze wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > I just got an HP all-in-one, model C5180. The AIO is connected via
Ethernet
> > cable to my Buffalo Air Station router. My Windows ME PC is also
connected
> > to the router via Ethernet cable. A laptop running Windows Vista Home
> > Premium connects to the router wirelessly.
> >
> > I installed the C5180 onto the laptop last night...no problems after
> > downloading the Vista stuff from HP's site. It made a couple of prints
OK.
> > Today, I tried to install the C5180 on the Windows ME machine. It could
not
> > locate the AIO. The C5180 is "on," and I tried letting the installation
find
> > it automatically, and also by typing in the MAC address, hostname and IP
> > address. It just won't find the AIO.
> >
> > Why would the Vista laptop be able to "see" the printer so easily with a
> > wireless connection, but the ME machine can't see it even though they're
> > both on the wired "side" of the router?
> >
> > Got any ideas? Thanks in advance.
> >
> >
>
> This is really a Windows ME question and not one about Vista networking.
> Assuming that the printer supports ME (and you should check this if you
> haven't done so) did you install the ME drivers for the printer on the
> ME machine? You need to do this. If the printer doesn't support WinME,
> you won't be able to use it in that operating system.
>
> Otherwise, contact HP tech support or post in a Windows ME group.
>
> http://aumha.org/nntp.htm - list of MS newsgroups
>

Thanks for the ideas. I installed from the Windows ME installation disk
first, but then when it got to the point where it should have detected the
All-in-one, the installation routine didn't find it. The device should
support Window ME because it came with a Windows ME installation CD. I
posted this question to the Windows ME networking group, but cross-posted to
Vista because I suspect that having ME and Vista on the same network might
be one cause of problems.

I'll call HP support if I can't get the thing working, but was hoping to
avoid a long wait on hold and speaking with someone whose accent I can't
understand and who doesn't know anything other than reading from a screen of
suggestions.

TheBreeze wrote:

> Thanks for the ideas. I installed from the Windows ME installation disk
> first, but then when it got to the point where it should have detected the
> All-in-one, the installation routine didn't find it. The device should
> support Window ME because it came with a Windows ME installation CD. I
> posted this question to the Windows ME networking group, but cross-posted to
> Vista because I suspect that having ME and Vista on the same network might
> be one cause of problems.
>
> I'll call HP support if I can't get the thing working, but was hoping to
> avoid a long wait on hold and speaking with someone whose accent I can't
> understand and who doesn't know anything other than reading from a screen of
> suggestions.
>
>

Since the printer is a true network printer, having machines with other
operating systems on the LAN should make no difference at all. Check
whatever firewall you're using in ME to make sure you've allowed the LAN
traffic. Otherwise, a good program to try when you can't get a machine
to see a network HP printer is the Install Network Printer Wizard. You
need the printer drivers installed first (which you've done) and then
install/run the Wizard. Here's a link to it:

http://h20338.www2.hp.com/Hpsub/cache/344363-0-0-225-121.html


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User