Solved SP3 won't print on network printer?

[mitchellvii]

I have a primary desktop in my home which I use as my print server. It is hardwired to the network while all other devices are wireless. It is the base for my Homegroup.

I've enabled sharing of my printer from the desktop and added that printer to my SP3 as a networked printer. The printer shows up in my Printers and Devices and troubleshooting says everything is working properly.

But when I try to print to it from my SP3 I get an error message in the print queue with no explanation. Just "Error" (don't you love those?). Anyway, have done this a million times with other computers and it always works but this isn't. Any idea from my network specialists out there?

BTW, it is connected on the DOT4 port which is new to me. Is that correct?

 

[mohcho]

Does the printer have it's own network connection or is it connected to your desktop via USB? If it has ethernet, then it has it's own IP address, which I would add to your SP3 directly. If it's connected via USB, then I would try to re-add the printer manually instead of letting Windows search and find it.

 

[leeshor]

The DOTA4 isn't a problem but you may have something stuck in the spool. Go to the printers and right click on that printer to look at what's printing. If something is stuck, deleted it, (cancel the print job).

I assume you added it by browsing to network printers and it installed Microsoft drivers?

 

[mitchellvii]

Thanks guys. Just noticed the other laptops in the house are now having the same problem. It may be that the desktop is connected to the network via ethernet and everything else is wireless. Let me try connecting the desktop wirelessly and see if that's it.

 

[leeshor]

I recently saw a similar problem at a customer's and restarting the printer solved the problem. Ir suddenly started out printing reams of paper.

 

[GreyFox7]

The desktop is ??? At least Win 7 I hope....

 

[mitchellvii]

Ok, now I'm embarrassed. Turns out nothing with the SP3. Just needed to hard reboot the printer with an unplug and plugin. Lame.

 

[mitchellvii]

Hey as long as we are on this subject. If my desktop is sleeping this won't work. Is there a way for my networked laptops to send a signal to the desktop to wake it for a print job?

 

[leeshor]

Marked as solved.

 

[GreyFox7]

Ok, now I'm embarrassed. Turns out nothing with the SP3. Just needed to hard reboot the printer with an unplug and plugin. Lame.

The new kid on the block always gets blamed for everything.

Was managing a virtual desktop environment and the mainframe guys tried to blame slow running batch jobs on the virtual desktop.

 

[GreyFox7]

Hey as long as we are on this subject. If my desktop is sleeping this won't work. Is there a way for my networked laptops to send a signal to the desktop to wake it for a print job?

Some network cards support Wake on LAN. but support for that is spotty not likely in inbuilt adapters. and now were back to the OS on the desktop...

 

[mitchellvii]

Some network cards support Wake on LAN. but support for that is spotty not likely in inbuilt adapters. and now were back to the OS on the desktop...

How would I determine if my network card supports Wake on LAN? It's kind of old so I doubt it but where do I look?

Hmmm, looks mlike my Network Card supports "Magic Packet & Pattern" Wake-up Capabilities.