Vista - Printing to HP networked printer

I have 2 Vista Home Premium PC's. I've added a networked HP PSC 750 printer to both - it's actually connected to an XP Home PC. No prints from Vista ever appear - not even the test page. They show up in the local spooler window but not on the 'print server'. No error messsage are shown but the other odd thing is that the 'Printing Preferences' window (on the Vista PC's) just shows for fraction of a second and then disppears.

I dont' seem to be able to update the drivers - the HP website says that they are already installed under Vista and there is nothing I can download.

TIA

Are you sharing the printer out from the XP machine, or is the printer physically attached to the network directly? I have 2 printers attached directly to the network, and in Vista, I have to add, not a *network* printer, but a local printer with a new port, changing it from :LPT1 to TCP/IP, entering the IP address of the printers - from there it is a matter of Vista searching for the printers, finding them, and setting them up on its own.

Thanks for the reply. The printer is attached directly to an XP PC. All of the other XP PCs (3 of them) can print to it.

File and Print sharing enabled. Make sure your Windows firewall allows file and print sharing on the subnet. Make sure the printer is shared and give it a name. You should then just use port \\workstation_name\printer_name .

Thanks

Do you think that the fact (mentioned above) that the XP PCs can print to this printer is a good sign in terms of the factors you mentioned? From Vista the printer has been added as a networked printer and it shows the correct printer properties - all looking good I'd have thought.

No Windows firewall in use either, I have my own.

I used to use Ghostwall instead of Windows firewall. I am a CCNA and use Cisco routers and firewalls. I am used to port assignments and firewall rules. On the corporate network, the firewalls are network level. No server or workstation has its own firewall. At home, I use Windows firewall and a Dlink router that is properly configured.

If you use a 3rd party firewall directly on those computers and servers, you need to allow security and traffic to work for services. This is why Windows firewall is easier.

The printer is on XP. It is local. It can print. So the printer works with that computer. That is all. Is the printer configured for sharing in the printer folder. Did you assign everyone to print from that printer? Is file and print services enabled and its security allowed so everyone on your subnet can print to it? I setup a common administrator level user on each computer at home. It is not the administrator. It does belong to administrator group. This account will be used in the shares to communicate for printer.

On the Vista computers. Go to networking. Can you see all the computers on your network in Vista? Can you see that XP workstation the printer is on? Can you see the shared printer folder under it.

I don't use Windows firewall as I have a firewall on the router and it's way easier and more efficient than any software firewalls on the PCs themselves.

The printer is on XP and it is local to that printer but that certainly is not all - other networked XP PCs can print to it because it is shared and no software firewalls are getting in the way. The printer is visible to Vista, both Vistas PCs have connected to it and added it as a printer, the correct printer properties are displayed.

If I print from Vista there are NO error messages - it spools locally but does not appear on the XP PC.

Did you try the printer directly connected on your Vista computer.
With regards to the drivers, yes they are included in Vista.

Delete the current printer you have in Vista, then start fresh adding the printer - Add network printer, search for the printer, find the machine it is attached to, etc. and then *do the test page*.

Also, Can you open Windows Explorer and type the \\{machinename} and view the shared items on that machine? Can you see the machine in your Network configuration / Network places?

What does the port assignment for the printer on the remote workstation look like?

\\printer_workstation_name\name_of_the_printer

Did you set up the shared permissions so everyone can print to it?

If you browse to that workstation in Explorer can you see the printer in the printer folder?