Windows 7 Can't print over wireless network.

[Evan Volmering]

My Windows 7 laptop is connected to a wireless network, with the other computer running Windows XP. My laptop has detected and installed the printer on the wireless network (HP Photosmart C4600), and says it is Ready. However, it still won't print. The furthest I've gotten is when the status said 'spooling', then nothing.

Printing a notepad document from my desktop gave me an Invalid Handle error, and printing in Chrome tells me there isn't a printer installed. Suggestions?

 

[Trouble]

Check here with hp Link Removed
download and install the full feature driver package and then try installing the printer as a local printer by either using a TCP/IP port if it's truly a network printer, or perhaps using a new local port if it's shared and hosted by another machine on the network. If you need some help with that please post back and advise how the printer is available as a resource on the network.

 

[Evan Volmering]

I downloaded the full feature driver package and added the printer locally, but it still won't print. Just tells me there was an error printing it.

 

[Trouble]

Sorry, that that wasn't successful. Can you tell us how exactly the Printer is made available on the network. Or when you said that you added the printer locally, can you expain how you went about that, did you physically connect it to the host machine or did you use some other means (like a tcp/ip port or a local port)

 

[Evan Volmering]

The printer is connected with a USB cable to my computer downstairs. I created a home network so this laptop can connect to that computer wirelessly(I can connect to my computer's shared documents over the network). From my laptop, I clicked Add Printer, then selected Local Printer. It found it and installed, but still didn't work. I then tried Add Network Printer. It detected my printer and installed it. It says 'Ready', but still won't print.

 

[Trouble]

OK, so let's try this
Open Devices and Printers remove / delete all references to the problem printer and
Select add printer near the top menu bar
Select add local printer
Choose Create a new port and local port from drop down arrow Click Next
In the enter a port name do one of the following
1. \\MachineNameHostingPrinter\Printer'sShareName or
2. \\ipaddressOfMachineHostingPrinter\Printer'sShareName
In the install printer driver dialog box do one of the following
1. In the left panel select your printer manufacturer and in the right panel select your printer model (to use Win7 native drivers) or
2. Select the have disk button and direct the install process to the folder where you have download and extracted the Win 7 drivers for your printer.

 

[Evan Volmering]

Alas! It worked. Thank you very much.

 

[Trouble]

Good news, glad to hear it. Thanks for posting back and updating your thread much appreciated. Hope to continue to see you around the forums.

 

[CCC]

Hi There I have a similar problem and can't seem to find a solution. I have a Windows 2003 server on a wireless network with a Windows 7 laptop. The printer is connected with a USB cable to the laptop. I followed the steps above to install the printer on the server as a local printer creating a new local port but it still won't print. If I connect from another Windows 7 laptop also installed as a local printer with this port, it prints. What am I doing wrong on the server?

 

[Trouble]

If you are sure that you have the proper drivers for the printer installed on the 2k3 server. Then go to the computer (Win7) that is actually hosting the printer, open devices and printers, select then right click the printer and choose printer properties, select the sharing tab and make sure that the check box is checked that says "Render print jobs on client computers" you may need to reboot everything to make sure the access token and new property settings take effect on all nodes.

 

[CCC]

Did that already

 

[Trouble]

Printer Manufacturer and model name and number? This may help because often people have specific information regarding problems that they have had with similar devices that they can share.

 

[Trouble]

Also consider making other adjustment to the printer driver. Like " Print directly to printer" and "enable / disable bi-directional printing" and "disable / enable advanced printing features"
Also there is a know issue when printing from Win7 to W2k3 print servers. I haven't heard anything about the reverse process but it may be worth a read.
Link Removed

 

[CCC]

These settings are all the same as you indicated. The printer is a Zebra GK420d label printer. I followed the link you provided but the problem is that I do not have Printers in the Registry Editor under Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsNT. I only have 'Windows file protection'. Should 'Printers' be added and how do I do that? If the printer is connected to the Windows 7 laptop, will this then be regarded as the printserver?

 

[Trouble]

These settings are all the same as you indicated. The printer is a Zebra GK420d label printer. I followed the link you provided but the problem is that I do not have Printers in the Registry Editor under Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsNT. I only have 'Windows file protection'. Should 'Printers' be added and how do I do that? If the printer is connected to the Windows 7 laptop, will this then be regarded as the printserver?

Actually no, I wouldn't do that. I was simply pointing out that there were known issues when printing between the two OSs because of the different use of the RPC Protocol.
Check the event viewer on both machines but especially the Win7 machine after sending a print job to the label printer from the 2k3 server and see if you see any reference to the print job, especially reference "access denied"

 

[mancy]

Following are some of the tips, which you must follow while you are using a printer with Windows 7 system.

Ensure that the cables are properly connected; you need to ensure that your printer is properly connected, and plugged in, and also the cable is accurately connected to the computer as well.
Check the power; make sure that the printer’s power is switched on, ensure that all the computer necessary computer components are also turned on.
Make sure that the hardware is properly plugged in, and also turned on. Apply troubleshooting.
A troubleshooter is a tool, which is generated automatically and which can easily fix the problems that occur with your system.
Thus, if you are coming across different issues related to your printer, then you can consult the troubleshooter.
You require driver applications to run your hardware devices.
Make sure that the drivers are not outdated, corrupt, or incompatible, resulting in disrupting the communication between the printer and the computer.
Always make sure that you are making use of the most recent and latest device drivers, and also that are compatible with your system requirements and specifications, as this can be extremely useful in resolving printer issues.

 

[tlh]

Hello,
Don't know if this is too old for anyone to be monitoring, but before I start a new thread:
I have a very similar problem except the desktop PC is running 64bit Windows 7, while the old Toshiba laptop is running WinXP. I downloaded and installed the printer driver (Epson all in one - CX7450). Everything seemed to go OK. Status reads "ready" but it will not print anything from the laptop over the wireless network. If I navigate to the printer directly through Explorer, right click the printer and tell it to print a test page, it does so. I did notice the port name used by the printer is \\FAMILY\Printer. The name of the Win 7 desktop is FAMILY-pc. don't know if that is part of the problem. Should the solution described above work for my situation?

 

[tlh]

Hi,
Thanks early for the help.
I am afraid I must admit being a little dumb - I don't know what 2k3 stands for. The desktop with Win7 is 64bit. The printer has been installed on that machine and working well for months so I assume the drivers are correct. The System panel on the old Toshiba laptop says it is WinXP Media Center Edition 2002 service pack 3 - I don't know how to see if it is 32 or 64bit but figure it must be 32bit just based on its age. I checked the sharing tab on the host Win7 desktop - "Render print jobs on client computers" is checked.

 

[Trouble]

First, on the Windows XP (client machine) go here Epson Stylus CX7450, Drivers & Downloads - Technical Support - Epson America, Inc.
download the 32bit driver version for you printer that is connected to your Windows 7 computer (host machine). The file is a self extracting executeable so you can either use 7zip or another extractor utility to extract the files to a folder of your choice or fire up the executeable and it will extract the files automatically, just make sure you make a note of where it is extracting the files or else force the extraction to put it where you want it. If the installation fires up after the extraction process just cancel it.
Now on the Win7 machine make sure you know the name of the machine (according to your post "family-pc") then open devices and printers, select then right click the Epson and choose "Printer Properties", select the sharing tab and determine the "Share Name" make sure it's something simple like EpsonAIO (you can name it anything you want, but simple is better, short no spaces).
So now your printer port path is something like Link Removed
Now try this on the XP machine where you have downloaded and extracted the 32bit drivers
Open the printers folder and delete any reference to the shared printer that you may have previously attempted to configure.
Select add printer near the top menu bar
Select add local printer
Choose Create a new port and local port from drop down arrow Click Next
In the enter a port name do one of the following
1. \\MachineNameHostingPrinter\Printer'sShareName or (as previously defined above)
2. \\ipaddressOfMachineHostingPrinter\Printer'sShareName (try to not use this method as IP addresses are subject to change thru DHCP)
In the install printer driver dialog box do one of the following
1. In the left panel select your printer manufacturer and in the right panel select your printer model (to use XP native drivers) or
2. Select the have disk button and direct the install process to the folder where you have download and extracted the 32bit XP drivers for your printer.

 

[tlh]

OK - printed out the above and will give it a try.
Many thanks. Might be a while now but will report back with results - hopefully success.
Regards,
Tom