Windows 8 Windows 8.1 Laptop Can't See Network attached printer

[SpaceAce68]

Hi everyone, here is the overview of my issue.

Background:
IP address for printer is: 192-168-1-20. Windows 7 system can also remote into the printer with a browser.
Windows 7 Laptop can see Network attached printer. I can print with this machine to the printer with no issues.

Windows 8.1 Laptop can't see the Network attached printer. When detecting printers it finds nothing. I have tried to add the printer via its IP address and it will not find it (I know this as it asks me what kind of network card I am using in my printer). Note: the printer is an HP LaserJet Colour 100 MP175nw. We have not had any issues with this printer until just recently.

Both users who have signed into each Laptop respectively have admin rights. Both laptops are connected to my Internet Router wirelessly using IPv4 IP addressing. Both laptops can access the internet with no issues. My router is hardwired into a switch downstairs which is then connected to my printer, a server and another desktop (the desktop is turned off). At first my home server was off and I turned it back on and connected to the printer (had to install the driver and such) and I was able to print a test page from this install. So this kinda tells me that the switch has no issues and the printer is fine - there is something happening with my Windows 8.1 Laptop (the wife's machine).

I read online via HP site that sometimes the SNMP protocol can cause issues so I have disabled this on the printer but it still made no difference.

On the Windows 8.1 laptop I attempted the Printer Diagnostic and came up with an error 0x803C010B. HP stated that this is due to an error on the printer but I find that hard to believe as my Windows 7 setup has no issues using the same printer.

I have tried, as stated by the HP site, to unplug the power from the Printer, wait 30 seconds and plug it back in and restart it. No help. Also, I have tried to ping the printer and remote into it via 192-168-1-20 and can't do either on this Windows 8.1 laptop.

I hope I have included all that you need (just ask if not). Your help here is some much appreciated. I really do not want to rebuild the 8.1 Laptop but I'm getting to the point of frustration now. Please help if you can.

Sincerely,
SpaceAce68

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi space,
This thread really belongs in the Windows8 network forum, especially since you have a server involved. Speaking of which, what server software are you running?

In any case, you have several things going on, but it appears that you have some confusion between domain logins on your W7 & W8.1 computers and a local network printer resource. The real question is have you setup W7 Homegroups to accomplish this printing on both computers, or are you relying on server resources to manage your print queues? If you haven't used Homegroups, you are really shooting yourself in the foot as you are relying on server based printing resources which are infinitely more difficult to manage.

I would suggest that if you haven't already created local or non-domain logins on the W7 & W8.1 computers, that you do so. I'd also physically disconnect your server connection to your home router (either turn off it's wifi adapter or disconnect it's Ethernet cable) as well as turn off the server altogether. Unplug it's power cord for now to make doubly sure it's not broadcasting on your LAN. Then on the W7 computer, create a Homegroup, which makes your W7 machine the Master in the homegroup, and then use that Homegroup code over on the W8.1 computer and add that computer to the existing W7 homegroup. Once you've done this, it's very easy to get both computers to print to the shared network computer. You didn't mention if that printer is a wireless printer or a wired printer connection, so I have to guess. Either way, it will work now if both your computer's networking files are intact and operational. If only 1 computer can print to the printer at this point, whichever machine can't print to it, let's say it's still the 8.1 computer, most likely that computer has it's windows networking files scrambled and must be repaired or Win8 reinstalled on it.

I have many Clients who have a mix of W7 and W8x as well as XP, Vista, W10 all working together with a network printer on a home LAN using non-domain logins. The key here is to use the MS Homegroups feature. If you don't you are going to be spending months trying to get it to work. I've done this on other forums recently and it's not pretty. A few with very advanced expert computer skills have done so, but as soon as they repair or replace a broken computer on their home network, they have to rip all the printing stuff they did to bypass Homegroups working again from scratch! No pretty picture there.

So, the real dilemma you have is if you are using your server to manage any of the printing of that network printer on your LAN, it's going to interfere with and conflict with anything you are trying to do with Homegroups, that is if you even set it up. I have to try and think about what you did or didn't do until we hear back from you on your actual LAN toplogy. Creating non-domain network logins for your 2 computers and unplugging your server from your LAN will allow you to use Homegroups to make your printing work easily and seamlessly. There are lots of folks here who hate Homegroups and go to great lengths to circumvent it--and that's fine if you wish to do so; but following my recommendations for testing your printing with the Homegroups will solve your problem. If you'd rather manage that with your server fine; but if your printer will print from both computers via Homegroups, it should also print to both computers from your server managed printing resources with domain-logins on both computers also.

Hope that helps. Post back what you've got and what you've tried.
Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[Neemobeer]

On the Windows 8.1 computer look at your firewall settings, if you are connected as public then this is probably why is isn't working, switch to a private profile and test.

 

[SpaceAce68]

Thanks very much for the speedy reply. I apologize for placing this query into its wrong thread. If someone will let me know how to move it I will do so. I will now answer your questions ad give more information on my issue.

Windows Home Server and Login in Locally: My two machines (the Windows 8.1 Laptop and the Windows 7 Laptop) both log in only to themselves (local Accounts). The WHS is just simplified file/media server release around 2011. I also do not have any print servers setup on this server.

Windows HomeGroup: I took your advice and carefully examined how my homegroup was setup and it now shows me I had always thought it was owned by the Win7 laptop but it was owned by my Win7 Desktop. I have removed all machines from the homegroup and re-established it all linked to my Win7 Laptop. In doing this I rebooted each machine as leaving a Windows HomeGroup is not as simple as that. You need to leave from each machine, set the network as public, reboot, add back into home network and then you can create a new home group.

At this time, I was thinking hard about why this machine could get out to the internet, have a 192.168.1.xx IP address but still not see my printer (there was no ping response from 192.168.1.20 - the printer). From this rationale I thought, I would need to trace out my cat5 lines and just make sure nothing was amiss. All checked out. So, from here I decided to reboot my ISP router, wi-fi added device for my Optik TV cable boxes (all work on wi-fi). Well, low and behold both laptops can see the Printer now and its all working.

Let me ask you: in your experience have you seen other IPS equipment have issues where IP addresses are somehow lost or blocked? This is frustrating for two reasons: 1) I didn't even think that rebooting the router would be the cause. 2). Why does this happen? It seems that my ISP has issues every now and again and I have to reboot the bloody devices to correct these weird anomalies.

Again, thanks for reading my rambling and attempting to help me with this issue. My issue is now fixed. Thanks.

 

[helpifIcan]

I have seen this but only with WIFI only printers.

 

[Neemobeer]

Well the way ping works, is the ICMP get's encapsulated in an IP packet. Since the IP is on the local segment an ARP request is sent out asking for the MAC address associated with the IP. Generally the switch portion of the SOHO router will have this in it's ARP table, if it doesn't the device with said IP should reply with it's MAC and the and the ICMP will reach the printer in this case and the same process will happen back to your computer. If there was an issue with the ARP cache or ARP getting to the printer then it wouldn't of completed the ping. The other computer may have already had the printer cached in it's ARP table and therefore could ping the printer.