Thread: Adding network printer in Vista.

I've got a printer directly connected to my main Vista machine and I'm trying to share it with the laptop Which has Vista Home Premium. I did have this set up and working at one point, then it suddenly stopped working without warning. I tried deleting and reinstalling the printer, but I get the dreaded "Windows cannot connect to the printer. Make sure the name is typed correctly and the printer is connected to the network." message. So, I try the huge solution that everyone claims works (Add the printer as a local printer on LPT1, then go in and try adding a new local port with this convention: \\Computer name\printer name as the new port name.) Now, the problem that is frustrating me to no end is I get "Access denied" when I attempt to create the port. Adding to this frustration is the fact that no one seems to have had the same issue... and I've been Googling like mad trying to find someone that has. I only get "Oh yeah. That worked!!!”

Well it doesn't work... not for me. So in one of my rare calls for help I ask if anyone knows of a possible solution. Most of the people with this issue are sharing the printer off an XP machine... but I have no XP machines. I'm extremely frustrated since this was working flawlessly a couple of months ago. The only explanation I can think of is some Vista update must have broken the printer sharing somehow... problem is I don't know which one... and I don't feel like uninstalling a pile of updates to troubleshoot.

Have you installed the Vista printer driver in both machines? Just a thought.

Yeah, the driver is installed on both computers... as I said, the laptop was printing to the printer flawlessly a while ago. Somehow, it stopped working without warning and I'm at a loss as to explain why. I wish I could find someone having the exact same issue... but I haven't been able to.

Well, some of my printers work over my network through Vista and others don't. I don't know really. Is it possible you have a firewall or your ISP is blocking something that now prevents printer connection? Have you installed any new anti virus or spyware since the setup worked? I really don't know. I've been trying to get my Home Server trial to set up from a remote location. I think my ISP is blocking some ports. Just an idea, wish I could give more solid advice. Somehow you lost the connection that worked before. Call your ISP?