Network Printing with the HP PSC 1350
I spent four days trying to get Windows 98 computers on my home network to print to the new HP PSC 1350 All-In-One printer connected to my Windows XP system. HP technical support said that network printing was not supported on this model and suggested that I buy a “higher end” printer if I wanted to be able to do it. Well I now have not one but two solutions for making this work. This specific problem only occurs if you’re sharing a printer between different Windows platforms (for example Windows XP and Windows 98). If all the computers on your network are running the same version of Windows, you’ll probably never see this issue. Also, I know for a fact that the same problem occurs on the HP PSC 1210, but I wouldn’t at all be surprised if it happened with other models like the HP PSC 2175 or HP PSC 2410 because HP seems to use the same install CD for most of its home printers these days. I’d like to thank a USENET poster who goes by the name of “Madonna” for discovering solution #1 with her PSC 1210. I have confirmed that it works with the 1350, and I also discovered another solution for users who are unable to perform the steps necessary for solution #1.
SYMPTOM
On home networks where the HP PSC 1350 is physically connected (via USB cable) to a PC running one Windows platform (Windows 2000/XP) and the printer is shared on the network, only client computers running the same Windows platform are able to add connections to that printer. Client systems running another Windows platform (Windows 98/Me) will not be able to add connections to the printer because the Add Printer Wizard cannot locate appropriate drivers. Even if you click Have Disk in the printer wizard and browse to the HP install CD, you will not be able to install the drivers.
CAUSE
The drivers on the HP install CD are not laid out in a format that Windows can recognize without the aid of special HP software that configures your computer to use new printers when they are connected to it. Unfortunately, this special software is only triggered when you make a physical (USB) connection to your PC. Browsing to shared printers on your home network does not trigger the software, so your computer does not recognize the drivers on your CD. Client computers running the same Windows platform as the PC connected to the printer do not have this issue, because the Add Printer Wizard will automatically download the drivers from the computer hosting the printer. Windows XP provides the capability to install drivers for other operating systems for exactly this purpose- to allow automatic download of the appropriate drivers to client systems- but again, because of HP’s unusual driver layout, this is not an option with the PSC 1350.
SOLUTION #1
This solution requires that you either have 1) another Windows partition on your host computer [the one connected to the printer] with the same Windows platform installed as the client computers or 2) another computer running the same Windows platform as the client systems that you can temporarily use to locally install the printer. If you do not have either of these, you must follow Solution #2. Note: By “Windows platform” I mean a compatible group of Windows operating systems. One platform comprises WinXP and Win2000. The other platform includes Win98 and WinMe.
1. Before you start, take note of your host PC’s computer name. This is the name that the PC broadcasts on your home network. Also, take note of your printer’s share name. For example, my host PC’s computer name is “Micron” and the printer’s share name is “hppsc1350”.
2. If your host PC has another partition with the same Windows platform as the client systems, unplug the printer’s USB cable and then boot into that other partition and perform a local install of the printer drivers and software (you will be prompted to reconnect the USB cable during the software install process). If you are temporarily using another computer with the same platform as the clients, shut down your host computer now, then boot up the temporary computer and perform a full local install of the printer drivers and hardware. You must connect the printer to this computer during this step.
3. Once you have completed and tested printer installation on the new partition/computer, verify that your PC is using the same computer name that you took note of in step 1. If the name is different, change it. (Do this in the Network control panel on Win9x, and in the System control panel on Win2000/XP.) Changing your computer name requires a restart.
4. Share the printer on the network using the same printer share name you noted in step 1. If you do not see a sharing option on Win9x, you need to install the Microsoft File and Printer Sharing Service via the Network control panel.
5. Go to your client computers now (the ones that weren’t working before) and use the Add Printer Wizard to attach to the newly-installed printer. The drivers will automatically be downloaded onto your client system. When this is done, attempt to print something over the network. If it works, you’re almost finished! Do not continue to step 6 until you’ve successfully printed something.
6. Back at your printer, either reconnect the host computer you’re planning to use (make sure you change the temporary system’s computer name to something different before doing this) or boot into your desired operating system partition on the host PC. Make sure you’re still sharing your printer and that the share name/computer name are the same as what your client systems are currently configured to use (they should be by now).
7. Return to your client systems and print away!
SOLUTION #2
This solution doesn’t require any extra partitions or computers, but it’s not ideal because it requires you to use older drivers than those that came with your printer.
1. On the client systems, use the Add Printer Wizard to browse to your new printer on the host PC.
2. When the wizard asks you which driver to install, select the HP DeskJet 550C. These drivers ship with all versions of Windows and are compatible with many current HP printers, although they may not support all the features the newer printers support.
3. Attempt to print something. If the drivers installed successfully and your host PC is properly sharing the printer, this should work now.
Happy printing, folks!
I spent four days trying to get Windows 98 computers on my home network to print to the new HP PSC 1350 All-In-One printer connected to my Windows XP system. HP technical support said that network printing was not supported on this model and suggested that I buy a “higher end” printer if I wanted to be able to do it. Well I now have not one but two solutions for making this work. This specific problem only occurs if you’re sharing a printer between different Windows platforms (for example Windows XP and Windows 98). If all the computers on your network are running the same version of Windows, you’ll probably never see this issue. Also, I know for a fact that the same problem occurs on the HP PSC 1210, but I wouldn’t at all be surprised if it happened with other models like the HP PSC 2175 or HP PSC 2410 because HP seems to use the same install CD for most of its home printers these days. I’d like to thank a USENET poster who goes by the name of “Madonna” for discovering solution #1 with her PSC 1210. I have confirmed that it works with the 1350, and I also discovered another solution for users who are unable to perform the steps necessary for solution #1.
SYMPTOM
On home networks where the HP PSC 1350 is physically connected (via USB cable) to a PC running one Windows platform (Windows 2000/XP) and the printer is shared on the network, only client computers running the same Windows platform are able to add connections to that printer. Client systems running another Windows platform (Windows 98/Me) will not be able to add connections to the printer because the Add Printer Wizard cannot locate appropriate drivers. Even if you click Have Disk in the printer wizard and browse to the HP install CD, you will not be able to install the drivers.
CAUSE
The drivers on the HP install CD are not laid out in a format that Windows can recognize without the aid of special HP software that configures your computer to use new printers when they are connected to it. Unfortunately, this special software is only triggered when you make a physical (USB) connection to your PC. Browsing to shared printers on your home network does not trigger the software, so your computer does not recognize the drivers on your CD. Client computers running the same Windows platform as the PC connected to the printer do not have this issue, because the Add Printer Wizard will automatically download the drivers from the computer hosting the printer. Windows XP provides the capability to install drivers for other operating systems for exactly this purpose- to allow automatic download of the appropriate drivers to client systems- but again, because of HP’s unusual driver layout, this is not an option with the PSC 1350.
SOLUTION #1
This solution requires that you either have 1) another Windows partition on your host computer [the one connected to the printer] with the same Windows platform installed as the client computers or 2) another computer running the same Windows platform as the client systems that you can temporarily use to locally install the printer. If you do not have either of these, you must follow Solution #2. Note: By “Windows platform” I mean a compatible group of Windows operating systems. One platform comprises WinXP and Win2000. The other platform includes Win98 and WinMe.
1. Before you start, take note of your host PC’s computer name. This is the name that the PC broadcasts on your home network. Also, take note of your printer’s share name. For example, my host PC’s computer name is “Micron” and the printer’s share name is “hppsc1350”.
2. If your host PC has another partition with the same Windows platform as the client systems, unplug the printer’s USB cable and then boot into that other partition and perform a local install of the printer drivers and software (you will be prompted to reconnect the USB cable during the software install process). If you are temporarily using another computer with the same platform as the clients, shut down your host computer now, then boot up the temporary computer and perform a full local install of the printer drivers and hardware. You must connect the printer to this computer during this step.
3. Once you have completed and tested printer installation on the new partition/computer, verify that your PC is using the same computer name that you took note of in step 1. If the name is different, change it. (Do this in the Network control panel on Win9x, and in the System control panel on Win2000/XP.) Changing your computer name requires a restart.
4. Share the printer on the network using the same printer share name you noted in step 1. If you do not see a sharing option on Win9x, you need to install the Microsoft File and Printer Sharing Service via the Network control panel.
5. Go to your client computers now (the ones that weren’t working before) and use the Add Printer Wizard to attach to the newly-installed printer. The drivers will automatically be downloaded onto your client system. When this is done, attempt to print something over the network. If it works, you’re almost finished! Do not continue to step 6 until you’ve successfully printed something.
6. Back at your printer, either reconnect the host computer you’re planning to use (make sure you change the temporary system’s computer name to something different before doing this) or boot into your desired operating system partition on the host PC. Make sure you’re still sharing your printer and that the share name/computer name are the same as what your client systems are currently configured to use (they should be by now).
7. Return to your client systems and print away!
SOLUTION #2
This solution doesn’t require any extra partitions or computers, but it’s not ideal because it requires you to use older drivers than those that came with your printer.
1. On the client systems, use the Add Printer Wizard to browse to your new printer on the host PC.
2. When the wizard asks you which driver to install, select the HP DeskJet 550C. These drivers ship with all versions of Windows and are compatible with many current HP printers, although they may not support all the features the newer printers support.
3. Attempt to print something. If the drivers installed successfully and your host PC is properly sharing the printer, this should work now.
Happy printing, folks!
