Cannot Connect to shared printer on Win 10 computer from XP Computer

smartcooky · 16 Oct 2018

Like the title says (I'll refer to the Windows 10 computer as "WIN10" and the Windows XP computer as "XP")

On XP, I can go to View Workgroup Computers > WIN10 and I can see all the shared drives and folders, open them, delete files in them and copy files to and from them. I can also see the Printer but when I try to connect to it I get denied access. This dialog box opens....

Cannot Connect to shared printer on Win 10 computer from XP Computer-connectphotolab.jpg

NOTE: "Photolab is WIN10

There is no username in the dropdown box. I have tried several different usernames (e.g. the WIN10 computername, the logged in user on WIN10 and the printer name) but to no avail. WIN10 allows XP to connect to everything except the printer.

My Network Sharing Options are set as follows

Private (current profile)
Network discovery = on (automatic discovery checked)
File and printer sharing = on

Guest or Public
Network discovery = on (automatic discovery checked)
File and printer sharing = on

All Networks
Public folder sharing = on
Media streaming N/A
File sharing connections = Use 128 bit encryption
Password protected sharing = Off

AIUI, with these settings, WIN10 has all its network sharing protocols set with no passwords and full control for all users; it literally has its pants pulled down around its ankles, but XP STIILL cannot connect. It should not even be asking for a password at all, yet it is.

What I have tried already

Configuring a TCP/IP port for the printer. It connects, and shows an icon in the printers window, but it wont print (the line in the print queue gives an undefined error).

Physically connected the printer to XP (using USB) and installed the drivers. It works OK like that but is not practically possible - the printer is normally in another room, connected to WIN10 via USB.

Connect to the printer from another Windows 10 laptop, and it works fine, but I also have three other Windows XP computers on the network and I cannot connect any of them to the Printer... same problem as XP

Does anyone have a solution to this problem, or know of a workaround?

zbook · 16 Oct 2018

Over the weekend I set up a printer and found that computers using different frequencies were not able to connect to the printer.
The computers that were running at 5 GHZ had to changed to 2.4 GHZ to connect to printer.
Its been a very long time since I've used Windows XP.
What are the wireless frequencies for the different computers?

smartcooky · 16 Oct 2018

The network is wired so frequencies are probably irrelevant.

NOTE: My preference would be to just replace XP with Windows 10, but the problem is there is proprietary software on the XP machine that is vital to my business and will not run on Windows 10 (actually, nothing later that Vista). The upgrade of that software to run on Windows 10 is a very large cost (its just another way that Noritsu screw you over) and I'm just a few years from retirement, I'm not prepared to outlay $thousands on an upgrade).

zbook · 16 Oct 2018

There is a sister forum: Seven Forums.
Those with Windows 7 are closer to Windows XP so it may be useful to make a post.
Windows 7 Help Forums

Bree · 17 Oct 2018

smartcooky said:

NOTE: My preference would be to just replace XP with Windows 10, but the problem is there is proprietary software on the XP machine that is vital to my business and will not run on Windows 10...

This thread on Superuser may help...
https://superuser.com/questions/9637...windows-10-pro

...if not, an alternative is to 'print to file' on the XP machine then copy the file to the Win10 PC to print it.

The Microsoft XPS Document Writer (MXDW) is a print-to-file driver that enables a Windows application to create XML Paper Specification (XPS) document files on versions of Windows starting with Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2). Using the MXDW makes it possible for a Windows application to save its content as an XPS document without changing any of the application's program code.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...ocument-writer

Download XPS Essentials pack: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=11816

jimbo45 · 17 Oct 2018

Hi there
@smartcooky

a problem is likely to be that the printer has a 32 bit driver for XP while your windows 10 device will have a 64 bit driver (probably).

The trick therefore is to add the printer (on both machines) -- yes I know it's on a network - as a local printer !!! -- add a new port and it should work.

I don't think Wifi frequencies are of any issue -- there's no reason why 2.4GHZ and 5GHZ connections can't be used simultaneously --the chances are the the 5GHZ protocols won't be available on any network wifi cards on XP.

In any case you say the printer is wired --even easier !!!!!

I did have a thing on this on the Win 7 Forums years ago -- same user ID jimbo45 -- post might still be available -- I remember there was a whole slew of people having trouble sharing printers with Win 7 and XP and I wrote a working solution at the time.

The trick as I said is to "poodlefake" the network printer into thinking it's local on both machines even though it's on a network !!!

Never thought this old dog would come back to bite after all these years. !!! (Use W10 where I've got W7 in the extract of the original post - works just as well --I'm on W10 Pro X-64 and sharing with XP SP3.

Here's a copy of that post : ……..
……………………………………………………..

..............extract from previous post .....
Hi there
I've posted on this before but to share Printers attached to XP computers with either X-64 or X-32 versions of W7 is SIMPLE. These instructions are for the Printer attached to the XP machine (but works in reverse as well).

("Stand alone" Network printers can be done slightly similarly BTW).

assume the computers are call XPMACHINE and W7MACHINE.

1) Ensure Printer on XP machine is shared - assume it's called SHAREDPRINTER.

2) On the Network Browsing on your W7 machine ensure you can "See" the Printer share.

Now on the W7 machine do the following (doesn't matter if it's X-86 or x-64).

3) Control Panel==> add LOCAL (Yes LOCAL) printer. I know it's on a Network but hold your horses -- what we are actually doing is "Poodlefaking" the W7 machine into thinking it's running the printer.

4) Create NEW port==>Local port

5) Portname is \\XPMACHINE\SHAREDPRINTER

6) Now W7 will load a driver and you'll be able to print on the XP machine.

Simple

(For a "Network stand alone printer") at 4) chose TCPIP port
and at 5) enter the IP address.

If the printer is on the W7 machine and you want to print on the XP machine then do the same instructions on the XP machine --
port name in this case will be \\W7MACHINE\SHAREDPRINTER

hope this helps

BTW this post was from 2009 !!!!!!

Just use the W10 system for where I've got W7 - works as well --I use XP for creating Vinyl records to order -- the cutting system only works on XP and still works 100% so why should I spend 25,000 USD / EUR more to get new hardware when the old recording stuff still does its job 100%.

Cheers
jimbo

Bree · 17 Oct 2018

jimbo45 said:

I did have a thing on this on the Win 7 Forums years ago -- same user ID jimbo45 -- post might still be available...

It is...
XP to 7 Printer sharing - Windows 7 Help Forums

jimbo45 · 17 Oct 2018

Hi folks

of course the only caveat in this is that for modern printers a driver might not be available for XP --however in general a W7 X-86 --32 bit one might work though. Most W7 x-86 drivers still work on XP.

Cheers
jimbo

bro67 · 17 Oct 2018

smartcooky said:

The network is wired so frequencies are probably irrelevant.
NOTE: My preference would be to just replace XP with Windows 10, but the problem is there is proprietary software on the XP machine that is vital to my business and will not run on Windows 10 (actually, nothing later that Vista). The upgrade of that software to run on Windows 10 is a very large cost (its just another way that Noritsu screw you over) and I'm just a few years from retirement, I'm not prepared to outlay $thousands on an upgrade).

You can download the Windows 10 drivers from Epson. See this about setting the printer up for network sharing. https://www.epson.co.za/viewcon/corp...faq/1352/13929

jimbo45 · 18 Oct 2018

Hi there

the problem probably isn't the W10 drivers but the XP ones -- W7 or even VISTA ones might work for the XP machine (remember to use the 32 bit drivers on XP).

Cheers
jimbo