Can’t Find USB Printer on Network

Can’t Find USB Printer on Network

I have a simple 2 computer home network with both Windows 10 computers connected to a router using Ethernet cables. Network Discovery & File/Print Sharing is active on both computers and both computers have Password Protection turned off.

I can share files between both computers but computer #2 cannot see the Epson R260 printer which is attached to the host computer ( computer #1) using a USB cable. The host computer prints to the R260 just fine. And when I type \\localhost into File Explorer on my host computer, the printer shows up in the list of shared items but I cannot get computer #2 to find the printer on the network.

I’ve tried selecting the shared printer by name using these methods:
\\computername\printername
http://computername/printers/printername/.printer

I’ve also tried “Add a printer using an IP address or hostname” option.

None of those methods worked. I used to be able to connect to the printer when Windows had the old WORKGROUP system. What am I missing?

Windows 10 Pro version 22H2

Samuria said:

Can you connect via IP not the name?

I tried connecting with the host computer's IP address & USB port number. Didn't work.