[FOOOD]

I have my Mac & my PC networked together & have a USB printer scanner (all in 1 thing) connected to my PC

I want to print from my Mac to the printer connected to the PC but I have no idea how to set it up.

I've tried this...

From the Mac I went to Print & Fax>Add Printer. The printer list drops down & I select Windows Printing & see my PC network (as well as the mac). I select my PC & then see the shared printed & select it.
All seems fine until I try to print from the Mac.
In the printer list it says printing & a printer icon pops up in the dock.
But then I get '!' symbol in front of the printer icon & nothing prints. When I check the Printer List the status says 'Stopped'.


Would I be better getting a print server & if so would it work with the Mac & PC at the same time?

Or maybe even just get some sort of USB splitter so that both the Mac & PC are connected to the printer at the same time?

[ghporter]

Don't go with a USB splitter; they're trouble. A separate print server is helpful in that you wouldn't need another computer to be turned on to use the printer from your Mac (or from the PC if you connected the printer to the Mac). And yes, there are USB print servers around; you may have to look a little while to find one, but they're there.

On the other hand, I think the issue is that your all-in-one gadget may not like printing over a network. Since you didn't mention what brand or model it is, I can't help you research it (I have separate devices, as that's how I acquired them-one at a time).

[FOOOD]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I thought that maybe my all in one printer scanner (Hewlett Packard HP PSC 1355) might be be too good over a network.

I saw a USB print server from Netgear (http://www.netgear.com/products/details/PS121.php) but I didn't see it says anywhere that it was Mac compatible.

[ghporter]

Originally posted by FOOOD:
Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I thought that maybe my all in one printer scanner (Hewlett Packard HP PSC 1355) might be be too good over a network.

I saw a USB print server from Netgear (http://www.netgear.com/products/details/PS121.php) but I didn't see it says anywhere that it was Mac compatible.

If it does standard ethernet networking it is Mac compatible. The only thing this little box needs a PC application to assign it a network address-bad news.

On the other hand, here's a D-Link USB print server that has a default IP address and is configurable through your browser. This is very good news.

The downside is that I've never heard good things about networking all-in-ones. There is an option neither of us has mentioned though; a USB switch. You have a cable from each computer to the switch, and a cable from the switch to the printer. When you want to use it with the Mac, you push the button for the Mac's port. When you need to use the PC with it, push the PC's button. Here's a Belkin product that does just that.

Good luck.

[FOOOD]

This is very lucky for me

I already have that belkin 4 port switch (but never thought to use it )

I tried it & it works great. Thanks for your help!

[ginoledesma]

Glad to know it's resolved, but here's something I'd like to pitch in from what I've observed in Mac-PC printing over Samba.

One of the most common problems with printing to Windows-connected printers is authentication problem (usually, the Mac will complain about NT_ACCESS_DENIED in the background). One way to fix this problem is for the user to supply a username/password that is valid on the Windows side.

This is most likely due to User-level sharing of Windows 2000 and later.

[cspuryear]

I'd like to re-iterate that statement...

I have an OfficeJet 3330 mfp. It is connected to my 3ghz Shuttle I built running XP Pro SP2 via USB. I have the 108Mbps Super G Netgear Router (4-ports as well).

So the Shuttle is hardwired to the router, my G4 iMac is hardwired, and my wife's Powerbook is connected via wireless.

In XP, I shared the printer as "Printer", then use the built-in printer setup in OS X to browse and find the printer......

HERE's the key....provide the USERNAME/PASSWORD to the XP machine when it prompts you on the Mac....and all will be good!

[ghporter]

Originally posted by cspuryear:
...and all will be good!

Just so long as the printer/all-in-one plays nice with networked computers. Caveat computor; research before you buy a USB printer you want to network.