Network problem? or Printer problem?

[ngoducthang]

Hi guys, i have a problem but i'm not sure if it's the network or the printer, here are the facts:

- I have about 10 PCs setup with XP SP2
- 2 printers: HP 2200 and HP 4000, will refer to as 2k and 4k
- printers and pc connected to a router
- pcs all using DHCP
- printers have set IPs
- 8/10 computers are connected to the 4k printer
- remaining 2 computers for some odd reason will not connect or detect that there's a printer @ the assigned IP address of the printer, but it will detect the 2k printer's IP address (reminder: all computer/printers on same network)
- 10/10 computers are connected to the 2k printer

the problem is mentioned partially above, i don't understand how 2 of the systems cannot connect to the 4k printer and i've tried to change the cables, but the same thing happens. As for the 2k printer although they are all connected printing from it is slow and sometimes doesn't go through. I've resetted the printer and all system along with the router, but no luck. The printer does make a noisy sound when starting up and printing so i'm guessing it's a printer problem, but maybe i'm wrong, please help me solve these problems they are getting annoying =(, thank you!

 

[dotNET]

make print share for this 2 computer(or make a speical group for this job and only add this 2 computers in this group.)

 

[ngoducthang]

hey dotNET thank you for your suggestion, but i know i can simply share the printer through another computer so the 2 computers can access and print, but then those 2 computers would depend on the computer that is sharing the printer, to be turned on, and that's not what i want. I want those 2 computers to be able to access the printer without depending on another computer.

 

[choknuti]

Wow now that's a problem. Is it always the same 2 comps that have a problem connecting to 4k or is it a random thing?

Have you tried to assign them all static IPs?

 

[ngoducthang]

yep major stinking problem... and yes it's always the same 2, and the printers do have statics IPs, but if you mean the computers then no they do not have static IPs, i'll try doing that =) hopefully it works, but would be weird if it did hehe

 

[choknuti]

the fact that it's always the same 2 is better than a random effect. Could be that the ips are conflicting (same as the printers) sorry for asking but sometime the most obvious solution is the last one we check

Good luck with manually changing the ips hope it works. Just goes to show you that networking is the modern version of voodoo.

 

[ngoducthang]

no luck with this problem chonutik =( i've given the pcs unique static ips but still they cannot detect the 4k printer is there anything else i can try, i can't think of why it would not work =(

 

[choknuti]

To be honest I was just a guess. Most times if I am baffled by a problem I start throwing solutions at it till something works.

As I see it the problem lies with the 2 comps. Is there any difference between those 2 and the others? You might want to try reinstalling windows on one of them or try connecting to the printer using a linux liceCD from one of the problem computers.

Good luck!

 

[ngoducthang]

I do the same thing, but it just doesn't make sense why 2 computers can't access when all others can... I've checked software and updates they all are up to date and w/e else you can think of =( just doesn't work for some dumb reason. I'll probably format like you've suggested and if that doesn't work i'm going to bash them haha

 

[choknuti]

maybe try with a live CD first. That way you wont have to format.
Bashing used to help with my old telli don't know if the same applies to computers though