Documents from the network stick in the printer queue

Hi all,

This should be an easy one, but I've been banging my head against it for a week. I'm hoping I've just been looking at it to closely and someone can take a look from a different perspective, smack me on the back of head, call me an idiot, and point to the obvious solution.

I'm trying to fix a home network for a client. It consists of one desktop computer, two laptops, and a printer. The desktop is attached to the router by a cable, and has the printer, which is shared, and the laptops are wireless. Everybody is running Windows XP Pro, and this is Lexmark Z45 inkjet.

The problem is with printing. It worked until about a week ago, but now when the laptops send a job to the printer, it just sticks in the queue with the status of printing. The desktop can print, so it doesn’t seem to be the printer. The laptops can see the printer, they can connect to the printer, they can send jobs into the queue, but then they just sit there.

I’ve reinstalled the printer on the desktop and the laptops, I’ve downloaded new drivers, I’ve restarted the services, I’ve attached to the share using the computer name as well as just its IP address, I’ve made administrator accounts on the desktop using the same username and password as the laptops use, I’ve made a separate printer account on the desktop and connected using that, and they’re in the same workgroup.

I working on the assumption that has something to do with share permissions, so if anyone has any suggestions I can try, or different approaches to consider, I would be grateful for any suggestions.

My suggestion would be to convince your client to buy a print router. Several months ago I got an Iogear PS and haven't had any problems with network printing. Before this network printing would work for a while then a major headache. The more expensive one allows you to network multi function machines. I did find out from Iogear that the print drivers have to allow networking. Looking at getting a new laser printer and so something else to look for.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6833139009
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6833139007

Actually, I recently had to touch it, moved some things a round and had to reinstall Windows. On the Iogear you have a power cord/connection, a LAN, and a USB connection. Install the print drivers, run the cd that comes with the router. Install the print drives on the other machine, Add Printer, network, click the printer and that's it. Take you about half an hour to set up 3 or 4 machines. Didn't even have to unplug it when I unplugged the router to reset it. Might want to try it with one or a couple of your brighter clients, the ones that know the CD tray is not a cup holder. These things really are easy to set up and work like routers today. Not like the old Windows 98 days

Something like the Iomega is definitely strictly for home use. Let me know if you find the key that dispenses beer