Printer Sharing within Home network

Sounds like you may have taken the right steps, but here is how you do it just in case:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/exp...

Thanks scaye, I'll check it out.

Thanks Scaye,
Like you say I've already done all that was suggested therein many times over and I wish it were so simple. Whoever wrote those instructions clearly never connected or tested them out beforehand. By the way I always turn on the printer in question to help detection process.

The 'Add Printer Wizard' gives the option of selecting - Local printer attached to computer (wired by way of a Port) or A Network Printer attached to another computer (my situation). Choosing the latter option Wizard then asks 'what printer is wanted?' and offers 'Browse for a printer' and provides typed space for Name of Printer into which I type exactly as shown by parent computer. Then press 'Next' and it immediately returns "Windows cannot connect to the printer..." suggesting/spacing name not typed correctly or printer has lost its connection. So I try the 2nd option 'Connect to a printer on theinternet or on a home/office network' (my situation) Now it requests URL: address. and I've tried every possible address known to man. I know my Printer is connected via USB003 (virtual port address) but nowhere can I locate its address on my home network. Incidentally I have succeeded by connecting Vista Laptop by this method and have no idea why the same method doesn't work on XP machine.

Have you just tried browsing for the printer? You should be able to select it, you just need to browse the the computer it's on and it should show up.

Yes have browsed for the printer, like I said above, it then asks to give its name or description. No luck, I've tried every folder available.

You are using two routers... I didn't catch that. That's probably why you cannot see your printer. Routers are designed to protect the inner network from the outer.

Essentially only one Netgear Wireless Router (DG834PN) connected to telephone and Internet, the Netgear WPN111 is the wireless sender connected to the laptop as it doesn't have integrated WiFi. Thanks for your interest.

Oh. Sorry today was a long day and my brain is skipping stuff.

No worries and thanks. As if there weren't enough problems in life, we don't need illogical windows code to make things worse. I'm getting windows 7 soon and sort of hoping our Microsoft boffins have got this network setup sorted....we'll see.