Connecting network computer to printer?

Connecting to a printer on a network computer?

• I have my printer hard wired through my laptop running Vista 32 bit with printer sharing enabled. My desktop running Vista 64 bit only had to click on the laptop, then the printer and hit connect and it was connected. But my parents laptop is running Windows XP and I don't know of a way to view network computers, and when I try to add the printer, it can't find any on the network. The drivers are installed and it was working just fine before we replaced our downstairs desktop with a laptop. Any suggestions? Thanks.

• Answer:

  Go to your VISTA machine, and click network......do you see this XP laptop listed?????? NO?? well, you have to set the xp machine up ON the network first....... contol panel, network settings.......set the Xp computer up on the network with the same network name you are using with the vista machines. Once the xp machine is set up on the network, then you can install the printer THROUGH the network. If you DO see the XP machine listed when you click the VISTA machine, try just shutting down the XP machine, and rebooting....I've noticed that sometimes XP tends to disconnect itself from the network, and not recognize things on the network. ALSO,.....You can see everything that is on the network in an XP machine just by going to my computer and clicking on network!! Any more questions....send me an email....