This may have to be asked on a Windows 2000 message board, but I thought I'd try here first since there seems to be alot of knowlegable computer ppl here. Anyway, here's my problem. In my office, we're all on Windows 2000, even the server. One of the computers (not the server) has a USB printer hooked up to it. I would like to hook the computer that's next to it up to it as well so that two computers are able to use that printer. I was hoping to set it up through network printing instead of buying a USB splitter or something else like that. Anyway, I got it installed using the network printer setup, but after that, it's no longer available and says "Access denied, unable to connect" in red when you click on it under "Printers". What's weird is that I'm able to use the printer if I log off and log on to "Administrator". However, when I log on to my regular account (also an Administrator), it doesn't let me use it. Does anyone know what the problem is and the best way to fix it?

The best way to handle this is just to get a USB print server. There are a number of companies that make them and should be from $50 to $60. This way you just set up a LPR port to print to it.

-Doug

You might try adding the everyone account to have full access rights to the printer which should allow anyone accessing it to use it.

Thanks, I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if that works, but that sounds promising. Seems like that should have been there by default, but I'll definitely check it out.

Any reason you cant just add a share on the printer ?

Yeah, it would have to be 'shared'.

With a print server you could turn off the host PC. Without one, that PC HAS to be on full time. Just a thought.

Two ways have already been described to fix the issue -- sans buying more hardware.

It sounds like you've already shared the printer so that is solved -- if not, share the printer first.

Adding everyone to the administrators group is not a good choice because you needlessly open the system to security risks with administrative powers.

You'd be better off adding specific users to the Users NT group -- an alternative is adding domain\everyone to the Users group. Adding everyone isn't the best option either because of security risks.

The bottom line – you need to tell the Windows 2000 machine with the printer which users are authorized to access the printer.

After reading your post again I have another idea. Instead of using the network printer wizard do the following:
1. Go to the machine with the printer and find out either the computer name or IP address (you can use computer name if you DNS is working properly).
2. Go to the machine that is not connected to the printer, and then go to Start-Run.
3. Type in \\computername\ (from step 1)
4. At this point, you should be prompted for credentials to access the machine, assuming you are not a user of the machine. Supply your domain\username and password.
5. Next, you’ll see the printer. Double-click to install the printer on your machine.

This will install the printer to your machine, but if you’re not a user of the computer with the (or if the machine does not have the domain authenticated users group) printer, you’ll need to supply domain and/or administrator credentials each time you restart your machine and wish to reconnect.

Sorry for the long convoluted post.

Yeah, I made sure that it's "shared".

Yeah, that worked. However, you're right... I'll have to enter that information each time I restart the computer. That's not something I would want the user to have to worry about. Since the computers are right next to each other, can't I just get a USB splitter of some sort and install it on the other computer? That way, it's literally connected to both computers (no worrying about passwords, whether or not the computer's on, etc.). Or, can't I assign it an IP address or is that what you mean by getting it a USB print server?

You can right a batch file to connect to the printer whenever the second computer is logged on to. I think a USB print server is the best bet though. Cheap and easy.