Tips & Tricks of computing - How to add a troublesome network printer

Ever stuck in a situation where you're connected to the network printer in your local area network but no matter how you try to install in your computer, Windows just can't find it on the network?

 

Well, I was in this situation last week. For the whole week, I'm able to ping the network printer, but no matter how I try to connect to the printer. Windows Vista just can't seems to locate it. What I meant of network printers are printers which are connected to the network via an ethernet cable rather than shared through a computer. This printer are getting common nowadays and are more convenient and idependent compared to those connected and shared from a computer.

 

Anyway, let's get to topic. This trick may applies to all the Windows Operating Systems but my personal experiences are on Windows Vista 32-bit over Sony Vaio's laptop. This trick allows me to connect to an printer that are on another network connected to my local network over VPN.

 

Before you move on to the below guide, try to connect with the printer by installing the drivers as per recommended by the manufacturer. Consult the printer's manual or check the manufacturer's website for best installation method. If unable to install because the installation are unable to communicate to the printer over the network, then move on to the next step:

 

1. First of all, do make sure all the printers details such as model and suitable drivers are present and ready in your hard disk.

 

2. Then, open a dos prompt windows and do a ping to the printer IP address to check for connectivity. If there's prompt reply to your ping, then, ping to the address continuously by adding "/t" option to the ping command.

 

3. Let the ping go on and you may starts to install the network printer. Try to connect to the printer with the installation as per recommended by the manufacturer, that is with the installation software that are provided with the printer.

 

4. If the installation software fails, then add your printers in the "Printers & Faxes" windows (Windows XP) or "Printers" in the Control Panel (WIndows Vista & 7).

 

5. At the above mentioned folder, click "Add Printers" link to open the "Add a Printer" for (Windows XP) or "Add Printer" (for Windows Vista & 7) Wizard.

 

6. Then Follow the wizard's instruction you reach to the step where the wizard as you to select a Local Printer or a Network Printer. Click on the "Local printer attached to this computer" radio button. and untick the check box for "Automatically detect and install my Plug & Play printer. For P&P, you'll not need to use this wizard. Then click the Next button.

 

7. At the next step - Select a Printer Port, Click on the "Create a new port" radio button and select "Standard TCP/IP Port" for the Type of port  option. mThen click "Next".

 

8. This will open the "Add Standard TCP/IP Printer Port Wizard" windows. Follow the wizard instruction and click Next until you reach the "Add Port" step.

 

9. For Windows Vista and 7, select "TCP/IP device" for "Device Type". then, at the first text box title "Printer Name or IP address", type in the IP address for the printer that you wish to connect. Usually, the Port Name will automatically filled with the IP address and a couple of extra number or character as you type the IP address in the first text box. Just ignore the second text box, unless it's still empty after you type in the in address. If that's the case, type in IP_ follows by the IP Address you entered just now. Then click Next.

 

10. Click Finish at the next screen to complete the current wizard.This will close the Add Standard TCP/IP Printer Port Wizard and go back to the Add Printer Wizard.

 

11. After that, choose the printer driver, or click "Have Disk" to browse for the driver in your PC.

 

12. Then, click Browse and find the driver files in your Hard Disk or removable media. These files are usually ".inf" files.

 

13. After finding the software drivers, the wizard will display a list of printers which the driver files are for. Select the printer model that you wished to install and click Next.

 

14. If the next steps enquire you whether to keep or to replace the existing driver, just select "Replace existing driver" and click Next.

 

15. Now, the wizard should be installing the driver or copying the required driver files to your hard disk.

 

16. It's your choice to share the printer for other's in your network to use and to print a test page.

 

Now, I believe you should be able to print using the printer you just installed.

 

Cheers

Andy Ooi

Should I or shouldn't I?

For now, the only reason I stay on here is for the money. That's the only motivation that keeps me going from one day to another.

 

I don't know if I'm being negative or just things aren't going well for me at this stage of time. I somehow felt that this place aren't right for me and I do not have the drive nor the energy to go after what I'm looking for in this job. Eventhough I've been here for a few months, I'm not able to blend in and I always felt I'm alone. The feeling is so lonely and the daily routine seems like a chore. I've developed a habit of watching the time now and then eager to know when I'll be freed. The mood changes whenever I entered the factory in the morning and changes again in the evening after work. Is this healthy?

 

No, it isn't healthy. Sometime, i managed to convince myself I can live on with this job but as days passed by. My opinion changes and my mind sticks on to the original plan of seeking a living elsewhere when something unhappy hits me. This has makes me so tired and confuse of what I'm seeking, making my goal blurred out. Making me so fatigue that I don't even have the extra energy to do what I wish to do. Why is this so?

 

I do understand that lives aren't that comfy and I do not have the luxury of being picky of the working environment that I fancy. I bow to the fact that I'm nothing to slave of time and money just as what majority of us is in this society. Having to tolerate and keeps our opinion and grouse to ourself no matter where and when just because we are weak in certain area which plunge us to the lowest level in the command tier of any society. We tend to kneel for money and bow for power, hiding our dignity and making us ever so humble in front of those who do not deserve it. Our dignity and ego are only flaunt towards those who do not deserve such treatment, but then, we just blindly display it without the second thought if there's ever the need of such at the point of time. It's just for self-satisfactory after we hid it ever so well for survival.

 

The smile we wears on the face are ever so real only to discover that it was fake. However, the quality of the smile was so real, that only those who knows, understand it was just for show. Is there a desperate need of hypocrisy just for the sake of survival?

 

Why can't we be true to ourself, to others of how we felt and think no matter where we are or who are we with?

 

Why do we, just for survival, have to hide our inner self, hide our pride and dignity?

 

Do we really have to do that so that we're able to have meat and rice on the dining table?

 

Why?

 

The answer to these questions are so simple. As I mentioned earlier, those who has the money, has the powers, will stands on the uppermost part of the command tier of the society, while we, the pauper or the average Joe, will only be the lower part of the command tier - bowing for power and kneel for money. Some, in desperate, doing things against their conscience or disintegrates themselves to what we call criminals.

 

Our goals are simple - to climb upwards. However, the ladder aren't the same as those normal ladder you see anywhere. Not everyone can climbs these ladders. Some are destined to be at the top of the ladder, some are good enough or lucky enough to ascends fast and smooth. However, some - due to turns of events or plain unlucky - just slid down to the bottom of the ladder.

 

Seems like my topic of the day has slide sideways again. So, I'll not continue any further. Back to work now and will continue another day.

 

Keep your toes with you all the time...

 

Cheerios

Andy "Shackks" Ooi