An interesting dilemma I ran up against today

[Dichodog]

Where I work we have two offices.  The bosses son and I had been talking about networking all of our computers to the big copier we lease then having everybody print on it because certain people seemed to be blowing out desktop printers every four months (mine lasted 5 years but I digress).  Last week we had some spare time aaaannndd our notorious printer killer had yet another one die (personally I think they commit suicide because I'd want to if I had to sit that close to the individual ahh there I go digressing again) so we ran the cat 5, hooked an old dell we had laying around up as a print server, and I went around the office setting everybody up on it. 

This week our shop manager from the other building stopped by and asked me how we did it.  I told him that is was fairly easy and, if his big copier had a print port and the driver disc, I'd be happy to do it for him.  Day before Memorial day in my business is good for watching paint dry if it's busy.  So he asked me if I would set him up.  He's got an old laptop with xp pro on it hooked up as his print server.  I set up a network (the name of which you'd laugh especially with my nefarious sense of humor) and go to the first computer I'm intending to set up.  Do the network thingy and see the copiers address, go to set it up, and it asks me for a user id and password.  Whiskey Tango? So I try the next machine.. same thing.

Okay I google the question and I get a bunch of vague stuff that doesn't seem to address my problem.

Any ideas before I go to the AH board and make a fool out of myself ?

[Drone]

Is the 'big' copier in the other building is a different type than the one you set up in your office.

Sounds like it wants you to sign in like one does with a lan router.  id like 'admin' or something.

Is there anything in the manual about network considerations?

[Ghosth]

That a windows 7 system by any chance?
I noticed that Win 7 networking is quite different than older OS's requiring username, and password to get into another computer. Much more restrictive even in a trusted home network environment.

[Dichodog]

drone.... nope one in one building one in the other

Ghost.. nope XP all the way. 

I ran across an article today that said that if two computers on the network were named the same it might cause a conflict.  The manager in the other building sacrificed a personal laptop to be his file server and I'm thinking he might have named his comps the same. 

[Ghosth]

That is possible.

I've also seen some strangeness causes by different "workgroup" names in the same group.
As long as your in checking.

[Dichodog]

no I did the work  group myself so the name is correct.  *shrug* kind of mind boggling.  GRRRR

[Ghosth]

Well that's the joys and pains of networking.

When it all goes well its easy breezy and anyone can do it.
Its when it all goes wrong that you find out how much you do or don't know.

Hang in there.

[Dichodog]

I'm about ready to chuck all of the computers in that office and start over...