Sudden huge delay in accessing shared printer

[Mediaman]

I have a printer connected on PC02(XP), that I access from PC01 (Vista). It has been working fine for years. And even worked fine after I connected the new router etc. Both machines are WIRED to the router.

But now it can take up to 1-2 minutes (!!!) to access the printer. Sometimes it will print eventually; other times it tells me that print spooler services needs to run ( which it is)

Everything else is working beautifully. I can see and instantly accees shared files. I can see all shared printers

I changed the name of the printer share thinking that might help, but it did not.

The only thing I recently changed, that seems to be around the time this problem started, was to completely remove Norton (using uninstall as well as the Norton Removal tool). That should have helped not hindered. I am now using Windows Firewall and Avast.

This is driving me nuts.

How do I troubleshoot?

 

[jdabbs]

Test locally to see if same problem occurs.
Uninstall/reinstall printer, check again. Be sure to remap share.
Disable anything potentially a cause of the problem, check again.
Install printer on a different computer to see if it's isolated to one system.

 

[Mediaman]

its a network issue, not local problem.

printer works on PC02 when printer is connected to PC02
printer works on PC01 when printer is connected to PC01
printer does not work on PC01 when printer is connected to PC02 and shared.

Not a driver issue- ..I see the shared printer..just cant connect to it without waiting forever.

it even takes forever to delete a shared printer or to add a new one

it worked before! something has changed...

 

[thiggins]

it worked before! something has changed...

I am now using Windows Firewall and Avast.

I think you answered your own question.

 

[Mediaman]

Yes those were my changes...but it doesnt explain the new delays..

I turned off the firewall - no differencer.

And it does not seem to be a Vista-XP thing. - same issue amongst the XP machines.

Are you saying that one typically should expect no discernable delay in adding or deleting a shared printer?

Is there a printer equivalent to the ComputerBrowser function? Shared files snap right up, but adding/deleting/accessing a shared printer takes forvever.

 

[scotty]

It's probably something related to network browsing. I used to share a printer in my house, relying on network browsing and it was always painfully slow (and sometimes really quick). I switched to using IP addresses and things went a lot faster (i.e. \\192.168.1.110\HP1200 instead of '\\DELL-DESKTOP\HP1200').

If nothing else, try temporarily connecting to the printer directly via. the IP of the PC it's connected to, and see if that works any better. I'd be willing to bet it'll be a lot faster.

 

[Mediaman]

I agree that using IP addresses is better than using host names...however, when I go to add a printer, I am not given that option...it simply lists the available printers (based on their share name and host name) with no option to select an IP address instead of a name. See attached.

I read elsewhere, as a workaround, to add a local port (pointing the shared printer), rather than adding a network printer. But even there, when prompted for it does not accept slashes in the IP address prompt, and does not recognize slashes under port name prompt. See attached.

So how, exactly, would one use/specify IP addresses in setting up a shared printer?

I assume you are not suggesting to simply type in the IP address under the machines 'Computer Description" or " Full computer name', as these are, afterall, still 'names'.

Thanks.

As a workaround for now, rather than connecting the printer to the XP (and have the Vista machine share it) I connected it to the Vista machine (the one with ComputerBrowser) and had the XP share it. No issues at all! But that only worked for that case as I had them both in the same room ; for other printers on other XP machines, I still get the long delay....and cant seem to 'specify' IP adddreses....

 

[scotty]

2 ways you can add by IP address:

- Browse right to the machine by going to start - run - \\192.168.X.XXX. This should bring up all the shares of the PC. You should see the printer there directly, or under 'shared printers' - right click - connect.

- Via. add printer wizard, if you go to add network printer - type name - \\192.168.X.XXX - it should bring up the shared printers as you type.

You wont be able to add a windows shared printer by setting up a TCP/IP port - that's only when the printer itself is directly on the network.

 

[Mediaman]

Browse right to the machine by going to start - run - \\192.168.X.XXX. This should bring up all the shares of the PC. You should see the printer there directly, right click - connect.

Yes above works perfectly.... I see the printer immediately...but it takes about 20 seconds to complete the connection. Once connected, yes I now see the printer mapped to an IP address....and I can right click on prorperties and get a quick response...will need to test actual printing tonight (been doing all this remotely during lucnh hour!)

Many thanks...

 

[tipstir]

Yes above works perfectly.... I see the printer immediately...but it takes about 20 seconds to complete the connection. Once connected, yes I now see the printer mapped to an IP address....and I can right click on prorperties and get a quick response...will need to test actual printing tonight (been doing all this remotely during lucnh hour!)

Many thanks...

Make sure on the printer that is hosting these printers as the server that you don't have too many instances of them on your system. Under Printers and Faxes Click on File then Server Properties, then Drivers. Should only have the ones you use and not duplicates. Also under the Advanced what to you see checked off?

 

[Mediaman]

Also under the Advanced what to you see checked off?

See attached.

 

[tipstir]

Everything looks okay with those shots.. What's the printer using for a print processor? Is it using the drivers for the printer OEM or default one from Microsoft called Winprint. You might want to change that to the vendor OEM to see if that speeds on the print jobs sent to the queue. If you ever have a problem with the printer not able to print what's printed the in the print queue? Go the the print spool service and restart that would clear out the print queue.