How to share a printer from a Windows Vista PC (Host) to a Windows XP/2000 PC (Client)

RELATES TO:


  • Printer sharing.
  • Windows Vista (host) to Windows 2000 or Windows XP (client).


EXPLANATION:



This guide will tell you how to set up your printer so other users on the network can share it. Printer sharing will share the printer driver only. If you have an All-In-One, you cannot share the scanner driver as the operating system does not support it.

Notes Icon Note:

Many Epson printers and All-In-Ones can be used with an Epson wired/wireless print server or come with a print server or in-built network connectivity (Ethernet or Wi-Fi).

This gives you the freedom to network the product without using printer sharing, and allows you to set up the scanner on a network. If you have one of these models, we recommend setting-up the printer/All-In-One on your network using the network interface instead of sharing the printer.

  • For more information on the Epson Net print server and a list of supported products, click here

  • Epson printers and All-In-Ones that come with a print server or in-built network connectivity include:

    Stylus D120 Network Edition, Stylus DX9400F Wi-Fi Edition, Stylus Office B40W/ BX310FN/ BX320FW/ BX525WD/ BX600FW/ BX610FW/ BX625FWD, Stylus Photo PX700W/ PX710W/ PX800FW/ PX810FW, Stylus SX400/SX405 Wi-Fi Edition/ SX510W/ SX515W/ SX525WD/ SX600FW/ SX610FW/ SX620FW


First you will set up the printer as a shared printer on the computer directly connected to it (host). Then you will add the printer to each network computer that will access it (client). Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista are network-ready operating systems.

These instructions are for printer sharing only, you must already have a working network established. If you have not set up a network, please consult your operating system documentation or Microsoft for support.

Notes Icon Note:

These instructions are for small networks only. To share the printer on a large network, consult your network administrator.

  • To install/uninstall programs in Windows Vista, you need an administrator account, or the administrator login and password if you log on as a standard user.
  • You must log on to a Computer Administrator account to install software on Windows XP x64 and XP, the default account will be an Administrator..
  • You must log on to Windows 2000 as a user with administrative privileges (belonging to the Administrators group) to install software.


Enabling File Sharing

Verify that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is installed. Check the settings on the host (Windows Vista) first and then on the client(s) (Windows 2000 or Windows XP):


Windows Vista:

  1. Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center. (If Control Panel is in Classic View, open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center.)


  2. Under Sharing and Discovery, make sure that the following items are 'On':

    Network Discovery
    File sharing
    Printer sharing



    If any of the above are set to 'Off', click on the arrow button to expand the item and select 'Turn on...', and then click Apply. Click Continue if you see a User Account Control permission request.


  3. You can check this is set on a LAN or WLAN connection by clicking on View status beside the Connection.


  4. The status window appears. Click on Properties and then check the items checked in the 'This connection uses the following items:' list.


    If File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is not checked, then to enable it you must click into the check box beside it. This is a Windows network service and must be installed on a network adapter to enable that computer to participate in file sharing. Click OK to return to the status window, and then click Close.


Windows 2000/XP:

  1. Right-click on the LAN or WLAN connection icon in either the taskbar or in Network Connections.
  2. Left-click on Properties. The network adapter's properties dialogue appears.
  3. Make sure that File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks appears in the list of installed items and check box checkbox next to this service is checked.


    If File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is not checked, then to enable it you must click check box the checkbox beside it. This is a Windows network service and must be installed on a network adapter to enable that computer to participate in file sharing. Click OK to return to the status window, and then click Close.


Installing the printer driver

  1. Install the printer driver on the host computer, making sure you connect the printer to the host when prompted to.
    • For help installing the driver, see the following Related Article and then return to this article: How to install a printer on Windows Vista
    • If your printer was released prior to Windows Vista (January 2007), you will need to check if it is supported. See the following Related Article for information: How is my product supported in Windows Vista?

      Notes Icon Note:
      • For some printers, you will need to download and install the Vista driver from the Epson website instead of installing the printer using the Epson CD-ROM.

      • If your printer is supported with an inbox driver in Windows Vista, you should not install the software from the Epson CD-ROM or website. Instead you should power on the printer and connect it to the Vista computer. Follow the Add Printer Wizard to setup the printer.

      • For products using an inbox driver, the sharing process detailed in this article remains the same, however a Status Monitor utility may not be included. You do not have to enable monitoring of shared printers, which is a setting explained in Step Four. Also, you do not have to add the Epson eEBSVC.exe and Sagent.exe files to the firewall exceptions, as instructed in Step Seven.


  2. Once installed, print a Windows Test Page to ensure that it works correctly.
    • Open the Printers folder, double-click on the printer icon and then select File > Properties. On the General tab, click on Print Test Page.
    • If you require assistance with this, see the following Related Article: How to Print a Test Page in Windows

    Notes Icon Note:

    If the printer you wish to share is connected via a Parallel cable, also ensure the Parallel port setting in the BIOS of the host is set to ECP (as the normal setting when using Parallel devices). For help on checking or changing BIOS settings, refer to your computer's documentation or your PC vendor for support.


Configuring the printer driver for sharing

  1. Click the Start button and select Control Panel.

  2. In Control Panel, double-click on Printers. (If the Control Panel is in Category View, select Printer from the Hardware and Sound category.)
  3. Right-click on the Epson printer icon and left-click Sharing.


  4. The printer Properties window opens on the Sharing tab. Click the Change sharing options button and then click Continue to the User Account Control permission request.


  5. Select Share this printer and type a name that is easy to remember and doesn't have the same name as any other printer on the network.

    Notes Icon Note:

    Do not use spaces or hyphens in the share name.


  6. The name given above will be used for this printer only. Click Apply and then OK. This printer is now ready to be shared.


  7. In the printers folder, a small icon of two people will now be displayed on the Epson printer icon. This denotes that the printer has been shared. See the image below for an example.


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Confirm the host Computer Name

  1. Click Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance. Click on System.
    • If Control Panel is in Classic View, click on System in Control Panel.
    • Alternatively, right-click on Computer, from either the Desktop or Start menu, and then left-click on Properties.

  2. In System, locate the section 'Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings'.

  3. Make a note of the host's Computer name or Full computer name which appears here. Then close the system information window.


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Configuring the client computers

Follow these steps to add the printer to each network computer (client) that will access it.


Notes Icon Note:

The illustrations in the following section are from Windows XP.


  1. On the first client computer, open the printers folder from Start > Control Panel > Printers (Windows 2000), or Printers and Faxes or Printers and Other Hardware then View Installed Printers and fax printers (Windows XP).
  2. Click on File > Add Printer. The Add Printer Wizard appears.


  3. Click Next to continue, then at the next window do one of the following:
    • Windows XP: Select A Network printer, or a printer attached to another computer, then click Next.
    • Windows 2000: Select Network printer, then click Next.


  4. On the Specify a Printer screen, ensure Browse for a printer is selected, and then click Next.


    Notes Icon Note:

    If you do not see a Browse for printer option, you could select Connect to this printer (or to browse for a printer, select this option and click Next. Then click Next, most users will see the same screen as given in the step below.


  5. On the Browse for Printer screen, under Microsoft Windows Network, expand any groups you see by clicking the plus sign next to the group name (double-click the icon of the computer that is directly connected to the printer). Then click the icon for your printer. Click Next.


    Notes Icon Note:

    Alternative method of locating a printer:

    You may see a slightly different screen where the 'Browse' option is replaced with 'Find a printer in the directory'. This is more typical of computers on larger networks. You could select this or option or if you cannot find the printer by using the 'Browse' option as described above, you can find the location directly by using the following method.

    Type \\(computername)\(printername) into the network path' or 'Connect to this printer...' box.

    • 'computername' is the name of the system attached to the printer, as checked in Step Four.
    • 'printername' is the name you gave the printer when you shared it, as in Step Three.

    For example, if your printer was 'myprinter' and your computer name was 'mytest,' type \\mytest\myprinter into the search field.


    Click Next. Once you have located the printer on the network, continue with the wizard and the steps below to finish the printer setup.


  6. The Connect to Printer dialog appears. Click Yes, and the computer will attempt to find drivers for the printer.


    Notes Icon Note:

    Depending on the operating system and the configuration of the computer to which the printer is connected, the Add Printer Wizard may prompt you to install the printer driver from the printer software CD-ROM. Click the Have Disk button and follow the on-screen instructions.


  7. The files are pulled across automatically and when finished, the queue window appears to show this has completed. Restart the PC.

  8. Once the PC has restarted, try to print a Windows Test Page from the printer driver's Properties dialogue.
  9. If that was your only client computer, you are finished. Otherwise, repeat steps four to six for each client.

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Sharing Epson Status Monitor

If you wish to use EPSON Status Monitor on the clients, the host must be set up to share Status Monitor information over the network.


  1. Open the Printers/Printers & Faxes folder (via Control Panel or the Start menu). If you need help with this step, see the following Related Article: How to open the Printers or Printers and Faxes folder in Windows
  2. Right-click on the printer icon then left-click on Printing Preferences.
  3. Click on the Maintenance or Utility tab.
  4. Click the Speed & Progress button at the bottom of this screen.


  5. In Speed & Progress, click on the Monitoring Preferences button.


  6. The Monitoring Preferences window is displayed. At the bottom of the window check the option for Allow monitoring of Shared Printers. This box should be ticked in order to send the Status Monitor information across the network. Click OK to save the setting. You will return to the Speed & Progress window, click OK, then click OK to the Printing Preferences to finish making settings.


    Notes Icon Note:

    It is necessary to perform this on both the host and the clients.


Most Epson drivers now include Status Monitor with the driver package, so Status Monitor is automatically installed when you install the printer software. However, if your printer has a separate EPSON Status Monitor 3 installation either on the EPSON Software CD-ROM or available to download from the Epson website, you will need to manually install Status Monitor on each of the clients you require, after confirming that they print correctly.


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Improving operation of Status Monitor

Refer to the sections below for additional steps required to provide the best operation for printer sharing and Status Monitor:


Windows Firewall - Windows XP SP2:

When using Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installed, you may experience problems with the Status Monitor on a network, or printing on a shared printer due to the Windows Firewall.

  1. Click the Start menu > Control Panel. Double-click the Windows Firewall icon.

  2. The Windows Firewall dialogue will open. Here it will confirm if it is turned on or off. 'On' means that you use this firewall, 'Off' means it is not used - this is normally only if you use commercially available firewall or antivirus software. Close the window if you use commercially available firewall or antivirus software and refer to the manufacturer's instructions to check that file and printer sharing is allowed.

  3. If you use the Windows Firewall, click on the Exceptions tab. In the Programs and Services list, tick the File and Printer Sharing box. Click OK to save any changes.



Windows Firewall - Windows Vista:

When using Windows Vista and the included Windows Firewall, you may experience problems with the Status Monitor on a network, or printing on a shared network due to the Windows Firewall.

  1. Click Start > Control Panel > Security. Click on Windows Firewall. (If Control Panel is in Classic View, select Windows Firewall in Control Panel.)

  2. The Windows Firewall dialogue opens. Here it confirms if it is turned on or off. 'On' means that you use this firewall, 'Off' means it is not used - this is normally only if you use commercially available firewall or antivirus software. If you are using commercially available firewall or antivirus software instead, close the window and refer to the manufacturer's instructions to check that file and printer sharing is allowed.

  3. If you use the Windows Firewall, click on Allow a program through Windows Firewall from the left of the window. Click Continue if you see a UAC permission request. The Windows Firewall Settings window opens on the Exceptions tab. In the Programs and Services list, tick the File and Printer Sharing box. Click OK to save any changes.



Epson files: eEBSVC.exe and Sagent.exe

Make sure that files related to Status Monitor are not blocked by your computer's firewall. There are two programs that may be required to allow Status Monitor to communicate over a network. If either are blocked or deleted, it may not operate.

  • eEBSVC.exe is a Bi-directional module used to enable communication over a network between your printer and PC. This allows Status Monitor to report information such as ink levels and printer status.

  • Sagent.exe may try to connect to the Internet. If you have a TCP/IP connection (via Ethernet or otherwise) it will try to check across that connection for EPSON printers. Sagent2.exe/Sagent4.exe does not send any data to EPSON and is not a Virus/Trojan or Worm. It simply queries for other printers connected to the computer.

Most firewalls will block any action where data is sent from your PC unless initiated by yourself. We recommend allowing eEBSVC.exe and allowing Sagent2.exe/Sagent4.exe to use the Internet as no harm or damage should be done to your system. If blocked, Status Monitor may not operate correctly.


Notes Icon Note:

When you use your printer as a shared printer on a network with the following combinations of computers, the client operating systems are not able to communicate with the printer, so that some functions are not available for that particular client.


Server/Host Client
Windows XP x64/XP Windows Me/98 SE/2000
Windows Me/98 SE/2000 Windows XP x64/XP


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