Shared Brother Printer Needs Re-Creating After Each Boot

Hi All
I have 2 identical Dell dual-core PCs running Windows 7 Professional. They both have manual TCP/IP settings running through a router that has DHCP switched off. I have no problem getting files backward and forwards between the machines, and I can easily add the Brother laser printer (which is also a fax) on the 2nd PC (it is attached physically by a USB cable on the first PC). I downloaded the latest "proper" Brother drivers from their website, and went through the whole "proper" Brother install procedure with no errors. Adding the printer on the 2nd PC seems to involve transferring the driver from the 1st, so it looks like the correct driver is being used on both PCs.

However, after booting up each morning, the shared printer is gone from the 2nd PC and requires adding again. I've done some BINGing for a solution, but all the solutions I found related to HP printers HP CUE DeviceDiscovery Service. Neither PC has an HP of any sort attached or previously installed (both PCs were completely reformatted & reloaded when I got them).

Any thoughts?
Cheers

Is the 1st machine with the physical usb connection booted up also? Figured I would start there.

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Originally Posted by zipp51

Is the 1st machine with the physical usb connection booted up also? Figured I would start there.

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Yes

Five or six years ago, I was running into the same type problems you are currently having. Solved it by purchasing a Print Server. The server is connected to your router then the printer is connected to the server. That makes it a part of your network which means that it will work with any computer on your network. In my case, that includes computers using different operating systems.

I made a quick Google search and found many that are available from $30 to $50 dollars (US).

Additional information: A couple years ago I decided to pick up a wireless print server. Never could get it to work. Back then, my network was hard-wired to several buildings on the property. Besides the router, there were multiple switches and some very long CAT-5 cable runs. My network is much simpler now (fewer switches and no long cable runs), so I may give that wireless print server another try.

Thanks for your reply. That is not an option in this case - it needs to be software. I've got another network of 2 x vista pcs & a 7 pc that have no trouble sharing (and remembering the share) 3 printers off 1 of the Vista pcs (which until mid last year was running XP Pro - no trouble then, either).

There must be a software answer.

Here are some software solutions for sharing printers on a network.

http://download.cnet.com/windows/print-server-software/

A possible configuration solution here:

http://en.kioskea.net/faq/7049-succe...between-two-pc

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Originally Posted by efc

Here are some software solutions for sharing printers on a network.

http://download.cnet.com/windows/print-server-software/

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I will look into that.

The weird thing is, the share sets up fine & prints - no drama, easy-peasy. What I want to know is this: why is it that the share is lost when either of the PCs reboots? Both PCs have manual IP addresses, and have no trouble seeing each other across the network, so why would the printer share decide to just "give up" and necessitate a re-do of the share creation?

It all seems very bizarre. This is the first time I've shared a printer across to Win 7 (32-bit) PCs, and I can't see any logic to the problem. More so since the other network I have with 2 x Vista PCs & a 7 PC is fine (especially when I consider that the PC with all the printers on it was running XP Pro SP3 up until July last year with no probs).

Computers, eh? Who would have one...:rolleyes:

any fix? I would check the network sharing center and see if the 'home' network is selected with the share my printer / fileshare etc settings.

Secondly, perhaps a wscript to 'reconnect' the printer share may work.

Yes, 'home' network is selected. All sharing appears to be in order. Subsequent to all this, last week the printer spat it's dummy and his been replaced - it's possible that there was a glitch in the controller interface that might have had something to do with the "drop off". The next few weeks will tell the tale...