You fellers are pretty knowledgeable about computers and have a lot more practical ideas than the geeks who live at computer groups dishing out opinions...

I've got this Epson WF-2630 ink jet connected via USB to a laptop with Windows 8.1, which is connected by ethernet to a router. There is another PC connected to the router that runs Windows 2000 and need to rig it up so I can print directly.

Right now, I'm converting files to PDF, transferring to 8.1 computer, then printing. That's OK for something now and then, but on a daily basis I need to print directly.

I already tried using XP printer drivers, generic drivers in W2K and installing from the printer's CD and no success.

Other than upgrading the old system, is there another way to print directly?

On Friday, April 1, 2016 at 7:12:54 PM UTC-4, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
You fellers are pretty knowledgeable about computers and have a lot more practical ideas than the geeks who live at computer groups dishing out opinions...

I've got this Epson WF-2630 ink jet connected via USB to a laptop with Windows 8.1, which is connected by ethernet to a router. There is another PC connected to the router that runs Windows 2000 and need to rig it up so I can print directly.

Right now, I'm converting files to PDF, transferring to 8.1 computer, then printing. That's OK for something now and then, but on a daily basis I need to print directly.

I already tried using XP printer drivers, generic drivers in W2K and installing from the printer's CD and no success.

Other than upgrading the old system, is there another way to print directly?


https://files.support.epson.com/html...rf/netwk_2.htm


That is the general process.

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 16:13:58 -0700, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

Other than upgrading the old system, is there another way to print directly?

I ran into a problem with our printer, not networked or wireless.

Downloaded and flashed the chip and got the new driver for it. YMMV.

On Fri, 1 Apr 2016 16:13:58 -0700, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

You fellers are pretty knowledgeable about computers and have a lot more practical ideas than the geeks who live at computer groups dishing out opinions...

I've got this Epson WF-2630 ink jet connected via USB to a laptop with Windows 8.1, which is connected by ethernet to a router. There is another PC connected to the router that runs Windows 2000 and need to rig it up so I can print directly.

Right now, I'm converting files to PDF, transferring to 8.1 computer, then printing. That's OK for something now and then, but on a daily basis I need to print directly.

I already tried using XP printer drivers, generic drivers in W2K and installing from the printer's CD and no success.

Other than upgrading the old system, is there another way to print directly?

Did you share "files and printers" on the host machine? Does it
connect when you browse printers on the client machine. Is that where
the driver issue comes up? You should be able to get "driver details"
from the host, copy those files to the share directory on the client
and then point to them from the client printer driver.

On 4/1/2016 5:29 PM, wrote:

Did you share "files and printers" on the host machine? Does it
connect when you browse printers on the client machine.

As that printer is network-capable, it's probably "better" to not share
it from a host machine, because that machine would always have to be
powered up for the other machine(s) to use the printer.

As the first response's link suggests, I'd just plug it into one of the
free network ports, ascertain the IP address assigned by the router, and
then configure a printer on each machine to use that specific IP address
as the port. Or ditto for the printer's apparent ability to use a
wireless connection. Wired is more trouble-free if the printer happens
to be situated near the router.

On Friday, April 1, 2016 at 9:00:47 PM UTC-4, Art Shapiro wrote:
On 4/1/2016 5:29 PM, wrote:

Did you share "files and printers" on the host machine? Does it
connect when you browse printers on the client machine.

As that printer is network-capable, it's probably "better" to not share
it from a host machine, because that machine would always have to be
powered up for the other machine(s) to use the printer.

As the first response's link suggests, I'd just plug it into one of the
free network ports, ascertain the IP address assigned by the router, and
then configure a printer on each machine to use that specific IP address
as the port. Or ditto for the printer's apparent ability to use a
wireless connection. Wired is more trouble-free if the printer happens
to be situated near the router.

That's a good point and better way of doing it, ie put it right on
the network. I'd check the Epson website for install software to download
to make it easy.

On 04/02/2016 08:27 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Friday, April 1, 2016 at 9:00:47 PM UTC-4, Art Shapiro wrote:
On 4/1/2016 5:29 PM, wrote:

Did you share "files and printers" on the host machine? Does it
connect when you browse printers on the client machine.

As that printer is network-capable, it's probably "better" to not share
it from a host machine, because that machine would always have to be
powered up for the other machine(s) to use the printer.



Even though it's on a network, the printer still must have the correct
drivers installed.

The mfg does not provide win2k drivers so if there is a "setup" program
for XP that will not work.

That said, if it's a self-extracting exe file you can start the
setup...then copy the files out of the temporary location and perform a
manual install.

It should work as long as you use the 32bit XP drivers.


If not...The Win2k machine should be upgraded at least to XP or else
replaced.

On 4/1/2016 4:13 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
You fellers are pretty knowledgeable about computers and have a lot more
practical ideas than the geeks who live at computer groups dishing out
opinions...

I've got this Epson WF-2630 ink jet connected via USB to a laptop with
Windows 8.1, which is connected by ethernet to a router. There is another PC
connected to the router that runs Windows 2000 and need to rig it up so I
can print directly.

Right now, I'm converting files to PDF, transferring to 8.1 computer, then
printing. That's OK for something now and then, but on a daily basis I need
to print directly.

You can always define the target directory (folder) for the PDF to be
a network share *on* the 8.1 computer (or, a W2K share exported to
the 8.1 computer)

[You could use any other portable format as well -- e.g., native PS]

Then, you'd need a daemon that just watched a particular "folder"
and automatically "printed" anything that appeared in the folder.

[I suspect there are such beasts in the Windows world...]

I already tried using XP printer drivers, generic drivers in W2K and
installing from the printer's CD and no success.

Other than upgrading the old system, is there another way to print
directly?

While I can understand the reluctance to upgrade a machine (I only
upgraded from w2K to XP a year ago!), it's probably time to bite
that bullet (to XP, not anything beyond) -- unless you have some
"precious" legacy devices/hardware that isn't supported under XP.

"Don Y" wrote in message ...
On 4/1/2016 4:13 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
You fellers are pretty knowledgeable about computers and have a lot more
practical ideas than the geeks who live at computer groups dishing out
opinions...

I've got this Epson WF-2630 ink jet connected via USB to a laptop with
Windows 8.1, which is connected by ethernet to a router. There is another PC
connected to the router that runs Windows 2000 and need to rig it up so I
can print directly.

Right now, I'm converting files to PDF, transferring to 8.1 computer, then
printing. That's OK for something now and then, but on a daily basis I need
to print directly.

You can always define the target directory (folder) for the PDF to be
a network share *on* the 8.1 computer (or, a W2K share exported to
the 8.1 computer)

[You could use any other portable format as well -- e.g., native PS]

Then, you'd need a daemon that just watched a particular "folder"
and automatically "printed" anything that appeared in the folder.

[I suspect there are such beasts in the Windows world...]

I already tried using XP printer drivers, generic drivers in W2K and
installing from the printer's CD and no success.

Other than upgrading the old system, is there another way to print
directly?

While I can understand the reluctance to upgrade a machine (I only
upgraded from w2K to XP a year ago!), it's probably time to bite
that bullet (to XP, not anything beyond) -- unless you have some
"precious" legacy devices/hardware that isn't supported under XP.

Yes, you're probably right. I'll likely end up setting up a separate PC with XP and keeping the 2000 for old versions of Autocad that will not run on anything above 2000, RSLogix and other proprietary industrial programs.

On 4/3/2016 8:19 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
While I can understand the reluctance to upgrade a machine (I only
upgraded from w2K to XP a year ago!), it's probably time to bite that
bullet (to XP, not anything beyond) -- unless you have some "precious"
legacy devices/hardware that isn't supported under XP.

Yes, you're probably right. I'll likely end up setting up a separate PC
with XP and keeping the 2000 for old versions of Autocad that will not run
on anything above 2000, RSLogix and other proprietary industrial programs.

Build a virtual machine image of the W2K system and host it *under* the XP
(or 7even or Linux or...) OS. The performance increase you will gain from
the newer hardware (I suspect your W2K box is getting long in the tooth?)
will more than compensate for the "inefficiency" (minor) of the hosting OS.

Try to decide what you *won't* need in the W2K image before building the
VM as you can probably host some of the tools that you are running under
W2K in the "native" XP system.

"Don Y" wrote in message ...
On 4/3/2016 8:19 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
While I can understand the reluctance to upgrade a machine (I only
upgraded from w2K to XP a year ago!), it's probably time to bite that
bullet (to XP, not anything beyond) -- unless you have some "precious"
legacy devices/hardware that isn't supported under XP.

Yes, you're probably right. I'll likely end up setting up a separate PC
with XP and keeping the 2000 for old versions of Autocad that will not run
on anything above 2000, RSLogix and other proprietary industrial programs.

Build a virtual machine image of the W2K system and host it *under* the XP
(or 7even or Linux or...) OS. The performance increase you will gain from
the newer hardware (I suspect your W2K box is getting long in the tooth?)
will more than compensate for the "inefficiency" (minor) of the hosting OS.

Try to decide what you *won't* need in the W2K image before building the
VM as you can probably host some of the tools that you are running under
W2K in the "native" XP system.

Good advice I'm sure, but it's been 15 years since I did any nuts and bolts computer work. Things have changed too much for me to keep up. Other than plugging in cables, I'm more of a user these days. Linux, virtual machine image, etc are Greek to me.

On 4/4/2016 11:47 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
Good advice I'm sure, but it's been 15 years since I did any nuts and bolts
computer work. Things have changed too much for me to keep up. Other than
plugging in cables, I'm more of a user these days. Linux, virtual machine
image, etc are Greek to me.

Another "poor man's" way of doing it might be to stuff the W2K machine
into a closet (figuratively) -- removing the need for the display and
keyboard -- and install a VNC service on it. Then, a VNC *client*
on the 8.1 machine.

This essentially gives you a remote display/keyboard for the W2K
machine (allowing you to use the keyboard and display on your
"regular" -- 8.1 -- computer for that purpose). I.e., what would
normally appear on your W2K computer's display will, instead, appear
*in* this window on your 8.1 machine. And, anything that you type
or click *inside* that window will be seen by the W2K machine as if
it had been typed on the W2K keyboard/mouse!

So, connect to the W2K machine for whatever program you want to run.
When you want to print, print to a PDF (as you do now) -- on the W2K
machine *or* on a network share exported from the 8.1 machine -- by
issuing the appropriate commands ("clicks") in the VNC client "window"
directed to the W2K machine.

Then, move the mouse out of the VNC window (so, your keyboard and
mouse are now talking to the 8.1 machine's applications) and copy
the PDF to YOUR printer.

I.e., this saves you the hassle of sneaker-netting the file from
the W2K machine to the 8.1 machine -- and lets you do it all from
a single display/keyboard/mouse.

(VNC is, IIRC, "free")