File Sharing and Printer Sharing

Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (WFW 3.11)

(Not supported for Windows 3.1)

File and printer sharing allows users to share folders and printers over a network.

First you need:

• Computers with Windows for Workgroups 3.11
• Network interface card  (NIC) with drivers
• Printer with cables and drivers
• Windows for Workgroups 3.11 diskettes
• Activated datajack

These 3 network components are required for Microsoft Networks:

1. Microsoft network drivers
2. Network card adapter
3. Microsoft TCP/IP-32

The Windows for Workgroups 3.11 diskettes maybe required for network component installation

To enable file sharing and printer sharing, go to Program Manager and drop-down the Window menu from the menu bar and select Network. The Network window should appear.

Double-click on the "Network Setup" icon. Click on Sharing…. Check off the first box to enable file sharing. Check off the second box to enable printer sharing.

Click OK to save the file/printer sharing option window and click OK again in Network to save settings. Push Cancel to cancel any changes.

Users who wish to share files and printers with each other must be on the same workgroup and the same subnet.

To check your workgroup, go to Program Manager, then double-click on Main, and then double-click on Control Panel. Double-click on Network. The Microsoft Window Network window should appear.

Computer name is the unique name of each computer on the workgroup. Workgroup is the name of the workgroup the computers will connect with to share files and data.

• Workgroups names are unassigned and are usually department or organization names. This is a group name and all users who wish to be connected to a workgroup must have the same workgroup.
• Computer names can be chosen. This is for individual computers. Some suggestions are room numbers or what no. of computers in the work environment. Sometimes user’s names are discouraged because personnel and computers often get moved and switched around.

To check what subnet you are under, go to Program Manager and Network, and double-click on Network Setup. Double-click on Microsoft TCP/IP-32 in installed network drivers box. In IP addresses, it should display your assigned IP address. Your subnet is the 3^rd set of digits in the IP address. (e.g. 128.171.47.6, subnet is 47) IP addresses are assigned, with subnets usually corresponding with each building on campus.

All of the computers that will be file and printer sharing should have their network components and settings setup and installed properly. There are two types of computers when printer sharing.

• The computer on the network that is directly connected to the shared printer is called the printer server. The printer server controls the printer and handles the printing from the other computers on the workgroups.
• Those other computers that want to print to a shared printer are called clients. Printing to a print server is also known as print jobs. Print jobs can be paused, spooling, cancelled, purged, have errors, or be pending.

• A networked printer, on the other hand, is a printer that is directly connected to the network and has its own IP address. The printer is connected online through a network card installed in the printer itself. A networked printer does not require a printer server, and is stand-alone.

Whenever an error occurs or when troubleshooting, both printer server and printer clients should be checked to narrow down and find the source of the error.

1. First setup the network components on the computer and enable printer sharing.
2. Second, install the printer.
3. Go to Program Manager and double-click Main folder. Double-click on Print Manager. Click on the Printers menu in the menu bar and select Share printer as…. Select the installed printer to be shared.

Share as: is the name of the printer that will appear in the workgroup.

Comment: is an area where you can add comments about the printer.

Password: allows only those with the password to print. When a password in inputted in the text field, then the password is enabled; leaving it blank disables it.

Re-share at Startup must be checked on to activate printer sharing at startup. Click OK to confirm settings.

4. Test print printer.

1. First setup the network components on the computer and enable printer sharing.
2. Go to Program Manager and double-click Main folder. Double-click on Print Manager.
3. Click on Printer in the menu bar and select Connect Network Printer…

It will now display shared printers on the network. Under Show Shared Printers, select the workgroup and computer where the shared printer is. Shared printers will be displayed below. When the printer is selected, it will display its location at Device Name and Path. Make sure Reconnect at Startup is checked on. Click on OK to confirm.

4. Test printer.
5.  

The Print Manager is the same as the Print Control windows in Windows 95/98. It is a small utility in Windows that monitors the status of documents printing, also known as print jobs, during printing and the status of the printer. Print Manager is automatically activated and appears when printing. Print Manager is very useful and helpful when troubleshooting. During printing, the Print Manager will appear or appear in the lower right-hand corner of the taskbar near the clock. Double-clicking on the printer icon will maximize the Print Manager. It will display the following:

• Document name
• Status of document
• The owner of the document
• Progress of the printing
• Starting time and date.

Status will display one of the following:

• Spooling
• Pending
• Error

Documents that are not printing but are still in the Print Manager are bad print jobs. If status reports any errors or if print job is locked-up or not working, delete or purge the job and try again. Try to find out the source of the error. Sometimes one bad print job can hold up the printing and print jobs pile up and flood the printer. The Print Control window should be purged, printer shutdown and restarted again to clear the memory.

File Sharing

In file sharing, files aren’t really shared, only folders. Files are placed in a shared folder, allowing them to be shared files. Since files are going to be shared among different computers in the workgroup, installing virus scanning software with passive background scanning is highly recommended.

1. First, install and setup network components and activate File Sharing.
2. Create or select the folder/directory you wish to be shared in File Manager.
3. In File Manager, single-click on that folder, then click on Disk in the menubar, and select Share As. To select more than one folder, hold down shift and drag the mouse to select or deselect folders in groups, or hold down control to individually select or deselect folders.
4. Type in a name in the Share Name box or leave the default folder name.

• Check Re-Share at Start-up if you wish to have this folder automatically to be sharing every time you start your computer.

• Access type allow different types of file access and security.

• Check the Read-Only button for read-only access

• If you wish to have restricted access to the folder, a Read-Only Password can be added by typing in a password in the Read-Only Password box. Give the password to those who want or will need access to the folder.

1. To test to see if file sharing is working properly, go to another computer in the same workgroup and double-click on Main and File Manager on the desktop. Look for your computer drive and for the shared folder. If it is there, then file sharing is enabled. To further test, copy a file from the shared folder and vise versa.

This checklist corrects common errors related to printer sharing.

• Check that all cables and wires are connected properly and tightly.
• Printer must be turned on before computer. If not, some printers are not recognized by the computer at boot-up.
• Printer server is turned on.
• Must login at Windows Login. Must login to correct workgroup also. Failure to do so will result in no connection with the workgroup.
• Both clients and printer server must be connected online (network card and components setup and installed). Test by checking e-mail, browsing the web, or checking network drive connections in File Manager. If no response, then you may have a network problem. Must resolve.
• Printer and drivers must be installed and setup on both clients and server. Printer must be able to print properly (test print) from printer server and print jobs from clients. Use manufacturer’s drivers or updated drivers from manufacturer’s website whenever possible.
• Print from different programs. Try printing from 3^rd party programs, MS Word/WordPerfect, e-mail (PINE), notepad,
• Reboot and login. Reboot and login to printer server. Make sure no one is trying to access the printer server at the time before rebooting.
• Check Print Manager for print jobs. Check for spooling, pending, error, or
• Check Print Manager in printer server for flooded print jobs. Purge or cancel.
• Check printer to see if it is ONLINE, usually indicated by a lit colored light next to a ONLINE button on the printer face. Check for reason printer is OFFLINE. Also check or any error codes and resolve.
• Check for paper jams, empty paper tray, or correct paper feed, and return the printer back to ONLINE status. This usually shows up as "Error printing" in Print Manager.
• Shutdown client and printer server. Restart, login, and retry printing.

Problems:

• Check to see if you are connected online. Test using e-mail, or the Web. Check network setup again; cables plugged in properly
• Check Print Manager to see print job status.
• Check Print Manager on the printer server to see print job status. Clear errors or jams and retry.
• Print with different program
• Reboot and login, retry printing
• Reinstall printer drivers

• Check if it is connected online.
• Check printer cables.
• Test print from print server, use different programs.
• The printer should be able to print jobs from other computers. Run a test print from other client computers to see if prints jobs normally.
• Reboot and login, retry printing; Make sure the printer was turned on before the computer was, or else the computer might not recognize it.
• See if the computer is able to see other computers in Network Neighborhood and vice-versa.
• Check Print Manager for print jobs and status.

• Check to see if the printer server is on and connected online. See if the computer is able to see other network drives and vice-versa.
• Make sure the printer was turned on before the printer server was, or else the computer might not recognize it. Run a test print from several different programs to see if it prints.
• Check to see that the printer is running properly with no error codes, paper jams, ONLINE status, and if still has ink/toner/paper.
• Check Print Manager. Look for any errors and determine what the cause is. Purge all print jobs and try again.
• Reinstall/Update printer drivers (download from manufacturer’s website.)
• Is the clients and printer server in the same subnet?

• Check to see if you can see other network drives.
• If not, then check the workgroup name if it is the same for those in the workgroup and the printer server. Check network connection.
• Is the clients and printer server in the same subnet?
• Try printing to another shared printer if available.

• Reboot and login to workgroup.
• You might be in the wrong workgroup. Go to Control Panel and click on Networks. Click on the Identification tab and check to see if you are in the correct workgroup. Check subnet.

Troubleshooting for file sharing

This is the same as printer sharing, except with files instead of printers.

• Check wires and cables, must login to Windows and to the workgroup, file sharing enabled,
• Check that files are sharing-enabled. Shared folders have a hand holding the folder icon.
• Computers sharing files must be online and in the same workgroup, which can be checked by looking in File Manager.
• The network drives that contain the shared directories/folders should appear in the computer in File Manager.

• Check and make sure the attributes of the file itself is not set at Read-Only. You can check file attributes by selecting the file and selecting File from the menu bar clicking on Properties.

• Enable file and printer sharing as instructed above. In the sharing setup screen, there should be a Reconnect at Startup checkbox. Make sure that is checked on so it reconnects at startup. Reboot the machine and check again.

• Check to make sure you have enough room in the computer’s hard drive.
• If you have over 255 files and folders in a drive or a folder, you have too many. Windows/DOS has a maximum of 255 items per folder or drive. Move or delete some files and try again.
• The file maybe in use. Check with other workgroup users to see.