Printer access from wireless Laptop

[soybean]

truenorth, my desktop computer is the "master" (computer hard wired to the router) and my laptop "slave" feeds through the router by, I think the term is, WI-FI?

Again, the terms master and slave have no relevance here.  Just because your desktop is connected to the router by cable does not make it "master" nor does your laptop become "slave" by virtue of a wireless connection to the router. 

Furthermore, you're referring to truenorth's comment but you aren't even using the terms master and slave in the same sense as him.  He was referring to printers but you're talking about the computers themselves, not the printers. 

"master" and "slave" usually refers to the common scenario of two drives (hard or optical) connected to the same data cable which connects the drives to the motherboard.  The terms simply are not generally used terminology in connection with printers or cable vs. wireless connection to a router.  The terms have meaning with reference to drives; they have no meaning here. 

[Computer_Commando]

...my desktop computer is the "master" (computer hard wired to the router) and my laptop "slave" feeds through the router by, I think the term is, WI-FI?

There is no "master" and "slave" in this configuration.  Both are connected to the router and it makes no difference if one is wired and the other is wireless (Wi-Fi).

In your configuration, in order to print from the notebook computer to the USB printer which is connect to the desktop computer, the desktop computer must be on.  You could convert the USB printer to ethernet and then connect it to the router, so the desktop computer doesn't have to be on.

If you really must have another firewall besides the one built-in to WinXP, they plenty of free ones.

[soybean]

You could convert the USB printer to ethernet and then connect it to the router, so the desktop computer doesn't have to be on.

I don't believe his printer has an ethernet connector. Or, am I missing your point?

[truenorth]

What Next, If your eyes do not glaze over here is a link that seems to cover "everything" related to printer sharing and how to accomplish it in most windows operating systems.You will note a need to "identify" each computer (the point i was trying to make and used the improper terms for) to enable them to be recognized and communicate with the printer.Hope this helps.truenorth

[Computer_Commando]

I don't believe his printer has an ethernet connector. Or, am I missing your point?

I'm sure it doesn't.  Convert the printer to wireless with wireless print server.

[soybean]

I'm sure it doesn't.  Convert the printer to wireless with wireless print server.

Yeah, but he could probably get a new wireless-capable printer for the cost of the wireless print server.  That might be a better option, since the Dell Photo AIO Printer 922 is getting some age on it.

[Computer_Commando]

I agree.

[What Next]

OK.

Ha. truenorth, your right. My eyes are glazed over. I think I thanked everyone. Hope I did.

I can print right now from my computers be it that my laptop still has a red X on it. Live One Care is going out of business and my printer is old, it's low on ink and I should get a new wireless printer. I feel like Lou Costello talking to Bud Abbott about "who's on first". Ha. But it's been fun. I appreciate you guy's guiding me through the unknown.

It has left me with one last question. Do I need to by virus protection with firewall or do I buy virus protection and use my Winxp fire wall?

[Computer_Commando]

...It has left me with one last question. Do I need to by virus protection with firewall or do I buy virus protection and use my Winxp fire wall?

Why buy, when there are good free ones?

Anti-Virus
Avast and AVG both have freeware.

Firewalls
Many are freeware, or just use the WinXP firewall. 

[truenorth]

What Next, Fantastic that you have made progress and can now use your printer as shared. On the "free" anti virus. I have used both the suggestions of Comp_Comm and offer a comment and another alternative. Comment: I find AVG has gotten too bloated. Alternative (free) is "Avira" which i use on a couple of my computers and find it to be very efficient compared to the 2 others. For your information and guidance. On the central concept i do agree that you don't need to "buy". In fact the 2 most popular commercial ones "Norton" and "McAfee " are know to have a lot of downside potential for computer issues. truenorth