Macs cannot see Windows 2000 PC acting as a print server 1

[handlebars]

I have a small network with 3 macs running osx
This PC runs a software RIP called Best Colorproof, which drives an
Epson Pro 4000 printer. The RIP produces virtual Postscript printers
which are available over the network.

Presently, the Macs all see each other OK. However, the PC does not see the Macs and vice versa. The Postscript printers are no longer visible on the Macs. However the PC is connected to the ADSL connection and has an IP number (issued via DHCP by the modem router).

Apart from reinstalling the appletalk protocol on the windows pc, can anyone suggest any ways to troubleshoot this issue?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Andrew

 

[ObviousTroll]

handlebars,

The problem here is that Windows and the Macs use difference mechanisms for probing the network and identifying other machines.

Fortunately, you can work around this by referring to the windows box by its IP address instead of its name. Doing that should let you access shares and printers on the windows box.

A longer term solution is to assign fixed IP addresses to all your machines and create host files on them.

 

[Zelandakh]

reinstall the appleshare stack and then they'll be able to connect correctly.

I ran several bestcolour RIPs that way for years.

<signature sold. new owner moving in shortly>

 

[ObviousTroll]

Zel,

You no longer need to have appleshare running on the windows server, the Macs should be able to work with SMB shares just fine.

 

[handlebars]

Thanks for your posts, I uninstalled print services for macs and appletalk, reinstalled and hey presto!

Cheers

Andrew

 

[Zelandakh]

For some reason I've found that despite not requiring it, the appletalk stack definitely helps. The only downside is the 8 character password limit.

<signature sold. new owner moving in shortly>

 

[ObviousTroll]

Interesting. I did not know that.