Need help connecting to shared network printer on Windows 2000 machine using command line. So far, I have typed the following commands and got these results: net use "\\p074026\Brother DCP-7020 USB"\ System error 53 has occurred. The network path was not found. I am able to successfully print to this printer from other PCs on the network. I have restarted the machine. Thanks for the help!

Can you ping the printer from that machine? Have you tried using the IP address when adding the printer?

Actually, the printer is connected via USB to a PC on the network. I have shared this printer. I have been able to get 2 Windows XP Pro machines to print to this printer. There is this one Win 2K machine that simply will not cooperate. I have been told that you can use the "net use" or "net connect" command to accomplish this via command line. I have been really struggling with syntax. Maybe there are other issues.

Since this is not a network printer (ie: plugged directly onto the network) you have to do a little tweaking to get it to function like a network printer. On the 2k PC, start the Add Printer wizard. Choose Local printer. Choose "Create new port" and the make it a TCP/IP port. Point the port at the printer via the PC it's plugged into. Enter the PC's IP address to do this. Once the new port is created, finish the wizard and when you're done, you should be able to print properly. If you take a look at the printer properties on the XP Pro PC's, I'll wager you'll see it's settings are simliar to the ones I've described above (ie: printing to a TCP/IP port with the IP of the PC the printer is attached to in it).

also command line is not a way to solve this since it is only as good as the session. You want windows printing to the printer. Give a person a fish, they eat for a day. Suggest they internet search and they learn a skill for a lifetime.

For that PC to print via another PC having that printer, you will need to set it up in the usual way as described above, and just leave that serving PC on all the time. I have decided to buy TCP/IP HP Printer. It is easy to install with no fuss at all. ======================== Server: Win2000-Server OS: Windows 2000 Advanced Server Domain: skmkong-server ========================