I have had a network for a long time now and I have always wondered if there is a way to share other peripherals such as scanners or to use a CD writer from a computer on the same network.

Well that's just what I thought

Catch Ya! AllaN

Re: Networking other devices

Allan,

Using the CD writer from another computer should work straight away after making it 'shared' from the computer it is installed in. Right-click on the CD writer icon in My Computer or Windows Explorer and select 'sharing', then click on the 'Shared as' option and give it a name (you can just accept the default name as well). I recommend you also allocate a password. You should then be able to go to the other computer and use the CD writer as you normally would, but this time through Network Neighbourhood.

Sharing other peripherals such as scanners and printers is not as straightforward. I had lots of grief sharing my printer with the network, but eventually got it going after much experimentation. Try using the same method as for the CD writer; if that doesn't work then go to the scanner manufacturer's web site and look in their support section for a topic on sharing the scanner on a network. That's your best bet.

Hope this helps, Geoff Farrell.

PS: If anyone wants to know how I got a Lexmark 5700 to share on a WinME/Win98SE network, I would be happy to provide the details.

Re: Networking other devices

Sharing the CD writer is quite easy. On the PC that has the writer, go to my computer, right click on the CD writer, select properties. Select the Sharing tab and select "Shared as" and give it a name. Ok and then on the other PC's you should be able to see it on network neighbourhood. If you want to look at it as a drive then map it as a drive.

The scanner sharing is a question I have been asking for quite some time. No one seems to know. All the mags you read explain how to share files and printers, but that is it. The Microsoft knowledge base is no better. So unless some one out there has done it, pass.