View/Printer Network Problem

[vashavoc]

I have 3 computers all hooked through my router:

'vas' XP Pro
'server' (has printer connected to it) XP Pro
'laptop' XP Home


My computer 'vas' can use the printer without any problems whats so ever right after booting up. The 'laptop' computer however cannot. The printer displays as 'Not Connected'. Also the mapped network drive (z: in this case) shows as disconencted as well.

The printer will work from 'laptop' once I have established a conenction to 'server' computer before hand. Like if I try to open the mapped drive and it connects to 'server'. Once that initial communication has been made, the printer is fine to be used. However this manual approach is very needless I think.

Is there a work around for this? I am guessing its a 'flaw' of XP Home and it will not auto connect to any network computers of devices.

Help?

 

[mjones73]

I am guessing its a 'flaw' of XP Home and it will not auto connect to any network computers of devices.

No, it's not that, my XP home reconnects my drives fine when I log into it. Do you have this problem if you boot up the laptop and log into it while it's connected to the network? The only time I have issues like this is when I use my VPN client which chops my network drives off til I access one of them again or if I logged in locally on my PC without it connected to the network.