Can't detect printers?

I got my XPS M1530 a few days ago, and I've not been able to find a single printer, at home nor at work. These work for my old laptop fine, they just pop up. The only option I get is to send it to OneNote 2007 or Microsoft XPS document writer. The add a printer option doesn't help, and I've installed the software but it won't work. What's up with this?

 

Network printers, shared printers, or directly attatched? Vista on the new one, XP on the old one I assume?

 

Wireless printers. They're not networked (nor ever had been).And yes, Vista now XP then.

 

So you connect directly to the printer (as in ad-hoc)? Or do the printers connect to the router or access point as clients, and then you also connect to the router? There is a difference which matters.

 

I think my setup may be a bit complicated: the printer is connected via USB to the main computer which is connect to the router which is connected to the modem. The printer is also connected to another modem of sorts via Ethernet and one of the more square plug thingies.

 

More square plug thingies? As in USB type B?
Printer is connected via wires to... a modem? Huh?
I thought you said they're not networked. This tells me otherwise.

Please describe your full setup as clearly and accurately as possible for me to best help you. Use a diagram is necessary.

 

Ok, that setup is just plain complicated. Here's a different example of another one I can't connect to: Big Printer/Fax machine connected via ethernet to a router. The computer is connected via ethernet to the rotuer, which is connected to the modem. So printer goes to router via Ethernet (which is connected the the modem) and the router is connected to the computer. The computer connected to the router to the printer is running XP. Another desktop can connect wirelessly to the printer (running Vista Home Premium). My laptop is running Vista Ultimate and can't connect to it.

 

First ensure that you have connectivity to that printer. Find out the printer's IP address (check the router's IP table/connected clients) or you should be able to view it on the printer's configuration panel.

Open command prompt, type "ping xx.xx.xx.xx"
If you get a response, we know that you have a link to the printer and the rest is just solving a software issue to get Vista to properly register the printer.

If you get no response, the problem has nothing to do with the printer software/drivers, and the problem is network related (though that does not mean it can't be software)

 

Ok, it's software related. I fiddled with the printer settings for a few minutes and figured out it shouldn't be hooked up to Ethernet. Thanks for your help anyway. +Rep

 

Maybe you're not on the right workgroup?

 

Nope, I was, it just had some funky settings that I turned off.

 

No problem, glad you've got it all working. Based on the stuff you were describing I kind of had a feeling you just had too many cables plugged in somewhere.

 

Yep, all I had to do was unplug the Ethernet cord from the printer and change a few settings.