Win 7 PC will not add Win 11 PC Printer.

suparoo · Sep 30, 2023

I am having trouble trying to connect my wife's Win 7 PC to my Canon iX6860 IJ Printer which is connected via USB on my Win 11 PC.
Each time I run Add a Printer in CP > Devices & Printers on her PC, I keep getting the error message... "Windows cannot connect to the printer. The specified network name is no longer available."
When the Select a Printer window opens, it has the right printer and the right address (as far as I know)... \\?????\Canon iX6860 series.
If I select the option "The printer that I want isn't listed" and select "Browse for a printer" > Next, it finds my PC and then when I click on it it shows the right printer, but Win 7 still will not connect to it. I get the error message above.

I have tried disabling EIS's AV and Firewall, it makes no difference.

Can anybody suggest what I maybe wrong or I am doing wrong?

Thanks!

logicmethod · Oct 1, 2023

I think In the past I was able to add the
printer via direct IP

Click Add Printer.
Select Add Local Printer then click Next.
Select create new port, choose Standard TCP/IP from menu, then click Next.
Type static IP assigned to printer in Hostname or IP address field.

Also I would try to get her on Windows 10 at least due win 7 is really insecure due to being End Of Life.

glasskuter · Oct 1, 2023

Have you set up printer sharing in your machine? Select the Start button, then select Settings > Network & internet , and on the right side, select Sharing options. Under Private, select Turn on Network discovery and Turn on file and printer sharing.
Then share the printer.

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners.
Choose the printer you want to share, then select Manage.
Select Printer Properties, then choose the Sharing tab.
On the Sharing tab, select Share this printer.

Try turning on SMB 1 in windows 11 features.

Your best bet would be to set the printer up as wireless (or use its ethernet connection.) Unplug the printer and uninstall the printer from both machines, Restart both machines.
Within the printer control panel set up wireless per your printer manual instructions. Then install the printer on both machines as a networked printer.

TBH I have not messed with Windows 7 in many, many years. There's a few folks here who has Windows 7 running as a VM. Windows 11 sometimes has trouble networking with Windows 10 so throwing 7 in the mix ....I would hesitate to say what one can expect.

suparoo · Oct 2, 2023

logicmethod said:
I think In the past I was able to add the
printer via direct IP

Click Add Printer.

Select Add Local Printer then click Next.

Select create new port, choose Standard TCP/IP from menu, then click Next.

Type static IP assigned to printer in Hostname or IP address field.

Also I would try to get her on Windows 10 at least due win 7 is really insecure due to being End Of Life.