Vista laptop vs XP network printer – yet again

> (…and Yes, I have tried the ‘usual’ fix of adding as local printer – with
> no
> success – details below.)
>
> I have read hundreds of threads on this subject, but am still stuck &
> would
> appreciate any advice.
>
> I have a new Canon iP4300 printer attached by USB to a desktop PC running
> XP
> Home Edition (SP2) which has a USB wifi connexion to an Inventel DW-B-200
> ADSL router & works fine.
>
> 2 other laptops on the network, running XP, can print perfectly on the
> printer on the desktop PC via the wifi network.
>
> I just bought a laptop with Vista Home Premium which works OK via wifi &
> the
> same router and does file-sharing OK, but I am unable to print on the
> iP4300
> via my local network.
>
> Some details:
> Desktop PC name: DESKTOP
> Printer name: p4300
> Printer properties: shared : sharing name CanoniP4 (don’t know why -
> generated automatically?)
> Laptop & desktop have same workgroup name
> Both have an account ‘Michelle’ without password.
> Normally I am using the account ‘Michelle’ on the laptop, but another
> account on the desktop – does that matter?
> All concerned accounts have “Admin� priviledges
>
> The laptop had Norton (I just switched to Avast! but no improvement) & the
> desktop has Avast.
> All firewalls are off – except the one in the DW-B
> Laptop can ping DESKTOP
> Laptop cannot ping the printer by name, or I don’t know how (tried ‘p4300’
> &
> ‘CanoniP4’ & ‘DESKTOP\p4300’ – maybe I should try something else or maybe
> you
> just can’t ping to a USB printer anyway?)
> Laptop can share files on DESKTOP & vice-versa OK – I assume this means
> the
> network basics are OK?
>
> Laptop ‘Network’ panel shows DESKTOP & double clicking on DESKTOP ikon
> shows
> the various printers which are or have been installed on DESKTOP – p4300
> appears as ‘CanoniP4’ & hovering the mouse over it shows ‘p4300’.
> Right clicking on this ikon & selecting ‘connect’ leads to a box showing
> ‘connecting…’ then a box saying I need to install the pilot. If I agree to
> install the pilot, then eventually everything freezes (I understand this
> is
> normal with Vista/XP mix…).
>
> Trying to add printer via Control Panel > Add Printer > Network >
> ‘CanoniP4
> on Desktop’ gives the same result as above.
> Trying via Control Panel > Add Printer > Network > Not Shown > Select by
> name > \\DESKTOP\p4300 gives the same result as above.
>
> Some other things I tried:
> 1. Installed the printer directly on the laptop using the installation CD
> &
> USB connexion – that works OK including printing via USB but still unable
> to
> print via network & desktop – still get asked to install pilot, although
> the
> pilot is already installed!
> Pilot is at: C:\Program Files\CanonBJ\IJPrinter\Canon iP4300\Prn2KXP.
> (Canon site says Vista & XP use same pilot).
>
> 2. Installing new driver from Canon USA site (but dated 11/01/2006). As I
> obviously did not connect the printer at the end of the installation, I
> got
> an error message to say the program had maybe not installed OK. I tried
> again
> & selected the option to select the port manually, then selected LPT1 (in
> ignorance). This gave no error message but when I try to print via printer
> on
> LPT1 there is no reaction at the real printer.
>
> 3. Redirecting the port from LPT1 to \\DESKTOP\p4300. This gave error
> message “Cannot find Network Name�.
>
> 4. The solution that seemed to work on most threads – Control Panel >
> Printers > Add Printer > Local > New Port > Local Port > Name new port
> \\DESKTOP\p4300 does not work for me. This gave error message “Cannot find
> Network Name�.
>
> At this point I would be very grateful for any help!
>
> (Sorry – error messages are my translations from non-English originals…)
>