I don't know if I should post this here, in a networking NG or
elsewhere. But I thought I'd try this here first.
This concerns a simple P2P network that I'm helping to set up for
a token fee. It consists of four computers, all running WinXP Pro
SP2 and PC-cillin 2006, plus an HP LJ1320N network printer.
The five components are linked together with a 100 Mbps switch.
At present, the network is not connected to the Internet, but may
be connected later. PCC 2006 is updated for scan engine and virus
pattern, and will be regularly updated with separately downloaded
update files.
Each computer is assigned a static IP address and the PC-cillin
firewall is configured to allow a narrow IP address range that
includes those of the 4 computers, and that of the printer
(obtained by printout). Windows firewall is turned off.
Two of the computers have local printers directly attached to
them. The 4 computers can all see each other and there's no
problem sharing files and the local printers.
The problem is with installing the network printer. Installation
fails with 3 of the 4 computers because they cannot detect the
printer on the network during installation. The one exception
came about by accident.
While configuring the firewall, I chose the "Home Networking"
profile and added the IP addresses of the computers and the
printer to the exceptions list, setting them to allow traffic to
and from each of the static IP addresses.
In one of the computers, I accidentally saved the exceptions list
as a new profile instead of including it in the "Home Networking"
profile. This computer alone can detect the network printer.
What puzzles me is why it works only when the settings are saved
in a new profile. All preset items in the exceptions list of the
new profile are identical with those in the Home Networking
profile. It doesn't matter whether the profile chosen to be used
is Home, New or Automatic. It works with just that one computer.
Can anyone please help me understand this behaviour ?
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