[FalvinP]

My basic question is: Is it possible to use one laptop and connect to printers of the exact same model on two different wireless networks?

I have an HP C7180 all in one and my friend has the exact same model on his network at his business. He is able to use his printer at work, but we can't seem to get things set up for him to use my printer when he visits.

I run Vista home premium on my desktop machine. I recently acquired my parent's old WRT54G Linksys router. I successfully set up the network with my desktop connected via an ethernet cable from the cable modem to the router. Since I have no wireless devices, I had my friend come over with his laptop to ensure the wireless worked. It did.

Next, I wanted to set the printer up so that visitors who brought laptops to my house could print using my printer over the wireless network. I changed my HP C7180 All in One from from a usb to an ethernet connection by connecting the ethernet cable between the router and the printer. I then took out the HP installation disk for Vista and proceeded to install the printer over the network. Everything seemed to go ok as I successfully printed a short page.

My friend then needed to install my printer to his laptop. After connecting to my network he then proceeded to install the printer using my installation disk. He also runs Vista on his laptop. He tried installing the printer twice. Each time the installation couldn't complete. There was an error saying that the installation couldn't complete because another installation was still under way. He had to cancel the installation each of the two times he attempted it.

We think it might have something to do with that same model printer already installed on his laptop. Surprisingly, after the second installation attempt, his original C7180 printer disappeared from his list of available printers. We didn't check this after the first installation, so it may have been deleted after the first installation attempt.

He's going to have to reinstall his C7180 at work.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance for your help.