Share a printer with a password?

My roommates and I bought a printer for our room this year to share between the 3 of us and I would like to use my desktop as the print server. I have it all set up so I can print to it over the network just fine but I would like to set it up so only they can print to it (would prefer to have a password really). Is there any way to do this? I tried setting up a local 'print' user and allowing it access to print but when using another computer it never asks you for a login/password like it does if you are connecting to a network drive. Help?

I guess it would help to know what operating system you're using, and how your network is setup...

Sorry!

We're all going to be running XP pro and will be on the school's network (no router in our room). I will also have my laptop connected to my dekstop via a crossover cable through a second NIC but that won't be a problem for printing because I already log in to my desktop for network drives (as admin).

Edit: Sorry, I'm used to the Windows 2000 sharing dialog. I'm still getting info on this.

:bump: :)

I haven't found anything new. It's pissing me off cause this used to be stupid easy to do in previous Windows versions.

Ok, let me know if anything comes up. :)

Me and my brother used to share the same printer...until he updated to XP and i was left with 98. :\

hmm interesting, i can't figure out a way to do it either...

invar you can't let me down like that... you are the go-to guy! :)

well i suppose you can add a login for each of the users that on your local system that matches their own windows login and that'll work

http://www.ntfs.org/forum/showthread.php?postid=330 962

He seems to know. :) I wish I could have it setup with a password instead of per-user but oh well...

you can do a login on their systems with command line by doing:

net use \\print_server's_name\nam e_of_print_share /user:login password

the problem with this method is that on windows, you can only authenticate to another windows machine ONCE and ONLY once. trying to authenticate a second time under a different account results in an error.

in other words, let's say YOUR computer name is SERVER and mine is client.

SERVER has 2 shares up: PRINTSHARE and MP3SHARE

if i access MP3SHARE via network places or whatever normal method you use and i login to your system with an account named ACCOUNT1 and grab my MP3s, then i'm logged in as ACCOUNT1 and can not login as anyone else until my Samba session is over.

if i now attempt to access PRINTSHARE, it will NOT work unless 1) PRINTSHARE's security setting allows access to ACCOUNT1 or 2) i end my MP3SHARE session by doing a "net use \\SERVER\MP3SHARE /delete" and start a new session by doing "net use \\SERVER\PRINTSHARE /user:ACCOUNT2 ACCOUNT2PASSWORD"

if i were you, the easiest method to avoid this whole command line thing is to do exactly what i said for option (1)

create a share called "dummyprintfoldershare" or something and have your users access that folder using some account you create (PRINTUSER). share your printer, and in security, allow PRINTUSER the ability to print from it.

now, what your users have to do it attempt to open the "dummyprintfoldershare" share and it'll ask for a login. once that's done, they should be able to print.