Windows Print Sharing - home network

[Phillip Burk]

OK, since this is for my home I didn't want to post it to the OS X  
Server list - it should be simple to fix yet it's giving me fits.   
Rather, it's giving my wife fits and I'm suffering from the fallout.

Roughly speaking, I have a Canon MP500 multifunction device connected  
to our wireless network via the USB connection on an Airport  
Express.  The Express is connected to my Airport Extreme base station  
via WDS.  I can print to the Canon printer from any Mac in the house  
- it just shows up via Bonjour.  No problems with the connectivity.

I created a print queue on my OS X server (10.4.8) shared via IPP,  
LPR and  SMB.  It is the default LPR queue (that was easy since this  
is currently the only printer on the network).  Evidently I cannot  
use SMB to print via Windows 2000 but must create an LPR printers on  
the Windows client.  Here's where the theory breaks down.  I've tried  
creating an LPR printer on my wife's Windows laptop but encounter  
nothing but errors when trying to print.  Unfortunately the error  
messages are not helpful.

I have two (maybe three) questions:

1.  Is it possible to use OS X printer queues to manage a USB printer  
connected to the network via an Airport Express?  It appears to be  
possible for Mac clients but Windows, well, that I'm not sure about.

2.  Might I need to move the printer or server so that the printer is  
connected to the OS X server instead of using the Airport Express?   
This is an obvious question that I'd rather not address first - if I  
can get it working with the current setup it's better as I don't have  
great options for putting the printer and server near one another.

3.  Possibly there is something I missed in setting up the LPR  
printer on the laptop?  If anyone has explicit instructions on how to  
do this I'd appreciate it as it really isn't that intuitive or easy.

Thanks in advance.

Phil Burk
________________________________________________________
Systems Administrator
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
10475 Crosspoint Blvd
Indianapolis, IN 46256
317-572-3049 vox
317-572-1049 fax