Hi, You could do the following steps: Start > Control Panel > Printers > Add printer > Add a local printer > Click on Create a new port > Local Port > Next. The port name will look like this: \\Computer name\printer name And then, can you choose the Epson under the Manufacture list? Alex Zhao TechNet Subscriber Support If you are TechNet Subscription user and have any feedback on our support quality, please send your feedback here.Alex Zhao TechNet Community Support

There are no drivers available for download. Epson's site says the drivers for Windows 7 32 and 64 bit are already built into Windows, and indeed they are which is how it works OK if the printer is connected directly to the Win7's machine's USB port. It sounds like I need a 32 bit Widows 7 driver to be installed on my Windows 64 machine. I've no idea whether this would work, but as I said there are no drivers available for download. There is no such thing as a 32-bit driver which will run under a 64-bit OS. The print rendering must be done on the 64-bit machine and this driver must be 64-bit. (It does not use the driver on the target machine which has the printer attached). Your 32-bit Vista worked because it could download the 32-bit driver from the target machine. It is possible to load both 32-bit and 64-bit drivers on the target machine but it is not easy (and may be impossible on W2K). If it works with the printer directly attached but doesn't "just work" on the network you will have to fiddle about as Alex suggested. Bill

There are no drivers available for download. Epson's site says the drivers for Windows 7 32 and 64 bit are already built into Windows, and indeed they are which is how it works OK if the printer is connected directly to the Win7's machine's USB port. It sounds like I need a 32 bit Widows 7 driver to be installed on my Windows 64 machine. I've no idea whether this would work, but as I said there are no drivers available for download.

Thanks Alex. That worked first time. :)

I have an Epson Stylus C86 printer connected to a Windows 2000 PC on our home network. My Vista (32 bit) laptop was able to print to this across the network without any problem. However on my new Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit laptop, although I can see the printer in the "Add Printer" dialog, when I select it and click Next it says "Connecting..." and "Searching Windows Update", but eventually displays an error box that says "Windows can't find a driver for Epson Stylus C86 series on the network". So I can't print to it, although my vista laptop can. I tried connecting the printer direct to the USB port of my Windows 7 laptop and that installed as a local printer OK and I could print to it. I then connected the printer to the Windows 2000 PC again and tried to connect to it across the network again but got the same failure as before. What do I need to do to get access to the printer from Windows 7? Vista never gave me any problems like this.

Sorry to say, but Windows 2000 is not supported now. Thank for understanding. Milos

A 64-bit OS needs a 64-bit printer driver. Your 32-bit Vista could download the 32-bit driver from the server, but it won't have a 64-bit driver for your Win 7 machine. You may be able to get it to work if you download the 64-bit Win 7 driver and install it in the laptop. I would do this with the laptop directly connected to the printer. When that works, try connecting over the network. This method has worked for me in the past (but not with that particular printer). Bill

Hi, You could do the following steps: Start > Control Panel > Printers > Add printer > Add a local printer > Click on Create a new port > Local Port > Next. The port name will look like this: \\Computer name\printer name And then, can you choose the Epson under the Manufacture list? Alex Zhao TechNet Subscriber Support If you are TechNet Subscription user and have any feedback on our support quality, please send your feedback here.Alex Zhao TechNet Community Support