Well. if you can print from the desktop, at least you can transfer files to it with your thunb drive (as opposed to going to the library). When you try to print, use the drop-down menu in the print dialog box, and see if you have the printer listed. If so, select it from the list. If you select it, and the printer status is "idle", you should be ready to go. (This is assuming that you already have the proper driver installed on the laptop.) We just went through the same aggravation with our HP J6480. In our setup, we have a home network. The printer is connected to the router (not the adjacent desktop). Basically, if you go to Start / My Network Places (In WinXP), you can create a Workgroup. Then you do the same on the other computers, using the same name, and opting for "file and printer sharing". If the printer is connected to the desktop directly, make sure the computer is on, and that file and print sharing is turned on. Then go to Control Panel / Printers, and look for that printer. Right click on it, then "set as default". Then see if you can print. Last, but not least, try unplugging the printer and waiting a minute. Plug back in, turn it on, and you might be able to print. Good luck.

Make sure both computers are part of the same workgroup. Sounds like it could be a permissions problem. Windows, by default, doesn't share many folders to protect you. There should be a couple of existing shared folders but depending on which version of Windows you have they are in different places/have different names. Create a new folder (call it anything you'd like). Right click on the folder and choose properties, then sharing. Enable sharing for the folder and make sure you have permissions set to read, write, modify for all users. Copy your recipe there and see if you can access the file from another computer.

I'm not familiar with US Ag data for soils conditions, but perhaps that is common in your area. Do you have a local building department available to consult? If you are going to build in an unusual site condition and/or where there are know problematic soil conditions, ie, expansive soils, history of erosion and slides, etc., then I would not hesitate to have a specific soils investigation and recommendations made. Foundations are not where one wants problems or surprises. Exercise prudence! Good luck!

if it is not a wireless router you can not use it in another room unless you some how run a cable that connects from the router to the other room to hook the pc to. If it is a wireless router and the pc you are talking about has in a wifi card you should be able to use it in any room of the house and it should find and connect to the wireless network once you enter your network password. But since you mention the connection for 4 computers it sounds like you are not using any type of wireless. Let us know what exactly you have so we can give better info.