Network Printer offline

I have a W2K machine with a shared printer (prints fine locally). My W98 laptops can see the printer, but the printer is permanantly marked off-line, passwords and network seem ok as I can use the file share on the W2k box. I did a reverse test, the W2k machine could print to the printer when it was on the W98 machine.
I have reinstalled drivers, it will just NOT go on-line.
Any ides please.

Ian