It's just taking its time to get to the PC with the printer and then from
that PC to the printer. What kind of network is it? 10/100 wired....
ensure NIC is set at 100 Full Duplex (if that is what your NIC supports)....
or wireless.... and if wireless, a, b or g.

--
Cari
MS-MVP Windows Technologies - Printing/Imaging/Hardware
www.coribright.com

"Martyn" wrote in message
...
I have exactly the same problem.

My network is 100% XP pro with one PC directly connected to the printer
via USB and the other sharing it over the network.

My experience is that the PC sharing the printer is the one that is slow
to get started (typically around 30 seconds or so). The PC that has the
printer directly connected to does not have the problem. It also does not
seem to be application specific (Word and notepad both are as slow as one
another)

My printer is an Epson Stylus CX5400

Martyn