Printer/File Sharing via Wireless network.

[philip]

If you configure them properly both you should be able to choose between which printer you want to use Cloudbringer.

[Bungleau]

Absolutely, Cloudy. Each printer gets its own IP address. I use fixed addresses for my printers, my Linux server, and the Linksys boxes; every PC uses DHCP, so it gets a randomly allocated IP address. Each PC is set up to know that printer 1 is at 192.168.1.50, and printer 2 is at 192.168.1.51.

That's the same principle used in most corporate networks -- you send the data to the machine at that IP address, and that machine deals with it.

[RoSs_bg2_rox]

Originally posted by Ivelliis: Click start, settings, Network Connections. Then in the new window, at the left hand side should be a blue bar. Near the top is a box called network tasks, click "Set up a home or small office network". Click next, and follow the instructions. I'd reccomend doing it on the computer directly connected to the internet. It is just like setting up a network, but instead of cables you have the WLAN cards

Yes I know about all of that, tried it all, it didn't work. Im considering setting the printer up on the other computer, Bungleau, Il go and check out what you said. How much do the wireless printer cards cost?

[Cloudbringer]

Thanks, philip and Bungleau! I've got an older printer that's still funcioning and does pretty well with basic text but we'd like to get another for photos and such so I was debating whether it would be worth it if I had to toss the old one...now I know I could keep both!

[Bungleau]

Ross, a Linksys wireless print servers in Sunday's advertisements was US$130. The one I have is a wired server, and it was less than US$50.

I would probably go for a wired print server. You can plug it directly into the wireless router that you're using without affecting the existing wireless traffic.

Ermmm.... that IS assuming that you're using a wireless router of some sort, and not just doing direct connects. Those are a whole lot less secure in a lot of ways...

[philip]

If you're using a wireless router why not keep it free and run the printer via the home network?

[Bungleau]

To put it in perspective...

... you can certainly hang the printer off a PC and share it from there. Only problem is that if that PC is not on, the printer's not available. That's why I use a print server plugged into the back.

... I can't speak for all wireless routers, but my Linksys also has four wired ports in it. I can use those four ports and use the wireless at the same time with no downside.

... the wireless router can support up to 10-15 wireless devices if 802.11B, or around 32 if 802.11G. It is *NOT* a "one access point, one wireless connection" kind of deal.

So... even if I had all five PCs, both printers, and the Linux server running wirelessly, my single 802.11B access point would still have some room to spare.

[RoSs_bg2_rox]

My router is connected via ethernet to pc one. So you are saying it would be more secure if it was stand alone with extra PCI cards? Well, I'm not bothered about the computers being turned on, as this one is always on and it hosts the printer, so the other would have no problem. Also, I wouldn't mind trying to get it sorted with out the purchase, but if not I will probably get it.

Also it is a netgear router, wth 802.11G and has four ports like yours. Well I may be adding a third pc to the network soon so it may also share the printer.

[Bungleau]

Security and wireless are two totally different subjects [img]smile.gif[/img] If you want it secure, go wired.

Since it's got the four ports, I would just get the wired print server and plug it in (my wired one happens to be a Netgear as well, a mini print server PS101). Took me about 30 minutes from opening the package to setting it up and installing the software on the client PCs. Took me more than three days trying to get Samba to work. Ended up being a no-brainer solution, and the wired print server is less that $US50, I believe.

You don't need any extra PCI cards for it; the print server just plugs into the back of the printer (where you'd plug in the printer cable), and you then plug a standard network cable into it (and the other end into your router). HTTP over to it from another computer on the network and set it up. Really simple... I mean, REALLY SIMPLE.... [img]smile.gif[/img]

[philip]

Originally posted by Bungleau: To put it in perspective... ... you can certainly hang the printer off a PC and share it from there. Only problem is that if that PC is not on, the printer's not available. That's why I use a print server plugged into the back. ... I can't speak for all wireless routers, but my Linksys also has four wired ports in it. I can use those four ports and use the wireless at the same time with no downside. ... the wireless router can support up to 10-15 wireless devices if 802.11B, or around 32 if 802.11G. It is *NOT* a "one access point, one wireless connection" kind of deal. So... even if I had all five PCs, both printers, and the Linux server running wirelessly, my single 802.11B access point would still have some room to spare.

The last 3 is what I mean with why buy another print server there's probably enough space already. Only one is a problem but I think that computers are on very often already in my experience.

Yep wireless there's no securtiy.

If you don't broadcast the sig your other computer that's connected wirelessly probes with the essid. Guess what you can just sniff the essid very easily.

WEP key can be broken pretty easy as well. I don't know for windows but in linux there are several programs that you just have to set to listen and then it calculates the key. IIRC the problem was that every security algorhythm right now uses large prime numbers and thus can be broken/calculated.