Wireless print server - home

[IceBoy]

Hello All,

I'm getting a new professional multifunction colour laser print for my home office.

I want Mrs Ice and my 2 baby icicles to be able to print from their rooms/office to this new whiz bang machine.

So will a £50 wirless print server thingy do the job?

I'm guessing they just plug into the printer and the wireless computers should be able to pick them up?

What happens when I scan something will the printer driver work OK....I think these machines come with software that help with the scanning process etc.

Unfortunately the print will be over 5m away from my computer so USB cable might be an issue?

Help much appreciated.
IceBoy

[lestag]

IceBoy said:

Hello All,

I'm getting a new professional multifunction colour laser print for my home office.

I want Mrs Ice and my 2 baby icicles to be able to print from their rooms/office to this new whiz bang machine.

So will a £50 wirless print server thingy do the job?

I'm guessing they just plug into the printer and the wireless computers should be able to pick them up?

What happens when I scan something will the printer driver work OK....I think these machines come with software that help with the scanning process etc.

Unfortunately the print will be over 5m away from my computer so USB cable might be an issue?

Help much appreciated.
IceBoy

what is the make/model of the printer?

Whether it is wired or wirless will not matter, what matters is the software that comes with the printer.
A lot come these days with a wireless option

[IceBoy]

Lexmark x734de

Anyone?
IceBoy

[lestag]

IceBoy said:

Lexmark x734de

Anyone?
IceBoy

From the spec sheet http://www1.lexmark.com//content/en_us/x734de/x734...
it has a network connection, therefore i would recommend an acecss point that can act as a bridge http://www.netgear.co.uk/home_wireless_access_poin... or if your exisitng access point has a spare network connection, plug the printer in there.
assign a tcpip address to the network port of the printer (or reserve a tcpip address for it on your dhcp server)
install print driver on computer and enter the printers tcp address. print test page
the user guide shows you how to scan http://support.lexmark.com/index?page=content&...

[IceBoy]

Oh jeezzzz, this sounds more complicated than I thought?

I'd give myself a 5/10 for this sort of thing.

I have a wireless router at home which services my office, the kids bedroom computer and Mrs Ice's laptop.

I guessing this would mean plugging the printer into the wireless router or something like that? The wireless router is nowhere near when the printer will sit.

Now I'm a little lost.
IceBoy

[.Mark]

I have a wireless Netgear print server with a printer attached and it works just fine, piece of cake to set up. Although can be temperamental if the printer runs out of paper while printing for some reason. As it happens the print server and my router are next to each other but I am certain they don't have to be.

[sinizter]

You can plug into the router if convenient.

Otherwise a wireless access point connected to the printer (which connects to your wireless network) will do the same job.

[lestag]

IceBoy said:

Oh jeezzzz, this sounds more complicated than I thought?

I'd give myself a 5/10 for this sort of thing.

I have a wireless router at home which services my office, the kids bedroom computer and Mrs Ice's laptop.

I guessing this would mean plugging the printer into the wireless router or something like that? The wireless router is nowhere near when the printer will sit.

Now I'm a little lost.
IceBoy

nah i might be making it complicated for you

as teh printer is too far away from teh router you will need to buy either a printer server or an access point that will act as a bridge to your wireless router

usually printers have only usb ports so thats why you use a wireless printer server to plug into the usb port http://www.netgear.co.uk/extra/h_wireless_print_se...

because your printer has a wired network connection, you coudl use http://www.netgear.co.uk/wireless_access_points_WP... adn it may be the cheaper option

and achieve the same result (i believe)

it depends on teh printer drivers as to whether you will need tcpip or another protocol to print to teh printer. You just need to read teh installation instructions and have a go

[simba1]

In my case I have a fairly old now brother network printer (dcp540cn) that i've plugged into the sky provided router. I have my linux pc connected to the printer via usb cable but my laptop prints wirelessly to the router. Have an old xp laptop which also prints wirelessly to the print. Was quite easy to setup and the printer ip address is automatic issued from the router and the wireless laptops have no issue detecting and using the printer.

[IceBoy]

Ah ha!

I think I got it.

Thanks
IceBoy