Mission - to set up network printing of an HP LaserJet 5 on a home wired/wireless network

Status - Network ready LJ5 cabled with CAT 5 to 10/100 port on 3Com wireless router. Router connected by cable to main home tower PC. 2nd desktop also cabled into router. 2 x wireless enabled PCs also required to share printer

Questions - Will the router assign an IP address to the printer? Do I need to worry about its IP address? How do I mark the printer as shared? Do I need to do this on each PC, or will they see it if it's shared off the main PC? Does the printer setup need to be changed (it's currently being used off the main PC via a parallel cable)? Changed to what?

PC knowledge in general is very good - just not in this particular area. :confused: Technical answers from fellow ppruners shouldn't evoke 'startled bunny in the headlights' reaction.:eek:

Thanks :ok:

Dee

It's a while since I have done this, but you can do this a few ways - the best way is to use the JetAdmin software (that came with the printer?) to configure the on-board JetDirect NIC as a print server that all the PCs can connect to over the network. Technically, you are creating both a Print Q and a Print Server on the JetDirect card, but that isn't really relevant.

The JetAdmin software should find all JetDirect cards on the LAN, irrespective of whether they have a valid IP address assigned, as it works at the MAC layer. You can then configure the JetDirect card for your LAN setup.

I am pretty sure that you can still download the JetAdmin software from the HP website, though you may have to register. But as you have got a pukka LJ5 that shouldn't be a problem ;)

If you can't get the JetAdmin software, you can manually assign the appropriate IP addressing information using the printer configuration menu on the printer itself (go on, RTFM :p ).

Once the printer has a valid IP address you can then set up each PC to print directly to it - in this case you set up a new LOCAL printer, configuring a STANDARD TCP/IP port, using the IP address of the printer (it helps if it's fixed :hmm: ). Just follow the Add Printer Wizard...

Remove any printer shares off the main PC and uninstall the local printer.

SD

Here's the information for setting the TCP/IP parameters from the printer configuration panel:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/famiDocument?lc=en&cc=us&product=14438&dlc=&docname=bpj02326

Leave DHCP & BOOTP off, since you may want to run your printer also when the router DHCP server is down and you're using a direct "twisted" cable connection from one computer only, for instance. Also you'd have to have assigned one never-to-change IP address for the printer from the DHCP server's setup. Assing an address manually that is beyond the scope of the addresses provided by the router DHCP address pool for internet access. (You may need to go into your router's web-based setup to find out/change.)

The "Unix LPR" print service must be installed separately for each XP client for the printing to work. The instructions are here:
http://please.rutgers.edu/show/howto/AddingLPRport/


If you're not planning to use any MS printer or file shares now, it's a good idea to remove the MS service from the list of network services by the Control Panel.