Connecting printer to Wireless
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Kent
Connecting printer to Wireless
Hi
We have just moved into a temporary cabin and gone from a wired network to wireless via a Vodafone internet hub thingy.
The problem is our new £2500 printer doesnt actually have wireless believe it or not. What is the easiest way to connect multiple computers to this machine over a wireless network. Would we be able to get a wireless dongle and just put it in the usb socket of the printer? All the computers are laptops and people come and go so we cant really connect it direct to one machine.
We have just moved into a temporary cabin and gone from a wired network to wireless via a Vodafone internet hub thingy.
The problem is our new £2500 printer doesnt actually have wireless believe it or not. What is the easiest way to connect multiple computers to this machine over a wireless network. Would we be able to get a wireless dongle and just put it in the usb socket of the printer? All the computers are laptops and people come and go so we cant really connect it direct to one machine.
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 430
Likes: 0
From: South East Cornwall
You need a wireless print sever as discussed in this thread:http://www.pprune.org/computer-inter...rs-please.html
Not all print servers are equal. Only a few will handle multifunction devices so check if you need scanning etc. Also some will not give the two way comms necessary for telling you print problems or out of paper/toner or ink. So check functions and compatibility before choosing.
Good luck
Not all print servers are equal. Only a few will handle multifunction devices so check if you need scanning etc. Also some will not give the two way comms necessary for telling you print problems or out of paper/toner or ink. So check functions and compatibility before choosing.
Good luck
Hippopotomonstrosesquipidelian title
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 1
From: is everything
Does the internet hub thingy have a USB port? Does the incredibly expensive printer have a wifi option? You'll get a better quality of reply if you put a bit more info into your question.
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Kent
The internet thing is basically a vodafone mobile internet device that we connect to via wifi and then gets the internet from the vodafone network. There are no USB sockets or anything.
The printer does not have wifi.
Regards
The printer does not have wifi.
Regards
Hippopotomonstrosesquipidelian title
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 1
From: is everything
Well my printer doesn't have wifi, but it does support 3 specific wifi dongles that give it wifi: you configure the dongle on the PC, then plug it into the printer. You might find a wireless ethernet bridge would be a better or worse solution than a wireless printer server. Again, a hint as to the printer model and vodafone gizmo would have helped. At least one of the Vodafone gizmos has a WPS button, so that might be a consideration when you choose an adapter. Finally, there might be a version of your printer that does support wifi, and you only need to install the card that converts your printer to the wifi-enabled equivalent. I'd probably simply get an old wifi router out of the bit box and configure it as a bridge.
